(Photo: Laurent Chantegros)
I LOVE shaping surfboards and I'm kinda obsessed with this craft. Even though I am about to shape my 243th board I'm still considering myself as a novice but I hope to become a master one day... This blog is a virtual portfolio and a diary of my journey in the shaping world. Feel free to leave comments or contact me directly at valerie@meremadesurfboards.com.

Valerie Duprat
-Shaper of Mère-Made Surfboards

Saturday, May 30, 2015

board#071: egg for Eri



my favorite picture of Eri and her board
(and little Kasuki peeking out from behind)

Dimensions: 8'4 x 22 x 2 5/8
[completed in November 2014]
Model Vitamin Sea

The story: Eri and I met years ago surfing the same break. We quickly became friends. Years later, we are still surfing the same break and our kids are playing on the beach together. Eri is from Japan. She is a very talented artist-photographer. I really love her work (check her website here). This year she was the only photographer featured in a Nikon exhibit in Japan !!! I was so honored when she suggested a photoshoot in my shaping room (the pictures on the banners of this blog are hers), even more when she produced my first Mere-Made commercial last year (click here to see it). But I was the most honored when she ordered her own Mère-Made!

The shape: as long as I remember, I always saw Eri with the same epoxy funboard. She wanted something similar but … more manoeuverable. We took dimensions of her current board as it seems to be working well and narrowed it a bit.  I also made sure I keep some rocker because I have seen her charging on those big swells…

The artwork: Ahhhhh… the artwork…. I literally beg Eri to let me do a cherry blossom artwork on her board. I had this in mind forever and I just needed the right occasion. And here comes Eri who is …Japanese! She politely agreed with the idea without really picturing how it would look like. Then, when she saw the final product she fully adopted it ;) I painted everything by hand with a brush. It took me hours but, I don't regret it. My only regret might be that I had to let go of this board…

Glassing is done by the Global Glassing crew!

The testimonial: … is coming from other friends in the line-up who complained that Eri was catching too many waves… I guess that says it all.

That says "Eri" 










4 comments:

  1. OMG! That is such a beautiful board, the artwork is so delicate and just gorgeous! I love it.
    Bron x

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    1. Thanks Bron! I knew you would like this one ;) very feminine like you!

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  2. beautiful board as always V!! outlines look clean and i'm sure it will ride gracefully

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    1. ... and it does ride nicely even in more consistent swell as it has quite a bit of rocker to drop in in steep waves (I can tell because I am friend with the owner and I get to see her surf on it). I was sad not to see you at the Boardroom last May but I know that Del Mar is quite a drive for you. I would like to say next time but I am not sure that a next Boardroom will happen. It is the kind of once in a lifetime opportunity. Next time in the water then ;)

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