(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

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

board#094: shortboard for... the Boardroom 2015 !



Dimensions: 5'10 x 19 x 2 3/8
[completed in May 2015]
Model Vedette

The story: It all started one morning. I will always remember. I was driving to work when I got a message from Scott Bass. He is the organizer of the Boardroom, the Boardroom I attend every year to  watch professional shapers in action in the glass shaping room (see here and here).  Last year, I got to be inside one as Axel Lorentz's official assistant (photos, video, time watcher and water dispenser :)). This year, I was going to be inside again... but shaping... When Scott asked me if I would be interested, I thought it was funny he would ask me that question. It is like asking if you would be interested to win the lottery... He said it would be a special feature about female shapers. Then it was my turn to ask him a question: "will it be in a competition format?" Because I don't want to compete against my peers. We should, on the opposite, stick together. He said it would be just a demo which means free shaping for two hours, any shape. I instantly agreed. I was stoked. You have no idea.

The shape: Scott Bass said I would have 120 min in the shaping bay, and that I could just shape anything, and it was not even necessary to finish the board. But to me it was a challenge I was giving myself: hand shape live and deliver a finished ready-to-glass board within 2 hours. This is why it was important to pick the right model. Obviously a short board would be faster to shape. I picked my Vedette model as I made at least 10 of those! I knew that shape very well but I never timed myself. That is why, one week before the Boardroom, I bought the US Blank I had ordered to Scott for the show and I locked myself in my shaping room for two hours... It was a timed rehearsal but without audience... However I needed that to realize that I could do it and decrease a bit the level of stress. 

The artwork: This board was a training board. For the first time it was made for nobody... or maybe somebody would enjoy it?? I didn't want to waste that amount of labor (2 hours exactly ;)) I decided to paint it with my signature stripes (with a fading) and send it for glassing at Global Glassing. 

The board was sold at Encinitas Surfshop. I don't know to who. If you happen to be the owner (or know the owner) please contact me to send me your testimonial :)



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