(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

Sunday, December 8, 2019

board#162: Switchfoot board !



Dimensions: 5'6 x 19 1/2 x 2 1/4
[completed in June 2017]
Model Voldemort

The story: I love my town. I try to give back to my community as much as I can. Last year, I donate a board for the Ecke Magdalena YMCA which basically raised my children (click here for the story). This time I picked to help my favorite band. Switchfoot is an Encinitas-based christian band who rock not only by their music but also from deeply caring for people in need. Every year they throw a huge free concert at Moonlight Beach to raise money for a cause, usually helping children from our community. During this event, they host a fundraiser party where they auction donations. I made a Switchfoot surfboard for this event. Few days before the auction, Vincent, my husband and I surprised the band during a soundcheck before a Del Mar fair concert. I was so shy that I sent Vincent to hand off the board while I was hiding in the crowd. But Switchfoot frontman, Jon Foreman, paused the soundcheck to thank me for the donation (see video below). Later this week, I hard that the board sold for $1,000 and the couple who bid on it decided to give the board as a present to the Switchfoot who are excellent surfers.  That was the last new about that very special board.

The shape:  I thought the board would need to stand out for an auction and I went for an unusual shape, the Voldemort model I created for my friend Clement. But I made sure the volume would be generous enough to allow the board to be surfed my a majority of potential bidders. 

The artwork: the artwork was a no brainer: Switchfoot logo ! I loved it so much I wanted to keep the board :) 












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