board#164: first board for my daughter

Happy

Dimensions: 5'8 x 19 5/8 x 2 1/2
[completed in July 2017]
Model Versatile

The story: my 8 year-old daughter was playing in the white wash in Costa Rica when a girl passed by on her way out to the line-up. That girl was probably 11 year old at most and surfed really good. But the way she looked (down) at Victoria decided my daughter she will surf as good as her one day, or even better! Since that day, and from her own will, Victoria has been surfing 3-4 times a week and compete in regional surf contest. This board was her first one.

The shape: for a first board, the goal was an easy paddle into the waves as a priority. I made an eggy board that had a generous outline but with proper concave on the bottom and a progressive rocker. 

The artwork: I have a hard time saying "no" to my daughter. She knows how to play with the mommy cord... Anyway, she decided she would have food on her board. Her favorite sweets from USA and France: Cupcakes and Macaroons ! I bought the perfect image on a stock website and have it printed on rice paper by Boardlams. Then the magic of my Dewi Malopsi, my glasser and owner of Tiger Glassing, operated. She laid in the printed rice paper on the painted board and added glitter on the pinline ! 

This board is and will always be very special to my heart.

board#160: asymmetrical shortboard for Vincent

Dimensions: 5'4 x 18 5/8 x 2
[completed in March 2017]
Model Versatile-A

The story: Third iteration of the asymmetrical shortboard board model I created for my husband Vincent (see board#100 and board#136). He still loves the benefit of the tail/rail asymmetry (see the shape section) and the original artwork! 

The shape: The idea is to build a board that would have different specifications on the toes/heel sides since the pressure applied is different (more power on the heels, more control on the toes). The toe side has the longest rail and pinched rails for optimized penetrance of the wave while carving a nice arc. The heel side is the shortest for smaller arc to quickly bring the board up to the lip.

The artwork: still using the concept of the shifted stripes which highlights the asymmetry.

board#156: shortboard for Mark

Dimensions: 5'8 x 19 5/8 x 2 3/4

[completed in February 2017]

Model Versatile_A

The story: I have been making boards for Mark for a while:

Mark's board #1: keel fish (board#009)

Mark's board #2: mini-gun (board#032)

Mark's board #3: shortboard (board#050)

Mark's board #4: shortboard (board#073)

This is Mark's board #5 !!!!

The shape: Mark is an excellent surfer who loves to experiment new shapes. He saw my husband's asymmetrical board and asked to have his own version. The asymmetry is for regular foot: shorter rail on the heel side to allow for narrower backside turns (and hit the lip faster). Rails are also rounder on backside to support the extra weight with more forgiveness. Frontside rail are pinched and longer for nice wider carves.

The artwork: keeping the spirit of the asymmetrical artwork I started on this model with a simple shifted stripe. Easy and efficient: my favorite artworks :)

board#139: shortboard for Vatea

with glasser Nico and Rico Leroy (board before glassing in the front)

Dimensions: 5'4 x 18 1/2 x 2 1/8
[completed in August 2016]
Model Versatile

The story: Vatea ("Vatou") is the son of Elodie and Rico, some very close french friends. When we visited them in Hawaii, Vincent left his board there for Vatou (14 year old at the time) who was starting to surf seriously. The same year, when they learn I was visiting Swop Surfboards in France, they asked me to shape another  one of that Versatile model. I was very stoked to shape him his own board !

The shape: he asked for the same shape with few minor adjustments.

The artwork: created by Vatou himself, it features some hawaiian license plates with a triangle pattern that relates to the famous surfer Buttons, a friend of Rico and Elodie who recently passed away.

The glass was done at Lacanau Surf Design by Nicolas.

board#136: asymmetric shortboard for Vincent

v2.0 vs original

Dimensions: 5'4 x 18 5/8 x 1 15/16
[completed in July 2016]
Model Versatile-A

The story: v2.0 of the first asymmetric board I made for my husband Vincent (see board#100). He was so happy with the benefits of a slight asymmetry of his previous board that I was asked to reproduce it.

The shape: The idea is to build a board that would have different specifications on the toes/heel sides since the pressure applied is different (more power on the heels, more control on the toes). The toe side has the longest rail and pinched rails for optimized penetrance of the wave while carving a nice arc. The heel side is the shortest for smaller arc to quickly bring the board up to the lip.

The artwork: still using the concept of the shifted stripes which highlights the asymmetry.

comparing comparing. it better be the same!

board#100: asymmetric shortboard for Vincent

Dimensions:  5'4 x 18 5/8 x 2
[completed in August 2015]
model Versatile-A

The story: to me it was a big deal to be shaping my 100^th board. It was definitely a milestone for Mere-Made surfboards. I had to shape a board that would stay with me. It also had to be very special and a challenge to myself to make the point that I improved my shaping skills since board#001. It made so much sense to be shaping my first asymmetric board (on purpose J).

The shape: it was a total team work with my team rider, Vincent Duprat. Because we are both scientifics, the approach was very scientific too: in order to see if the asymmetry is beneficial, we had to compare it to the same symmetric board. We spec the dimensions to match Vincent actual board (versatile model, board#085) but adding a slight asymmetry to the bottom half of the board only. The asymmetry was designed for a goofy foot rider with more rail length on the toe side. But then more volume on the heel side. Concaves and fin placement are also asymmetrical accordingly. Shaping-wise it was like shaping two boards at once. I had a drawing of the volume repartition on the wall with the bottom view and deck view in order to not be confused every time I flip the board. It was a very interesting experience to design and shape that board. To add to the excitement, our friend Mark was there to document this special day. He filmed and edited the footage to a very nice piece of work, news-story-style. Thanks Mark!

The artwork: I am so proud of the idea I came up with!!!! I paint the stripes slightly off on my side to illustrate the asymmetry. Those artworks are my favorite: cheap, fast, easy but delivering a message.

Testimonial: Vincent rides this board everyday since he got it (last year).

Mere-Made Surfboards from Mark Sackett on Vimeo.

board#085: shortboard for Vincent

Dimensions: 5'4 x 18 4/8 x 2
[completed in February 2015]
Model Versatile

The story: pretty straight forward story: that would  be the third Versatile model for Vincent.  The truth is that he likes to ride that model so much!
First one was very bubbly: board#023
The second was the famous zipper artwork: board#039
Here is its third iteration!

The shape: same specifications as the previous one (click here for details board#039) but with more shaping hours in my resume so it went faster ;)

The artwork: what about replicating the artwork too? The zipper artwork was a big hit as Vincent always got lots of thumbs-up for his previous board. let's keep the same success recipe with another zipper pattern, only with a teal color this time.

board#040: shortboard for Jimmy

Jimmy at Illumina: "Inovation is in our DNA" 

Dimensions: 6'1 x 19 3/8 x 2 3/8
[completed in March 2014]
Model "Versatile"

The story: Jimmy sits next to me at my "other" work. We share the same lab and have a Spotify Master Playlist we listen to. He knows my favorite song to play when I am having a bad day: The Lazy Song from Bruno Mars... In brief, we are lab buddies! We actually started working at Illumina at the same time! Jimmy came from Santa Cruz where he studied and surfed. Soon he ordered a board.

The shape: it happened that I was ready to shape Jimmy's board when my mentor David Charbonnel (SWOP Surfboards) was visiting from France. We all met at the beach, surfed together and David was able to assess the kind of board/shape Jimmy would be the most likely to enjoy with regard with his current surf skills. It was decided Jimmy would need an overall "rounder" short board while keeping the squash tail and fast concave. In brief something playful but with plenty of room for progression. Like usual after I spend some time with my mentor, I got a "shaping boost" and shape #040 with a lot more confidence than #39. 

The artwork: Jimmy designed the artwork. He liked the black widow I made previously (board#013) but he wanted to introduce a scientific twist. He thought about the virus design and created it on an online illustration software. I loved the idea and I know why… I am a scientist too after all!

The testimonial: (as it appeared on my Facebook wall)

"Valerie!! I just got back from my first surf session with the board and it was sick!! It was so fast! I'm pretty sure I caught the best wave of my life today. And if Mere-Made Surfboards had yelp id give it infinite stars!! 

Thanks again Val! Keep making awesome boards! "

"28 days after" vibe

seems so biohazardous in my shaping room

in the lab,  just for the photo shoot

board#039: short board for Vincent (!!!!)

Dimensions: 5'4 x 18 5/8 x 2
[Completed in March 2014]
Model "Versatile"

The story: another one of those… for my favorite team rider: Vincent! He asked for the Versatile model he really like riding lately. Short, wide, extra thin.

The shape: I shaped it in a record time (2.5 hours!) as it was the perfect sunday in California: sunny weather with glassy waves. I just wanted out of the shaping room to join my family and friends at the beach ;)

The artwork: I had free power on the artwork and I treated myself with the realization of an idea I had for a long time: the zipper theme. I like to think about a board in 3D, like it has layer. The idea is to unzip the paint layer from the foam core, like we are peeking inside. I ordered a rice paper print of the zipper at Boardlams.com and my glasser, Johnny (Global Glassing), perfectly positioned it on top of the shaped blank I had painted in orange. Team work for a board which definitely draws attention in the line-up!

little board but big turns!