board#154: funboard for Albert

Albert, his son and his board

Dimensions: (coming soon)

[completed on December 2016]

The story: Albert is a LaCrosse coach who also happens to surf when the conditions are favorable. He is also the husband of my friend Fatima, who like me is a scientist in San Diego. 

The shape: Albert asked for a shape that would accommodate for his occasional surfing without compromising too much the ability of the board to perform in more challenging conditions if necessary. We decided for an egg shape with a bit of rocker.

The artwork: per Albert's request, the artwork is based on his Lacrosse team color and logo. I used gold metallic paint for the spray. Glassing was done at Global Glassing (I think).

board#152: funboard for Jeanne

Dimensions: 7'4 x 21 1/4 x 2 3/4
[completed in November 2016]

The story: the way I met Jeanne is very interesting: I saw her walking down the path of my favorite break with my ex... I mean my ex-board :) That Walden was very dear to me. One of my favorite board ever and I recognized it right away. Turned out that Jeanne is a local from my own break and that is how we became friends. 

The shape: Jeanne was ready to transition from her (my) Magic Walden to a shorter shape. We decided for a funboard shape that would allow her to comfortably drop in in steeper waves (a bit more rocker). The goal was also to have a board she could try some maneuvers with. I added a diamond tail and some channels to make it fast !

The artwork: Jeanne was not very decided on any artwork, except for the part of something "feminine". I had a beautiful Boardlams printed fiberglass with flowers left from a previous project (the artwork was designed for Maylane's board by her grand-father, see board #125). My glasser, Dewi at Tigerglassing did a wonderful job integrating the printer fiberglass to the purple paint job I had done in preparation.

board#151: funboard for Emma

Emma and her first board

Dimensions: 7'6 x 22 x 2 7/8
[completed in January 2017]
Model Vitamin Sea

The story: I met Laurent Chantegros at the Boardroom in 2015, 10 min before entering the glass shaping bay for the shaping demo. He took some amazing pictures of that session and he, since then, became The official Mere-Made Surfboard photographer ! Every shooting I am blown away by his creativity, always bringing something new and fresh (and making me look good at 45 year old !!!! That is magic right there !!!). This board is a gift to him and his family (his daughter Emma is picking up on surfing), for all the photos he let me use and the time he spends making sure Mere-Made Surfboards is never short in new photographic material. 

The shape: something simple, elegant but efficient at making sure that Emma enjoys her first surfing experience.

The artwork: in the same lines of simpleness, Emma asked for a polish on a white board. She picked that custom logo made by french artist Sebastien Arcouet. That board totally represents Emma who is a beautiful pure angel ! 

Fun time (and team work) putting the board on the car :)

As the shaper, I get to have a turn on the waves :)

board#147: funboard for Martina

bride and grom-to-be

Dimensions: 7'2 x 21 x 2 3/4
[completed on November 2016]
Model Vida

The story: The science world is small.  My best friend Carine who is a scientist like me, advertised Mere-Made Surfboards in her lab at the Salk Institute. Then, a colleague of her (Robert) contacted me to make a custom board for his scientist future wife (Martina). The board is an engagement gift for her. They are both Irish and going back to Ireland for the wedding. Congrats to Martina and Robert !!!

The shape: we talked about something that would be an easy to paddle into the wave with enough rocker to drop into steeper waves if needed. 

The artwork: Martina decided on a simple yet very feminine artwork (despite the non-usage of girly colors :))

The glass was done by Tiger G glassing.

going for the maiden voyage at my own spot 

<3

board#143: funboard for Alyson

Alyson and her mermaid on her Mere-Made

Dimensions: 7'8 x 22 1/2 x 2 7/8
[completed in September 2016]
model Vida

The story: Alyson is a very dynamic make-up artist whose side job is to organize girls-only surfing trips to Nicaragua. She came from Atlanta to order her special board that will be part of her adventures in Nicaragua. She had a very special plan for the artwork...

The shape: Alyson needed something similar she was surfing on, with a bit more rocker to leave room for improvement, when time comes she would drop on stepper, more powerful, nicaraguan waves. 

The artwork: like me Alyson is obsessed with mermaids, and I think that is why she reached out to me. Because I would understand her artwork plan and fully embrace it. I totally loved the idea. She was going to get her leg tattooed with a beautiful original artwork from a tattoo artist. She simply wanted the same mermaid on her board. I got in touch with the artist and got s high definition file of his work which was printed on fiberglass by Boardlams. The mermaid was glassed in !

instagram post showing the parallel work between the tattoo artist and I

board#135: funboard for Gayle

Dimensions: 8'2 x 21 3/4 x 2 7/8
[completed in July 2016]

The story: I know Gayle since our sons went to daycare together at the age of 2 months! Since then we have been randomly crossing paths in our busy lives but always grateful to see each other and to catch up in the line-up. Except that now she rides one of my board :)

The shape: "something fun to ride in any conditions", a fun shape it is! Volume for the paddle-ability and a bit of rocker to permit some rides on steeper waves. 

The artwork: Gayle requested some irradiating rays. Since I had done sideways, I went for a tail origin point for a change.

board#134: funboard for Brenda

Brenda, the birthday girl, with her present !

Dimensions: 7'7 x 21 3/4 x 2 7/8
[completed in June 2016]

The story: my friend Tracy was looking for a special gift for her sister's birthday. Since she had herself a Mere-Made as a birthday gift (board#116) and one before that (board#016), she pulled the trigger and next thing I know I was doing a surfboard for her sister Brenda. Simple as 1, 2, 3 !

The shape: Brenda is a beginner and we decided for a classic funboard shape with plenty of volume on the nose so that she would enjoy riding the waves right away! 

The artwork: when Brenda came to order her board and discuss artwork she wasn't very decided: teal and her dog's paw prints were in the talk. Then I showed her a piece of rice paper with some delicate black lace on it... She immediately loved the idea. Teal, lace and dog prints (which I made her make real paw prints from her dog and she said it was an awful mess (but the thanked me later :)). I also set her up with a custom logo designed by french plastic artist Sebastien Arcouet. 

The glass was wonderfully executed by Dewi at Tiger Glass.

Brenda and her board

real paw prints from Brenda's dog !!

Dad with his two beautiful daughters

with all the boards I shaped for the family !!!