Board#165: longboard for Jade

 

Jade & her Dragon in Malibu (2017)

Dimensions: 9'0 x 22 x 2 3/4

[completed in August 2017]

The story: Jade heard about me from the Wahine Kai Women's Surfclub and ordered a board for herself and her husband (board#166). She lives in Los Angeles area and the ordering process happened through emails. It is always a pleasure to shape Wahine Kai's members!

The shape: 9'0 longboard single fin with a Vee tail.

The artwork: Jade always had dragons on her boards. I was happy to perpetuate the tradition since I am a big fan of dragons myself! I spraypainted the Beast and Tiger G glassing glassed it with a beautiful polish finish.

board#141: longboard for Rico

untaping board#141 at SWOP Surfboards

Dimensions: 9'0 x 21 3/4 x 2 5/8

[completed in August 2016]

The story: I got the shape Rico Leroy a couple of longboards (board#054) before including one shaped in Eric Arakawa's shaping room in Haleiwa (board#119).  Here is one more for my favorite waterman ! 

The shape: the idea was to reproduce the shape from his Haleiwa's board I made for him (and which is stored in Hawaii) so he can have one in France. I worked by memory on this shape, trying to reproduce it without any precise dimensions.

The artwork: Rico's heart is hawaiian and he wanted to honor his culture by adoption. The triangles on the deck are in memory of his friend and surf legend, "Buttons" (Montgomery Kaluhiokalani). The deck displays the hawaiian flag in greyscale. All of this took me countless hours of masking ! But totally worth the sweat ! 

(I shaped the board at SWOP Surfboards' workshop. The glass was done by Nicolas at Lacanau Surf Designs.)

with Nicolas (who glassed the board) and Rico

<3

board#130: noserider for Ashley

Dimensions: 9'2 x 22 x 2 5/8
[completed in June 2016]
Model Velzy

The story: Ashley contacted me via email. No common friends. She was looking for her next board, tailored for her by a local female shaper. She found me and I was glad she did since shaping for surfer girls is why I got into that "business" for ! To share the stoke with my fellow surf mates !

The shape: A traditional noserider, square tail, single fin... perfect for her local californian breaks! It was the longest board I ever shaped in my shaping room : 9'2 !!! I had to use some energy to turn the board around to make sure the part I was shaping was always in the right lights. Some parts I had to shape the door opened!

The artwork: I had to challenge my poor drawing skills to pull off a hand painted ocean kelp design. A lot of work but it is so gratifying to hand off a board which was both hand-shaped AND hand-painted!

board#124: noserider for Kendra

Dimensions: 9'0 x 23 1/2 x 3 1/8
[completed in March 2016]

The story: Gauthier and Kendra is a sweet couple from San Francisco. They both surf and they both picked me as their shaper for their new board. It was Kendra's idea as she liked the fact she would have a female shaper making her board. There is actually more behind that. Unfortunately Kendra had already ordered a custom board from a shaper in the Bay area. However when she picked it up, she realized that the board was extra heavy and the artwork/glass looked like it was rushed. She was so disappointed that she contacted me with the hope, as a woman, I would be more careful to details. It was therefore an interesting case where I had to compete with a board which existed already. Only I had to make it better. Pressure.

The shape: I followed the outline of the actual (defective) board since according to Kendra the shape was fine. It was a classic noserider shape with  squash tail and a spoon. For the details,  I made it a "Mere-Made Surfboard" because each shaper has his/her own style :)

The artwork: I had a very precise document in hand. Probably the most detailed and fancy sketch I ever received. It was created by Gauthier and showed me exactly what to do. I fell in love with that artwork which helped me going through that very technical spray. Basically I needed to create the effect of a resin tint but with spray paint. For each color I needed to mask/tape the whole board. And there were 5 colors... The time spent on this board was definitely extensive but so worth it !

The testimonial: I passed!!!! Kendra loved her board, so much more than than the original version she was so disappointed in! Plus I saw her riding it for the first time. Mission accomplished!

[selected by Boardporn]

Document sent for Gauthier for the artwork...

board#120: longboard for the Camp Pendleton Surf Club

Colin (on the left) with nephew
welcoming the Marines' board

Dimensions: 8'0 x 22 1/4 x 2 3/4

[completed in January 2016]

Model Vim

The story: such a great story behind that surfboard and an example of why I am so passionate about making custom surfboards! One day I receive a message through FB Messenger from Colin Cooper who is an officer at the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton. He said the base's surf club (Camp Pendleton Surfclub) was looking for a "commemorative" surfboard which would be mainly on display for memorial events (at the main Marine Corps based in the US!!!) and surfed only in official paddle-outs. This board would display the logo/motto of the Marines... I was in shock by such an honor and I asked him "why me"? Colin said they considered a couple of shapers but my surfboards stood out for having the most soul. I was in deeper shock and, of course,  I accepted this very special order right away. 

The shape: I met Colin in person to discuss the details of the shape. Even though it was mainly a display board I told him I want to board to be fully ridable. We decided on a classic egg/longboard shape which coule be easy to paddle during memorial paddle outs. 

The artwork: it was not very long before Colin and I figured out the board would be all black with white Marines logo (printed by Boardlams). I painted the foam in black and asked Global Glassing to apply an opaque black resin tint on top  with a polish finish. The result was mind-blowing. One of my favorite board in terms of aesthetic and meaning.

Thank you Colin for the opportunity!

board#119: longboard for Rico Leroy (at Arakawa factory!!!!!!!)

COLLECTOR PICTURE!

Dimensions: undisclosed
[completed in December 2015]

The story: this story is a true fairy tale for shaper. It all started in 2014 when I got to have a tour of the Eric Arakawa Designs factory by Eric himself. This already sounded like a fairy tales just to meet one of my favorite shapers (if not my favorite) and I am so grateful to my friend Rico Leroy for making this happen (click here to see that story). At the end of the tour, Eric offered me come back to see him shape... And then I almost cried because I was leaving the next day... BUT I came back a year after, and sure enough I had not forgotten his offer! I didn't see him shape but he lend me his own shaping bay to shape a performance longboard for Rico. I got to use an original Arakawa template to trace the outline. I also used his tools. But the very best part was to have Eric commenting on my techniques and giving me precious tips. I was so honored to be there. I will never forget that experience.

The shape: Before I started the shape, Rico and I went in the showroom and deeply looked at a longboard he really liked. We studied it for 30 min and then Eric came with the corresponding US bank and template. I was totally immersed in Arakawa universe: I was like shaping under hypnosis. Of course, my shape was not "Arakawa-perfect. But Eric's advices while shaping it, made the board and the whole experience magical. 

The artwork: Rico had a print from his sponsor to put on the deck. However he insisted to have a spray of Buttons' famous triangle pattern on the tail (bottom) to remember his friend. We didn't have much time and not much tools (we were outside the factory in full sun) to make that artwork. But somehow we pulled it off. Not perfect but the laughs we got out of it is making up for the imperfections.

Testimonial: it is Rico's board of choice when he longboards on the North Shore !! That is all I need to say!

Collector picture with two legends, both named Eric

cute Hilo gets to ride it too !!