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#163: shortboard for stranger

Dimensions: 5'4 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/8
[completed in May 2017]

The story: sometimes I cut at the wrong dimension. But I can't throw away unfinished blanks. So I finished them. Like that cute little shortboard that found its owner at Encinitas Surfshop.

The shape: improvised shortboard shape to accommodate issue mentioned in the section above.

The artwork: when I have a free pass for artwork, I do my favorite thing: stripes!!

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 :)

I met Matt Kinoshita (board#155)

Dimensions: 6'2 x 18.7" x 2.4"

[shaped in December 2016]

Model Velociraptor (from the flash flood warning, blocking the moutain road on my way to Matt's shaping room... I thought I'd see a T-rex crossing the road in my headlights)

The story: Matt Kinoshita is the master shaper and owner of Kazuma Surfboards, one of the most prestigious surfboard brands worldwide, based in Maui. Matt is not only known for his amazing shaper skills but also for openly sharing his shaping secrets on social media. In addition to a Youtube channel, Matt regularly posts on his instagram account to his loyal 31K followers. He honestly tackles some controversial topics of the surfboard industry and teaches his shaping techniques without holding anything back. He also takes the time to answer most of the questions from his followers. Instagram is where I got my golden ticket for Matt's shaping bay... He offered me to come visit him in Maui and I didn't sleep on his offer. I immediatly booked my ticket.  

Few weeks later, I landed in Maui with my respirator in my small luggage. I left my family in CA as I knew it would be an intensive training with Matt for most of the day. I had booked a small room through Air B&B in the mountains. My night table had some local delicacies and ear plugs for the loud roosters singing all night long. My host was a japanese single mom, Tomo. She became my friend as we were sipping local beers and dining together, after a long dusty day. Matt might be a cyborg from the future: he doesn't sleep! The first day, I got a late start, meaning meeting him at 6am. One day he texted me at 4.30am saying he was done with his work for the day and I could come over for training! I remember texting back that I needed to wait for the Starbucks to open (at 5am) to drink my coffee before I could fonction properly :) The 5 days went fast. I was expecting to be watching him running his factory but Matt had planned to make time for me during which he was 100% dedicated to my training. He took on his own time to teach me his legendary techniques while sharing his point of view on the surf industry. My head was hurting every single evening from the huge amount of priceless information I had to digest. I actually took a lot of notes from which I made a powerpoint presentation at the end of the training. Yes, Matt is a living legend of shaping but I has been also lucky to get to know the man behind the mask: not everyone knows it but Matt is also an active firefighter, a highly graded jujitsu master, a family man and of course an incredible surfer. Despite his very complex schedule he managed to make me feel a special guest. I'll be eternally grateful for his welcome.

The shape: of course I got to shape during my training. This board I had to make was a kind of end-of training test. I had to shape Matt himself, his favorite board. Yep. BIG DEAL. He gave me a sheet of paper on which was printed a CNC machine file 3D view of the board with full dimensions. When I shaped that board I was so stressed that I made few mistakes that I spent much time trying to correct. I was bit disappointed with my performance and I could have done much better, at home with my own tools. The board still came out great and I took all the feedback in (more learning !). Matt glassed it to surf it. He said it was a good board. Such a unique opportunity. An honor to have shaped a board on which Matt put his logo next to mine.

The artwork: Just plain white. Because the goal was shaping, not spray painting. Actually our two logos looked so good that no artwork was needed.

with his son, operating the CNC machine

Matt gave me some home work !!! :)

board#153: shortboard for Nicole

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

The story: I was lucky to have Nicole as my first girl team-rider when she was only 13 . Not only she was shredding the shortboard I made for her (board#034) but also, later on her longboard (board#098). As she was growing so fast, it was time for another shortboard !

The shape: classic performance shortboard !

The artwork: since Nicole spends a lot of time surfing in Hawaii, she asked for tropical flowers which I printed out at Boardlams. I also surprised her with a custom Mere-Made logo with the mermaid wearing a matching flower in her hair :)

The glass was done by Tiger Glassing.

board#144: shortboard for Nicolas

Nicolas and his shortboard

Dimensions: 6'6 x 21 x 2 9/16
[completed on November 2016]

The story: Nicolas is a long time friend who is french and who surfs. Therefore 3 good reasons to get his Mere-Made surfboard! Connie, his adorable wife, contacted me to organize a "surprise" for a christmas gift. But like any "surprise" board, it is essential to get in touch with the rider in order to make sure to get the right dimensions. It was ready for Christmas though!

The shape: Nicolas is a Swamis aficionado who usually rides a longboard or a voluminous fish. This board was to complete his quiver with shortboard for bigger wave size. Less volume, more rocker! (Still kept some roundness in the rails)

The artwork: Nicolas brought me a beer.... on that bottle there was a pine tree forest that he wanted on his board (he is an outdoor adventurer and a beer lover). I changed up the color a bit and also design the artwork around the pad I would put there (on shortboard, I always make sure there is a place for the pad which will not spoil the artwork). One of my favorite artwork ever !!!

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#138: shortboard for Matthieu

Dimensions: 6'0 x 19 7/8 x 2 3/4
Completed in August 2016
Model Volute

The story: in my 2015 trip to France I shaped not one but two longboards (boards#106&107) for competitive french longboarder Matthieu. In 2016, he asked for a shortboard.

The shape: Matthieu was really interested to try my Volute model that have a very curvy fish tail. I originally shaped that model for Tamsen (Click here to see the original version). This is a board was very flat rocker too for better paddling in small to medium conditions. I shaped that board at Swop Surfboard workshop.

The artwork: ALL RED with a simple black pinline! Classy ! The glass was done by Swop Surfboards.

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!