board#077: Aipa's Stinger-like board for Philippe

board#077 on Mustang#001

Dimensions: 7'8 x 20 x 3
[completed in January 2015]

The story: Philippe collects cars. Very nice cars. Because he just moved from Switzerland to California, he purchased the iconic Ford Mustang with "few" Shelby modifications. Also because of his new home location by the Pacific Ocean, Philippe decided to embrace the culture and started think about surfing… Because he likes unique things, he naturally needed to get a custom board made to match his car. He patiently waited for me to get to board#077, his lucky number.

The shape: it was stated from the beginning that he board would be a decoration board to be hung on the wall. Therfore it was the perfect occasion for me to be shaping something very unusual. Philippe and I agreed that the shape should look "fast and racy" and we picked the Ben Aipa Stinger model as a classic Hawaiian gun. I stole the template from the board that  Axel Lorentz shaped in my shaping room as a training before he competed in the Icon of Foam earlier in 2014. I had the board as a reference while shaping Philippe's. I shaped it on december 31st. It was the very last shape of the year 2014. 

The artwork: The artwork was actually the most complicated and stressful part (because I was not totally in control). I needed to make sure the board looked like his car. Same color and of course it had to have the carbon stripes… I went through a couple of sketches and he picked his favorite. I found a metallic silver paint which I sprayed all over the board. Then I sent the board to my glasser who almost had a heart attack from the work request… He was in charge of glassing the two large carbon fiber stripes and cover the edges with pinlines. The Cobra logo printed in white by Boardlams. The board stayed for almost 4 months at the glass shop as they were reluctant to start this very technical glass. It came back with a couple of imperfections but overall the board looked amazing and amazingly similar to the Mustang. When Philippe sent me the picture of the board on top of  his car, I almost fainted. 

The testimonial: Philippe just placed an order for a second Mère-Made board which will match the 2nd Mustang he just acquired. Both of them (board and car) will be shipped to Switzerland.

where it belongs to

one of the sketches I submitted to Philippe

paint job

paint job

home delivery in high heels

just finished to be shaped on New Year's Eve

Mustang#002 will have a Mère-Made #1??

board#058: retro single fin for David

Dimensions: 7’0 x 22 x 3 1/8

[Completed in July 2014]

The story: I have known David for more than 15 years. He was at my wedding. I consider him as family. Therefore I was thrilled when he requested to have a Mère-Made surfboard in his quiver. David lives in France with his wife Nathalie and their beautiful children. When I travelled to France last July it was the perfect opportunity to meet with them again …  and shape David a surfboard.

The shape: David wanted a retro style single shape. He usually have those shaped by his regular Brazilian shaper, Huicif Rahim (HRSurfboards). So I felt honored and a bit pressured to have to deliver what he was expecting from a shaper who has been shaping for him for years. But I always love challenges and I dived into that project. From pictures and from memory of David’s surfing skills (no fear, charging big big big) and his size (1m80/90kg), I created a new shape for him inspired from the Feather Fastback (Dewey Weber). 

The actual shaping took place at Swop Surfboards workshop in Canejan last July.

The artwork: The artwork was discussed while sipping a delicious champagne cocktail prepared by David. Yummy!!!! So I basically said yes to any suggestion without arguing :) He insisted for a very stylized representation of the symbol of his Moai tribe drew by his wife Nathalie. It looks simple but it was actually a lot of taping!

The glass was done at Eclipse Surfboards.

PS: thank you David for sending the pictures!

artwork designed by Nathalie
(David's wife)

board#046: single for "Victoria"

she decided it was her board! Fine!

Dimensions: 5'0 
[Completed in April 2014]

The story: one day I messed-up a blank. I was aiming for a 5'7 and for some reasons I still have not figured out I cut the blank at 5'0… I kept that failed outline in the corner of my shaping room with hope that one day I can recycle the foam into something useful. I had it around for months when my friend Rudy looked at it and declared it would be a fun single fin board. So be it! I put the messed-up blank back on the stand and shaped it into a retro single. 

The shape: because I never done a single fin shape before, I went to nearby surf shop to study. I came back and had...fun! No pressure as this was nobody's board, for occasional surfing, more like a gadget board. I signed it "for Vincent & Rudy" because they were both pushing for me to shape it like a "performance-single-to-throw-airs". Therefore I followed their vision and carved a deep single concave instead of the traditional V bottom. However the concave gradually transitions to a little belly on the nose in order to give it a retro vibe!

The artwork: I could not resist to paint this cute little thing with girly colors. It was definitely a "she". My inspiration was the VS stripes (again! I know…) and the french marshmallow I loved in my childhood. When I was done with the paint job, my daughter came to look at it and gasped "you made a board for me mommy????!!!!!!"… I melted and said "….yes!" because she can't read the names on the signature yet… Until that day Vincent & Rudy have to ask her permission to ride "her" board. Anyway I will probably change the signature for her name as this board reflects her personnality so well : cute and fun!

Testimonial: my daughter "surfed" it once, of course. I knew that would happen :) The boys play with it from time to time. But definitely an eye catcher as people stop us to comment on this board (and sometime try it!).

Vincent

Rudy

Rudy 

Rudy

Rudy

Rudy

Friends are welcome to try it… like Joe on this picture

Joe looks perplex

The real owner of the board

the one leg froggy move: definitely a 10 for grace and agility!