Portfolio of Shapers
Santa Cruz 2013
#FirstQuality
A LEGACY
OF
BOARD BUILDING
Michel Junod at Steamer Lane in the early '70s. Santa Cruz has a long, storied history of board building and its value to surf culture is immeasurable. We are proud to be able to partner with the local community of shapers and board builders. While the pages in this publication are limited to a few select profiles, we are grateful for each and every relationship. We hope to return soon to continue this Portfolio of Shapers with a second volume.
Our Community of Partners in Santa Cruz
Natural Curves Surfboards
THE PELICAN
VS.
THE TUNA
Everyone was gliding longboards like pelicans on an updraft and Greenough was riding these little cut-down spoons. While they were trimming, he was turning. That intrigued me dramatically.
I once heard about Greenough watching fish in an aquarium and being alarmed by the speed of the tuna. He marveled at the quickness of their turns and he felt that with the right design adjustments, surfing could go that direction. Steve Coletta on discussing design and George Greenough during the late 1960's.
7’1”A
Designed by Pat Rawson
6’10” Natural Curves Shaped by Steve Coletta
This newly made 7’1”A blank is the original 7’0”A lengthened to net a 7’0 bottom length. I re-designed the rail shape for less waste and stronger foam, and I also widened the nose @ 12” by 2”, the wide point by 3/4”, and the tail @ 12” by 1”, as to be a more useful blank in this size/volume range. The new natural rocker in this mold design is the popular 60A +1/6” nose, +1/6” tail. This rocker being shaped in instead of glued up, will allow for a much more accurate finished rocker, due to no “spring back”. This blank can be ordered wider or narrower as to allow for stronger decks rails near the perimeter of the board outline, and less waste
The goal is to go right back to Mike Diffenderfer. He said there’s only one way to do anything and that’s the right way. My goal all along has been to shape the best board I can and not waste a single piece of foam. I always focus my energy on building and on making the best product. I realized about 20 or 30 years into my career that I have a brand and it’s really important for me to honor my brand in the same way that I honor my product. I feel that the best way to honor my client is to create the best product possible. Steve Coletta on 5 decades of building surfboards.
NaturalCurvesBoards.com
I think that the surfers, not the shapers, pushed design. There have been a lot of good shapers who have surfed, but way more good surfers who don’t shape. So the surfers are the ones who have always pushed design along. I really value the relationship I have with the surfer and working with return customers. Michel Junod
SurfboardsbyMichelJunod.com
Michel Junod's shaping bay. April, 2013
It’s like going to see a new doctor and they want to know your medical history. I want to know your surf history. I want to know where you’re going to surf and what kind of boards you’ve been riding. Bring your boards in. I want to look at your quiver. Michel Junod
Flying Fish
A super popular quad fish design with an ever growing reputation. Riders like the paddle power and quick maneuvering. Works great in both slow and hollow surf. Michel Junod
Dimenrions:
Length: 5 ft. 9 in. Width: 20 in. Thickness: 2 3/8 in.
6'2"A - Designed by Pat Rawson This is my version of the previous 6’2’C fish blank. I designed this one as to be able to easily net a 6’2” by the bottom measurement. The bottom rocker is a shorter version of the natural rocker of the 6’9’A I made in 2002. The uniform thickness flow and rocker allow the shaper to determine their specific rocker glue-up. Pat Rawson
SurfboardsbyMichelJunod.com
The R.O.N. (Regular Old Noserider) Pintail
Designed for time on the nose. The RON is shaped from a high density foam blank for the solid and stable feel of a 60’s log. Perfect for developing foot work and hot dogging. Relaxed nose entry rocker and a little extra tail kick, makes this board turn with ease. Also available as BIG RON for big surfers who want to knee paddle and/or glide with the small guys 10’2” to 10’6”. Some surfers prefer the pintail aesthetic, and it makes turning almost effortless. Michel Junod
Dimensions:
Length: 9 ft. 6 in. Width: 22 in. Thickness: 3 1/16 in.
9'8"Y - Designed by Rennie Yater
The original 10’1”Y was returned to me and I cleaned it up and the best side was scanned. That program has been used to machine cut the 9’3”Y, 9’8”Y, and the 10’8”Y plugs. The natural rocker is about in the middle of the demand curve. But remember, the further you change the natural rocker curve the wider the wood stringer it needed to hold it from spring back. Rennie Yater
SurfboardsbyMichelJunod.com
Ward Coffey Shapes, 402 Ingalls Street
Steamer Lane Mural by Marvin Plummer Outside Ward Coffey Shapes
WardCoffeyShapes.com
I keep meticulous records and can copy a board to exacting specifications, but what really matters is capturing the essence of a board. More important than knowing the dimensions of a board is knowing how the shaper arrived at those shapes and contours. Ward Coffey
The idea was a step up quiver in the “fun gun” range. My client is a big guy, so we wanted to put as much foam in as possible yet keep the outlines racy. The other criterion was to build the boards stout and strong to endure the conditions in his area. Despite the obvious aesthetic of the triple stingers, I’ve found this layout is the best “bang for your buck” in terms of strength. The added bonus is that when I spec out the boards for fin box position, I know US Blanks will give me perfect glue cuts in the exact placement, dove tailing the stringers right next to the boxes for added strength. Ward Coffey
Ward Coffey riding his hand shaped 6'0" EPS blank.
6’5” EPS - Designed by Eric Arakawa
This blank is designed for high performance short boards up to 20-1/4” in width. At 2’-1/2” thick it is perfectly suited for the hand shaper, and still works well for machine shapes due to the increased volume in the nose and tail.
Ben Coffey on his 5'7" EPS blank shaped by his father, Ward.
6’0�R EPS - Designed by Rusty Preisendor-
Designed to be a versatile blank for shorter, wider, relaxed rockered boards. Somewhere between a fish and performance short board. Semi-flat deck, and thicker on the ends should provide a wide range of options.
The one thing I love more than anything in shaping is just using the planer. Working on the computer would take that part of shaping away from me and I'm not really ready to let go yet. Ward Coffey
Haut Surf & Sailboards, 345 Swift St.
It’s faster for me to hand shape than it is for me to sit down at a computer and draw it out. My mind is like a computer and I can create things fairly easily. Using a planner is like an instrument and you have to continue to practice to keep it tuned. Doug Haut
5’6” Bat Wing Shaped by Doug Haut
510 RP
Designed by Rich Pavel
Versatile. Designed for the modern hand shaper drawing on input from each of the “Fish Fry” events attended (American, Australian, European, as well as Japan). Modified and updated for machine use. Will easily net 5’10” deck measurement with high performance rockers and thickness profiles. With much time abroad put in at the line ups of Africa, South America, elsewhere and beyond the the 5’10”RP integrates input from many of surf designs most traveled exponents minds. We enjoy this blank in the “Greenroom Guild” setting with 4” of center removed for our vision of the high performance fish. Inspired by the futuristic surfing of Daniel “TOMO” Thomson.
6’0” Rounded Pin Shaped by Doug Haut
6’2” P
Designed by Timmy Paterson
The 62P is designed for team boards and production shaping. It is a shorter version of the 6’7”P, which has a little more thickness in the nose and tail than the original. A medium tolerance blank.
The learning curve with shaping never stops. Board design has a spiral evolution. I’ve seen the same elements of design pop up periodically through the years. The boards always go through changes but inevitably, a few years down the road the same design features emerge. It never ends. Doug Haut
Pearson Arrow Surfboards, 1115 Thompson Ave
There’s no reason why anyone can’t be on a magic board. I ask people to rate the board’s performance and they’ll say, “I love it. It’s a 9”. Well that’s not good enough. I’m interested in the adjustments that we can make to make that board a 10. Bob Pearson
10’6”A - Designed by Pat Rawson
This newly made 10’6”A blank was lengthened to easily net a 10’6” bottom length. Using parts of the old 10’6” as a start, I kept the rail shape the same for less waste and stronger foam, and widened the point by 3/8”. The new natural rocker in this mold design is the 10’6”A +5/8” nose, +3/4” tail. This rocker being shaped in instead of glued up, will allow for a much more accurate finished rocker, due to no “spring back.” I have the old 10’6” natural rocker if anyone still wants it. All the “A” series of blanks are designed to take the majority of thickness off the bottom, leaving small adjustments in the nose and tail rocker and their thicknesses. This blank can be ordered wider or narrower as to allow for stronger decks/rails near the perimeter of the board outline, and less waste.
10’4”B SUP EPS
I love this. It’s exciting stuff. Sure, it’s work and I’m a workaholic but I’m passionate about my work. Then when I take this toy and ride it out in the waves and all my friends are riding their toys, we’re grinning from ear to ear. That’s where it’s at. I’m a pretty lucky boy to be in here playing like this. Bob Pearson
Portfolio of Shapers Santa Cruz 2013 #firstquality #madeintheusa For Our Complete Blank Catalog Visit www.USBlanks.com/catalog
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