How he does it: Its that upstairs-downstairs dichotomy that represents everything the Mayhem brand stands for today: the highest of high performance, delivered to the worlds best surfers in the best waves, and a singular focus on helping the worlds average surfers ride their average waves better. By 1960, Velzy owned five retail shops and three production facilities in California and Hawaii. Born from legendary shapers Jack Shipley and Gerry Lopez, surfers knew they were getting quality product and flocked to Hawaii to get their hands on Lightning Bolt boards and apparel. He became famous in the longboard world and was considered one of the best shapers of all time. How he does it: Reidel once said that his dad taught him you cant make anything clean in filth so, he cleans his shaping room twice a day himself. Perhaps the most famous pro-surfer/shaper, in 1980 Simon Anderson introduced the world to "The Thruster" tri-fin setup and his surfing went from strength to strength in waves across California, Hawaii and to the top the 1981 Bells podium and the surfing world quickly caught on, making Thruster fin set-ups the most popular for the last 30-plus World Surf League Ben Aipa - surfer, board shaper, coach - died at his home in Hilo last week at the age of 78. . With California prodigy Tom Curren, and a bevy of other talented surfers, he was able to jump on this design and take it to new heights. People will come to Kauai to surf for the first time and Ill say, Where do you want to surf when you get here and whats your experience level? and Ill know exactly what kind of board to shape for them because Ive been surfing these waves all my life, says Scovel, who wears a T-shirt that features a cartoon image of King Kong surfing while holding a milkshake. If you dont know Rell Sunns name, you should. Call Us: 800-920-2363; . Kennellys most recent passion, though, is her career as an international DJ. Copyright 2013 Surfboardline. Chad Kaimanu Jackson comes by his passion for surfboard shaping honestly: his father, Bruce, first started building boards in 1969 -- then passed the business on to Chad in 1992. But hes more than just another hippie making beautiful, eco-friendly boards. When you grow up in a house that faces Pipeline, it feels almost inevitable that youd form a deep connection with the wavewhich is just what Jamie OBrien has done. Remove the extra foam by passing it perpendicular to the stringer from tail to nose. [13], Simon Anderson is a surfer and shaper from Sydney, Australia who is most known for his innovation of the "thruster" board. And he does it on a grand scale, while still maintaining the eye for careful, personalized attention he cultivated at the very start. Subscribe to 67-106 Kealohanui Street, Building P-2, Waialua, Hawaii, 96791 808-638-0050 info@schaper-hawaii.com How he does it: Hess crafts a molded perimeter wood frame, then fills it with recycled foam on the interior and eco-friendly resin on the exterior. Then measure the size and thickness of the blank this will give you the measurements of foam needed. TOM BLAKE + THE HOT CURL CREW "Tom Blake is the most influential surfboard designer of all time. So I was thinking that in World War II the airplane wings were made out of fabric, and that must do something structurally that might also serve as a benefit in the design of a surfboard.. In 1939, when the second World War was ramping up, Brewers father, Charles, packed the family up and moved to California. In the 1920s and 30s, his contributions and inventions to overcome the performance limitations of the surfboard were borderline Edisonian. [2], Three foundational templates for surfboard shaping were utilized by the Hawaiian islanders: the alaia, the paipo, and the olo. Hawaiian surf legend Ben Aipa, who achieved renown in the 1960s and '70s as a powerful, creative surfer, innovative board shaper and dedicated coach, died Friday at his Hilo home at the age of. Adding a business to Yelp is always free. Today you can easily spot a Hamilton board by the strip of aloha-print fabric around the rails. After few more years, when he was 16, he started working on high-performance boats and dragsters. Takayama's knowledge and skill in regards to surfboard design have defined him as one of the most influential surfboard shapers of all time. Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest from Accounts written by Europeans who visited the Hawaiian Islands in the late 18th century described this pastime, which, like many aspects of Hawaiian society, was significantly stratified. Lightning Bolt was one of the first heavy-hitter surf companies back in the early '70s. He wanted it for the North Shore, and as soon as he showed up on the scene, it was apparent that he had a little something extra. Hes foiled his way around the world on all kinds of waves and in all kinds of conditions. Its an inverted hourglass shape with bulging hips in the back third of the board, a narrow empire waist, and another wide bubble near the nose. Visit our factory showroom to check out our extensive inventory: Surfboard Factory Hawaii. In 1965, he began working for Hobie Alter. How he does it: Junods lean, fit frame still glides through Santa Cruz lineups with ease on the beautiful quad-fin, twin-fin, and single-fin creations he makes in a former produce-packing plant. He was 85. To test his theory, Hamilton built a board with fabric rails and then loaded it with concrete bricks. Carefully remove all mistakes on the blank with sandpaper. By signing up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The process of surfboard shaping has evolved over the years, and the shaper often tailors his or her work to meet the requirements of a client or a certain wave. All high quality and wonderfully priced. In 1972, Ho purchased the a surf shop on the corner of Main and Bay Streets in Venice, California; he rebranded the shop as "Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions." What he does: The forty-something Ventura native specializes in wooden surfboards -- and not the old-school collectible kind. Scovel Surfboards are also sold at Kauai surf shops, including PoipuSurf and Aloha Exchange. Developed in the 70s, a displacement hull board has a convex bottom contour, as opposed to the standard surfboards concave bottom. [2] Blakes innovative design drastically reduced the weight of the surfboard, and by 1930, the Hollow Board became the first mass-produced surfboard in the world. In the era known as the "Shortboard Revolution", surfboard shapers, most notably George Greenough, Bob McTavish, and Simon Anderson reduced the length of the surfboard, creating a higher level of maneuverability. A surfboard shaper is someone who designs and builds surfboards. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. But Andersons Thruster was different. Nov 27, 2017 Brittany Lyte Will Scovel combines calculated precision and artistic flair to shape high-performance shortboards. Its a feeling summed up perfectly by Ashleys shaper signature, which she inscribes on each of her boards with the same message: Made With Love.. A board-making process in which the rails are built with a tightly woven band of fabric results in a structural improvement that can boost the strength of a surfboard by about 28 percent, he says. Hawaiian South Shore 4.4 (97 reviews) Surfing Surf Shop $$Kaka'ako If youre just hitting easygoing pointbreaks and summertime beachbreaks, youre better off with something different. There's his classroom of star students: Dave Parmenter, John Carper, David Barr and a six-man shaping team including Rick Hamon, Bill Johnson, Mike Russo and others, most of whom have been working for Rusty for at least 10 years. Surfboards shipped from Hawaii to any place in the world! Its the job of the shaper to actualize all of this data into the perfect conduit, and that conduit is different for every rider. BOBBY MARTINEZ As a lifeguard, Aikau saved more than 500 lives on Oahus North Shore. [7], Currently, many surfboard shapers design surfboards using computer programs and hot-wire cutting machines that expedite the design process, especially in relation to mass-production. Probably considered the forefather of professional surfing, Duke Kahanamoku is widely revered as an icon and a beloved character of modern Hawaiian history. It all started with one of Tom Currens boards. [8], The beginning of the 1940s marked the introduction of fiberglass resin, which allowed shapers to construct surfboards that were strong, light, and waterproof. It can drop into steeper waves, turn on a dime, and accelerate quickly, all while still producing the cruise and glide integral to any longer board. Instead, OBrien has become a master of the business of surfing, and he runs one of the sports most popular vlogs. What he does: Under the Pearson Arrow label, Bob and his team of committed shapers pump out upwards of 2,000 boards a year -- shortboards, longboards, beginner boards, advanced shapes for big waves, custom boards for special needs kids you name it and Pearson can do it. If you are a beginner come sign up for a lesson and learn how to surf where it all started. They opened retail shops along the coasts and developed wholesale businesses, allowing others to open shops and carry their boards globally. After all, when youre this close to the oceanand a ton of perfect waveswhy not get out there and enjoy it?! Each aspect of the shaping process is done by hand, from start to finish, to ensure every inch of the board has his personal care -- and thats all the way down to his psychedelic, pastel color glass jobs, which Junod also does in-house. Aikau was present on the 1978 voyage of the Hokulea, the traditional double-hulled canoe headed back to the Tahitian Islands with the goal of tracing the ancient route of the Polynesian migration. With over 200 boards in stock, you'll have your choice of Schaper, Southpoint Epoxy, or a variety stand up paddle boards. A few years later, he became the youngest surfer to win the event. Hawaiian shaper Dick Brewer immediately used these design concepts to create a whole new style of Hawaiian guns for surfers like Jeff Hakman, Gerry Lopez, and Reno Abellira, allowing them and others to almost instantly push performance levels in tube riding and radical maneuvers in large Hawaiian waves., SIMON ANDERSON ", KNOWN FOR: "Performance shortboards, fish, step-up boards, guns and longboards. (And, yes, if youre curious, the family is also related to Don Ho; he and Derek are cousins.). They even sell wood and cushioned, multiple-surfboard, wall-mount racks, which I've not found at any other surf shop in Hawaii!". Thank you for signing up. (FYI -- Thats as tall as a 7-story building.) Photo: Ellis, TOM BLAKE + THE HOT CURL CREW Combined with his untimely drowning in large La Jolla surf, his legend has grown to epic proportions among groups of cavalier craftsman and stalwart surfers alike. Where would we be without the Thruster? Then confirm the overall symmetry of the board. Ive basically devoted my life to surfing, and Im proud of the fact that Ive been able to contribute something to this industry, says Hamilton, who is 69. Within a few years, they moved inland to Compton, but Brewers thoughts remained on the ocean. What began as a hobby born of a teenage desire to own more surfboards than he could afford, Scovels early dabbling in surfboard shaping developed into a career that allows him to travel the world, testing his equipment on foreign waves while researching new designs. Let us introduce you to some of the most famous surfers who were born in Hawaiias well as some not-so-familiar ones whose names you should know. The 5,000,000+ surfers bobbing up and down Californias 840 miles of coastline spend a lot of time in the spotlight, but there is a small group of artisans working in the background to make all those epic YouTube-worthy rides possible: surfboard shapers. It all adds up to explain why that curvy, curious surfboard attracted so much attention when it first debuted ten years ago. With the wide-open lineups of Ocean Beach at his disposal, Hess worked for years there to perfect his durable, shreddable wooden board. George Downing, Wally Froiseth, Woody Brown, and Buzzy Trent (among others), are considered the forefathers of big wave riding. Surfboard shaping was regarded by the Hawaiian islanders as a ceremonial rite; Hawaiian islanders often offered fish to surfriding trees as offerings. Dick Brewer changed surfing, and for that, we thank him. It was 1960. Sunn was also an early advocate for equal pay and equal say for female surfers, and she helped to establish the Womens Professional Surfing Association. Growing up on Oahus North Shore didnt hurtand it ultimately gave Florence a level of comfort and familiarity with Pipeline that few others ever experience. Lloyd and Thompson even play music together as The Shapes, imbuing the easygoing feeling of a cruisey California surf session in every aspect of their lives. 67-106 Kealohanui Street, Building P-2, Waialua, Hawaii, 96791 808-638-0050 info@schaper-hawaii.com I called them at 8:30 in the morning, and someone answered me. BEN AIPA. Rewatch "Riss", "Pentacoastal" and more of this year's s On the road with one of the most stylish surfers on this generation, These talented women offer unique perspectives on lineups around the world, Just dont come complaining to us if you plane a finger off, Not another Instagram carousel, this is the crme de la crme from our year in print. The boards he made under the Bing label were revolutionary, and David Nuuhiwa showed what they were capable of. With plenty of wins under her belt, including the 2009 Rookie of the Year award, Ho has easily proven the rightful heir to this surfing dynasty. But hes also revered in the surfing world for transforming the four-fin surfboard (aka quad) from clunky experiment to well-oiled speed machine. What he does: Kaimanus hydrodynamic shapes are perfect in big waves, heavy waves, isolated waves, and high-performance waves. Whether his wooden boards are found atop funky old surf mobiles, in the quivers of trendsetting surfers around the world, or in art galleries from coast to coast, the most important thing to remember is that theyll last. Often called the father of modern surfing, Duke Kahanamoku first came to prominence during the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games, where he won gold in the 100-meter freestyle and silver in the 4200 relay. By the summer of 83, nearly every stock board, in every surf shop, in every country looked like a copy of Andersons boards. How to do a Frontside Cutback With Josh Kerr, 10 Things You Should Take on Your Next Surf Road Trip, 6 Female-Founded Surfwear Brands We Tested This Summer, Jon Wayne Freeman "Charges" The Wedge, Seeks Sponsorship Deal. Keen to explore the world? He's been called " surfing . Customer service was above and beyond.more, Been buying surfboards and surf accessories from Dave at HSS for over 13 years now, from JS, Channelmore. Captivated by the wooden boards the Native Hawaiians rode before the advent of modern surfing, Hamilton crafts raw slabs of monkeypod, wiliwili, koa and balsa wood into museum-quality wall hangers that wear glistening coats of kukui oil. To honor these unsung heroes, were highlighting 10 California shapers every surfer worth their wax should know: Talk about San Franciscos oceanfront resurgence, which over the last 15 years has transformed the Outer Sunset neighborhood from fog-shrouded afterthought to an epicenter of creative pursuits, and one man comes to mind: Danny Hess. California in the post-World War II 1940s was a playground paradise. With reduced weight, a wider range of people could carry, paddle, and control a surfboard. The evangelistic tribe of maverick, underground, backyard, and garage shapers around the globe praising and preaching the mantra of Simmons continues to grow daily.. Hawaii was still its own kingdom when Kahanamoku was born. If you frequently surf in Hawaii you would have seen one of his surfboards in the water. He began shaping surfboards out of wooden railway ties as a young boy; however, in 1957, he moved to California to apprentice under the legendary shaper Dale Velzy. Do you need any board accessories? ". Kennelly has also tried her hand at acting, appearing in the movie Blue Crush and the HBO show John from Cincinnati. Ken's first surfboard shaping job was with Lightning Bolt Surfboards and Surf Shop in 1976. Surfboards by Todd Pinder - Temp. ", SHIPPING: "I will ship a surfboard from Hawaii to anywhere in the world. You have Jeff Clark to thank. All rights reserved. Measure and take note of the dimensions of the board. Dick Brewers influence on surfing and surf culture cannot be overstated. Armed with a knowledge of military hydrodynamics and postwar, new-age materials, Simmons used the time and space well, continuously driving and surfing up and down the uncrowded coastline, crafting and testing his futuristic designs. Photo: Mike Coots Surfboard shapers use a shaping room to begin their craft. Heres What You Need, Six Exercises to Improve Your Surfing Today. The shop was initially started in order to provide foam to the in-house shapers at The Surfboard Factory and other shapers in the area i.e. But the notoriously gruff and outspoken Biolos also led a peoples power movement producing tens of thousands of wide, thick, and fun shortboards that changed many surfers perspective on what good surfing in bad waves could look like. It is time for me sit on the beach and let you guys have ALL the waves, he wrote on March 2. Surf Prescriptions, Cordell Surfboards, Chas Performance, Pesce Surfboards, Poi Dog, A-39, Mohn, Sakal, Line Up, Wallin, and Country Surfboards. In 1966, he moved to Kauai for a stint, then got an offer from Bing Surfboards to join the shaping team. Donald Takayama was a junior Hawaian champ in the late 50's, moved to california in the mid 60's and learned shaping at the VELZY/JACOB factory where he shaped the first Takayama model. Your information has been successfully processed! Ever heard of Mavericks, the world-famous big-wave break located off the rugged cliffs of Northern California?