famous hawaiian surfboard shapers

ANDY IRONS He excelled in everything he put his mind to: President of the Alpha Sigma Kai fraternity and the Association of Mens Students at Compton J.C., then a Mens Senator at Long Beach State. More than most other shapers, his obsession with surfboard design combined with his background as a union carpenter willed a previously unrideable beast into its current existence as one of the crown jewels of international big-wave surfing. We get a lot of emails, and you probably do too. Keen to explore the world? On May 28, 2022, surfboard shaping legend Dick Brewer died at his home in 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. In 1950, Hobie first began shaping balsa-wood surfboards in his familys Laguna Beach garage; however, it wasnt until a few years later that he opened the first Southern California surf shop in Dana Point. Custom Scovel Surfboards start at $500 for a shortboard and $900 for a longboard. His meticulousness has made him a perpetually in-demand shaper, known for fine-tuning old-school design ideas into adventurous, high-performance present-day experiences. In one year, on self-designed, self-shaped equipment, Anderson won two of the worlds most prestigious surfing events: the Pipe Masters and Bells Beach, showing the designs versatility. If you are a beginner come sign up for a lesson and learn how to surf where it all started. Photo: Ellis, TOM BLAKE + THE HOT CURL CREW If you want to know more about Hamiltons extraordinary comeback, check out the 2011 movie Soul Surfer, which was based on Hamiltons life. The first one he made was traced from a friends board. As the founder of Lost Surfboards, Matt Biolos has been at the forefront of board design for more than 20 years, and his high-performance crafts can be found under the feet of world champions and elite freesurfers alike. What he does: Given all that alone time inventing the art of riding Mavericks monstrosities, Clark specializes in the long, sleek guns (eight-foot and up surfboards made to paddle into and then slice down the face of big waves) that work best at huge breaks. 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. Staff is super kind and helpful.more, Awesome little skate and surf shop. [7] Furthermore, surfboard shapers began to utilize alternate base materials, including both plastic and polyurethane foam. Then, she moved to Santa Cruz (with boasts iconic breaks like Pleasure Point and Steamers Lane) a decade ago with her husband, Alex Thompson, and their children. After felling a sacred tree, the ancient . We were all watching, including Kelly Slater. From the Campbell brothers Bonzers to many others attempting to add rear stabilizers to twin-fins, its no secret that people had put three fins on surfboards before. Dick Brewer was an icon. Andreini grew up in San Mateo, where he started shaping in 1970 (one of his first customers was actually the next shaper on this list). He was 85. Buy Hawaii Shaped Surfboards by Alan Uehara Get your next surfboard from Alan in Hawaii. Located on the North Shore of Oahu Hawaii, Schaper Hawaii is best known for our custom surfboards for every surfer. Hawaiian South Shore 4.4 (97 reviews) Surfing Surf Shop $$Kaka'ako In fact, she was the female 2018 Big Wave World Champion, the first woman to be towed into the famous Tahitian big wave Teahupoo, and the first woman to be invited to the Eddie Aikau Invitational. Just reach out to one of our experts for a free quote to get started. Michel Junod bridges both gaps -- he was raised in Los Angeles in the mid 1960s but, in the 90s, he experienced a renaissance with the young, hip longboard crowd thanks to fruitful collaborations with todays trendsetters (like filmmaker Thomas Campbell). Fifty years on, he still applies that sort of everyman precision and passion to the boards he makes today. Probably considered the forefather of professional surfing, Duke Kahanamoku is widely revered as an icon and a beloved character of modern Hawaiian history. With virtually no precedent to work from, he was the first to hollow out the solid wood boards of the time, reducing the weight by almost half, which allowed him to glide faster than anyone before. George Downing, Wally Froiseth, Woody Brown, and Buzzy Trent (among others), are considered the forefathers of big wave riding. In 1926, Blake acquired an ancient olo surfboard from Honolulus Bishop Museum; the board was originally 16 feet long and weighed 150 pounds. [7], The advent of the 1930s marks the next technological revolutions in the history of the surfboard shaper. You have to have your own vision of surfing, he told Brooklyns Pilgrim Surf and Supply in 2014. He grew up during the annexation of Hawaii and is a strong representative of Hawaiian culture and attitude. He bought a blank, a Walker, and carved out a 910. Merrick was already a skilled and accomplished board builder when Simon Andersons Thruster came along. Hes been called surfings most influential board maker. He didnt just shape surfboards he shaped an entire culture and industry. He was 85. That's why we'll only send you the good stuff. This is a review for surf shop in Honolulu, HI: "After 40 years of surfing, I buy surfboards and surfing-related merchandise in Honolulu from only 2 surf shops, and this is one of them. tokoro surfboards quality surfboards by wade tokoro. Then, in 1959, he took his first trip to Hawaii. Along with his brother, Bruce, the two are among the most famous surfers to come out of Kauaiwhich is saying something, as youll see from this list. 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. [13], Simon Anderson is a surfer and shaper from Sydney, Australia who is most known for his innovation of the "thruster" board. In 1966, he moved to Kauai for a stint, then got an offer from Bing Surfboards to join the shaping team. After surfing in her first contest at eight years old, Hamilton scored her first sponsorship two years later. Don't forget to follow us on IG @schapersurfboards. Sand the deck until it blends with the rails. He discovered the heaving coldwater behemoth and surfed it solo for years before he could convince anyone to join him. The five questions to ask yourself in order to tackle the fin equation, according Tip-time with master tipster Justin Quintal, A how-to for wetsuit maintenance, because rinsing alone just isn't enough. After the form of the surfboard is sculpted from the blank, the shaper can lay fiberglass or carbon fiber sheets over the top and bottom of the surfboard, and laminate each sheet with a thermosetting substance, such as epoxy or polyester resin. It was a performance and design leap as impactful (or maybe even more so) than anything before or since. Mark the front fins positions on both sides then mark the back fins. To test his theory, Hamilton built a board with fabric rails and then loaded it with concrete bricks. They moved into a house in Long Beach, and Brewers passion for the ocean began to sprout. How he does it: Clarks resume is a long one, but one of the key points is the functionality of his surfboards at Mavericks, along with other big-wave magnets around the world. You do the math., BOB SIMMONS *the wild card Check out one of his more recent videos below: When you hear the name Coco Ho, youre likely to hear the phrase surfing royalty in close proximity. Ten-time world champion Kelly Slater frequents his place in Montecito. Surfboard shaping was regarded by the Hawaiian islanders as a ceremonial rite; Hawaiian islanders often offered fish to surfriding trees as offerings. But Reidel stuck with quads, pursuing his experimentation with the new design to the point of perfection. Not only do they chisel away foam to make a. Martin Daly Martin Daly is a legendary Surf Explorer, boat captain, surfer, and diver who has discovered incredible waves in the Mentawai's. Copyright a360media 2023. He began designing U-control model airplanes, in which a model plane is attached to a pair of lines that control the pitch and axis of the planes. His unprecedented use of rocker, concave, Styro foam and wood-veneer sandwich constructions, as well as consistent work with multi-fin boards, is well documented. Photo Credit: Grant Ellis Even as far back as 2000, when surfing was much more homogenized than it is today, Pearson said surfers were set to begin approaching surfing in an individual way, and riding different designs would not only change shaping altogether, but better equip surfers to perform at their best. [9], Many professional shapers outsource the highly specialized task of lamination to glassers; glassers laminate fiberglass to the foam core of the surfboard using thermosetting resins, such as polyester or epoxy. Its a part of history that Im trying to bring back again.. 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. (And, yes, if youre curious, the family is also related to Don Ho; he and Derek are cousins.). still shaping surfboards almost until he passed. He was, by all accounts extraordinarily proficient with his hands. He estimates shaping 25,000 to 30,000 boards, and the surfer-turned-shaper says he still assembles about 150 custom boards a year. They sell the highest quality surfing-related merchandise that will last a surfing lifetime. Do you want to hang ten or do you want to charge two-story waves? The best universities in the U.S. for scoring waves while getting your degree. 67-106 Kealohanui Street, Building P-2, Waialua, Hawaii, 96791. That distinction means that the surfer needs to be far more engaged with the wave: carving, turning, and redirecting to stay close to the breaking curl and avoid getting a mouthful of saltwater. Most boards cost over $700 and it's nevermore, One of the cool things about the store was the revolving surfboard rack on the ceiling.more, Whether you are a beginner or an veteran surfer, this is a great place to buy a surfboard.more, to hoeheenalu surf shop , flight surf shop, kazuma surf shop or used surfboards hawaii for theirmore, After 40 years of surfing, I buy surfboards and surfing-related merchandise in Honolulu from only 2more, From his website: KIMO GREENE SURFBOARDS Aloha, since 1967, Kimo Greene has been making surfboardsmore, is a testament to his skill and labor of love to produce exquisite surfboards of all shapes andmore, Huge collection of boards. For inquiries, contact Hamilton at hamiltonsurfboards@hotmail.com. Bob Simmons star shone bright for too short a time. From high performance short boards and long boards to alternative and traditional boards and stand up paddle boards. He also spent family vacations on the long, drawn-out pointbreaks of Santa Barbara, before he settled down in Santa Cruz. Then with a sanding block round the rails to reduce sharp edges. But hes also revered in the surfing world for transforming the four-fin surfboard (aka quad) from clunky experiment to well-oiled speed machine. He created surfboards that were able to do what surfers wanted them to do, and in doing that, he kicked off an era of progression that led to what we see on waves today. Richard Dick Brewer was born on October 13, 1936, in Bemidji, Minnesota. The standings where the blanks are shaped are nailed to the floor with lighting aligned near them. It is time for me sit on the beach and let you guys have ALL the waves, he wrote on March 2. By 1960, Velzy owned five retail shops and three production facilities in California and Hawaii. TWIG (Twin Fin / 4'10") x Jamie O'Brien PRO $ 314.99 Color : Add to Cart. 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.. Photo: Mike Coots As he traveled around the world giving surfing demonstrations, he introduced the sport to the world. As a lifeguard, Aikau saved more than 500 lives on Oahus North Shore. How he does it: While Chad inherited dads Kaimanu Surfboards label when he was 18, he immediately set out to push the business into the future by concentrating on natural materials: eco-friendly, agave-based foam for the surfboard blank; a hemp-derived fiberglass substitute for its strong outer layer; and recycled redwood for the fins on the bottom. All rights reserved. One of 16 children, Kinimaka came from a family with surfing in its blood. It took a while for Bob Pearson to make his name as one of the most accomplished shapers in the surfboard building game. Adding a business to Yelp is always free. However, she is still remembered for her style and grace in the water, which are still a common topic of conversation in many Oahu lineups. From the Local Shapers Blog: Shaper of the Month - Chris Ruddy Surfboards; Local Shaper Alrik Yull featured at the 2013 Vans US Open of Surfing; Shaper of the Month - July 2013 - Nate Gill of Kinetic Energy Surfboard Design; Shaper of the Month - June 2013 - Dan O'Hara of Solid Surfboards and South Coast Surfboards And he does it on a grand scale, while still maintaining the eye for careful, personalized attention he cultivated at the very start. BEN AIPA. He summed it up for Surfline in 2013 when he said, simply: My boards are not for everybody.. These computer programs allow the shaper to create an exacting and reproducible design that can be easily fine-tuned and adjusted. By the summer of 83, nearly every stock board, in every surf shop, in every country looked like a copy of Andersons boards. We've got you covered. And now Dick Brewer is gone. Check out these seemingly contradictory sides to Gerry Lopez in the 2021 film, the Yin and Yang of Gerry Lopez, directed by Stacy Peralta (Riding Giants, Dogtown and Z-Boys): Following in the footsteps of all-around watermen like Duke Kahanamoku, Eddie Aikau, Laird Hamilton, and Dave Kalama, Kai Lenny has embraced a broad variety of disciplines in the water. [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. A leader among Kauais next-generation board makers, Scovel describes himself as a surfer more than a shaper. They started a ripple that turned into a wave that is still rolling today. Ashley grew up with world-class longboard waves in her backyard: she was raised in Malibu, the epicenter of Golden State surfing. (Hint: not anything like what the guys and girls on the World Tour were doing). His first surfboard was a beat up Velzy-shaped craft that he cut his teeth on and he was hooked immediately. With reduced weight, a wider range of people could carry, paddle, and control a surfboard. 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. CLOSED 5.0 (1 review) Surf Shop "Crafting custom shapes here on the Islands for nearly a quarter of a century and has shaped for many well known shapers in the past, Todd continues to work with some of the best" more 10. Before any waverider straps on a leash, a pair of hands puts in hours in the shaping bay, molding foam, resin, and solid wood into a work of rideable art. For a prompt reply, please include the best time to call you! Working together with, and inspired by, Californian expat George Greenough and his flexible scooped-nose kneeboards, they hacked the lengths down dramatically, kicked up the nose rockers, and cut deep vee panels into the tails. His combination of three like-sized fins clustered together had no real precedence. What he does: The forty-something Ventura native specializes in wooden surfboards -- and not the old-school collectible kind. 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. Peter Mel has influenced generations of surfers on how to catch and surf big waves! Surfboard Factory Hawaii is the exclusive surfboard licensee for Hawaiian Island Creations and produces the best quality stock and custom HIC surfboards with the latest designs and technology to enhance your surfing experience. The surfboard shaper often designs their surfboards based on the specifications of their client; the shaper will adjust the dimensions and concave of the board to tailor to different styles of surfing and various types of waves. Both parents surfed, and Kinimaka learned from his mother. What he does: Meyerhoffers most famous surfboard creation still makes the least amount of sense, at least to the untrained eye. Whats the Best Hawaiian Island to Live On, and Why? ROB MACHADO Ken's business interests have grown substantially in the last two years. As the word started to travel, more and . Until, suddenly, it did. In 1965, he began working for Hobie Alter. Surfing has held a mystical allure in Santa Cruz for well more than a century. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. He had a knack for design and an understanding of how air flowed over a wing, something that undoubtedly helped when he began shaping surfboards. 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. Ho shaped his first surfboard at the age of 14, and he soon began repairing and re-designing old boards found on the coast. Of all the things Ive done with my life, he said, being able to influence surfing is a marvelous thing.. It all adds up to explain why that curvy, curious surfboard attracted so much attention when it first debuted ten years ago. The type of surfboard shape was actually indicative of Hawaiian social structure; the alaia and paipo boards were used by the commoners, while the olo boards were reserved for the royal class. 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. Make sure the symmetry is correct on the other rail. Given this long historyand the plethora of surf breaks in Hawaiiits no surprise that the state turns out a considerable number of talented surfers, some of whom have become household names. What he does: Andreinis specialty is one that even many hardcore surfers dont understand: the single-fin displacement hull. They then moved to Whittier where Dick joined a water polo team. Takayama's knowledge and skill in regards to surfboard design have defined him as one of the most influential surfboard shapers of all time. And if it hasnt yet been done, hes game to try. But Andersons Thruster was different. After traveling the world to surf, teaching high school in Australia, and eventually becoming the #2 rated surfer on the United States fledgling pro circuit in 1976, Pearson returned to Santa Cruz, opening the citys iconic Arrow Surf Shop and quickly becoming one of the biggest producers of surfboards in the world. Scovel Surfboards are also sold at Kauai surf shops, including PoipuSurf and Aloha Exchange. The Hobie company continues to manufacture surfboards today. They call it a true cold brew -- we call it true passion. After breaking his neck in 1988 in a windsurfing accident, Stretch doubled down on innovation, giving himself over to a methodical drive instilled by his father to be the absolute best in his field and see how far his ideas could go. Balsa wood began to emerge as the most versatile base for the modernizing shaper; the balsa wood drastically reduced the weight of the surfboard, and allowed for surfers to move in the water with more speed and agility. Theyre environmentally sustainable, and theyre durable enough to last a lifetime. On Kauais west side, Will Scovel has made a name for himself as a master shaper of high-performance shortboards. Hes foiled his way around the world on all kinds of waves and in all kinds of conditions. Check out some of the lastest updates from Buggs and blog posts here. Big wave surfing has not always been the most welcoming discipline for women, but Keala Kennelly has never been one to shy away from the planets biggest waves. California in the post-World War II 1940s was a playground paradise. What he does: Kaimanus hydrodynamic shapes are perfect in big waves, heavy waves, isolated waves, and high-performance waves. LABEL: Straight Up Surfboards Hawaii, Purington Surfboards. He prides himself on touching every board with his name on it at least three times to make sure its up to his standards. His boards second name, Mayhem Surfboards, stuck; but even non-surfers will recognize his third: Lost. Julian Wilson Australia Mick Fanning Australia While 'boardsmith' would work, the artisans of the surf world are called shapers for a reason. Focusing on intuitive, engaging solutions, Meyerhoffer mixes the functional and the emotional, relying on computer-assisted design techniques that redefined the way surfers thought about their boards and the assumptions we routinely make about whats right and wrong. Meyerhoffer even teamed up with the futurists at Global Surf Industries, which mass produced his signature board using EPS and epoxy, the most efficient materials then on the market. Under Slaters feet, Merrick refined this design and took the rest of us along with him as he pushed into a bold new realm of minimalistic, precise, high-performance surfboards. Like Henry Ford and his motorcars, they didnt invent the surfboard, but Dale Velzy and Hobie Alter did turn them into a viable business and make them available to everyone. [11], Jeff Ho had a formative impact on surfboard shaping design and style in mid-20th century California. Commoners boards were made of koa wood. He still lives on Maui where he personally takes care of the research and development of his boards at his workshop on Nehe Place, in Haiku . GitHub export from English Wikipedia. The past five decades of building surfboards on Maui has led to years of fun surfing, Honolua Bay to name his . [3] With over 200 boards in stock, you'll have your choice of Schaper, Southpoint Epoxy, or a variety stand up paddle boards. While the Zephyr shop has been closed since 1976, Jeff Ho continues to shape surfboards as a personal Hobby to this day. [1], There exists very little evidence that pinpoints the exact location of the first surfboard shaper; however, historical analysis suggests that surfboarding itself first originated in Hawaii. Alter (with partner Gordon Clark) is more responsible than anyone for the introduction and widespread use of foam and fiberglass surfboards. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 67-106 Kealohanui Street, Building P-2, Waialua, Hawaii, 96791 808-638-0050 info@schaper-hawaii.com Visit our factory showroom to check out our extensive inventory: Surfboard Factory Hawaii. ", KNOWN FOR: "Performance shortboards, fish, step-up boards, guns and longboards. Please help improve this article, possibly by, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions, "Ancient Surfboard Style Is Finding New Devotees (Published 2009)", "The Fascinating Evolution of the Surfboard", "History Of Surfboards: From 150lb/68kg Straight Planks To Modern Quads", "Surfboard Shaping Step by Step Guide | SURFLINE.COM", "Donald Takayama "2013 Surf Pioneer" Surfing Walk of Fame", "Simon Anderson's Thruster Reinvents Performance Surfing", Swaylocks.com a surfboard design forum where shapers show their work and discuss designs and techniques, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Surfboard_shaper&oldid=1125375290, Articles lacking in-text citations from November 2017, Articles needing cleanup from November 2017, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from November 2017, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from November 2017, Wikipedia introduction cleanup from April 2019, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from April 2019, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Wikipedia articles lacking focus from November 2017, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 December 2022, at 17:47.

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famous hawaiian surfboard shapers