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Tux said...

It's more about getting something built for exactly what you want and how you surf rather than getting something that's made for someone else that might work....its called a custom for a reason....

I actually just think it's worth supporting a local business. Having said that, a purchase off the rack from a locally owned shop is also supporting local.

In Australia we have lost or are losing the following sectors:

- Manufacturing
- Mining (at least declining)
- Services associated with manufacturing and mining
- Services generally (declining with outsourcing to India, Philippines etc)
- Retail (vs overseas online competition)

The future of our country is based on the development of small/medium business. SMB owners take on the risk of going it alone, are the founders of ideas and innovation, and create jobs in the process. I want to support that.

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TimKay said..
And if you can get something off the racks that is exactly what you want then you don't have to go custom.
Theres an argument for both.

My last two have been off the rack, its easy for me @ 6.0 @ 82kg and went up 2lt to 31.1 for my 6,3 and its perfect. Couldnt be more happier.

I only really go custom now if I want a special board eg channel bottom.

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Tux said..
The best shaper I know is happy to listen to you for an hour then completley disregard everything you have said and give you what you need....I reckon he has about a 98% hit rate.....experience surfing doesn't do much when you actually have to delve into the minutue of design, how many experineced surfers can tell you :

1. If they surf more of the front foot or more of the back
2. Where the rocker apex should be in relation to wide point
3. What effect does a close fin cluster have as opposed to a wide cluster
4. What effect does having a hard edge have on your surfing and the boards


......it takes a lifetime of shaping to get all the details dialled in...why pay $900 for something off the rack when for $750 you can tap into all that knowledge?

Or pay $350 for a secondhand board that your 98% sure will work

Don't waste shaper's time with the talk. Pick up one of his stock boards and just give him your your own numbers (length/width/thick). Did that last time I bought from the local and the board was spot on. Too easy.

I've never had a custom board in my life & I'm 43yo...I think basically coz up until 5 years ago I never had more than 2 boards. A small wave board & a big wave board & I was living in places with good waves with no crowds. Always needed a quick replacement after snapping a board kind of scenario. Not against custom boards & I'll get one one day. Will havta have some epic artwork on it to celebrate the end of my custom board virginity haha

Personally I think a local shaper will help you with providing a board that is suitable to the conditions your surfing. Its awesome if they have surfed with you over time & noticed certain nuances of your style that modifications of surfboard shape will benefit your personal style. If they don't know you, telling them where you surf can be beneficial too.

It really comes down to having the right board for the waves your riding. Some places are just sucking heaving pits peeling down the line requiring some rocker for late take offs & length depending on your paddle power. Some places are fat powerless waves or waves with big fat sections to negotiate. Riding the right board suited to the wave makes a huge difference. "Malibu" wouldn't have been so great if the surfing evolution started with short boards & "Pipeline" would have been pioneered a lot earlier if everyone wasn't riding longboards to start with, you know apart from those planks of wood the Hawaiian dudes started on. Good luck with that...

There are so many options for boards these days & I think branding makes it easier for the shaper & the buyer. This fairly new ideology of having nic-named boards is awesome. There are these categories of surfboard, designed to do stuff in certain waves already customised to the weight/ability of the surfer & I think that is awesome. You find a board that works for you & you can replace it by specifying that nic named board & size. Then make adjustments based on that design.

But yeah it doesn't always work...I have a 6'2 Hayden Shapes Psychedelic Germ thats modified from the Shred Sled that I use in head & a 1/2 to triple over head clean waves that I bought off a 90kg guy for $400 who loves his 5'10 Hypto Krypto, but the Germ just didn't work for him. Its an awesome board provided waves are clean & the offshore isn't too strong...I think its probably the equivalent of the Firewire Dominator vs the Hellfire.

At the end of the day it comes down to where your surfing & your ability. If your an above average surfer, refining your shape in quality waves can be of great benefit or if you would like something a little more special it really doesn't cost much more money for the custom experience...My problem is I'm just a little too rough, I can't resist that end section over shallow reef or straighten out when someones dropped in. Its best for me to grab a second handy between $350 & $550, coz I go through too many boards these days trying to match the right board to the conditions. Could also be a mid life crisis trying to keep up with the young blokes

Comes down to what you want/need. Nothings gonna come closer than a custom & its good to have people out there that might love your board if it doesn't feel quite right for you...I'm sure that happens to everyone eventually & its interesting to hear what people like about your old board

Or if your discarded board that wasn't quite right gets picked up by someone who takes it abroad and scores the waves of his life
Or snaps it in the shorey on their first surf
The possibilities are endless
Cheers for your post Mick PC
I enjoyed the read