Hay guys...new to forum. I've had Parkinson's for ten years now...don't let anything keep you out of the water...with love and respect...
Something's been bugging me lately and I'm sure it's been discussed..A little love for Asia

Made in Asia

I guess you can say I've seen it all. I started surfing in the longboard era in 1963.
Although I've had Parkinson's for ten years now, nothing is going to keep out of
the water. Todays popouts can be made out of space age materials like carbon fiber.
A lot of big name board shapers like Takayama and Stewart have cashed in having their boards
manufactured in Asia. A good friend of mine works for Global Surf Industries and has
managed and was part owner of a shop in NC. He rips in the surf and rides a 5'8"
Haden Shapes Hypto Crypto manufactured in Asia. Small time board shapers can
no longer compete with the big boys. Today, most boards are machine shaped and finished by hand.
which is a good thing if you like the specs of a particular board.
Now I'm going to to get to my my point,

if I hear another whiny know it all hipster who who spends most his time "Trolling" the surfer magazine design forum telling everyone they're kooks for riding a board manufactured in Asia I gonna snap.
You know the typical chatter you should support the local shapers and let them make my board,
Well this has never worked out well for me. It's hard to convey ones idea to the shaper and have the board
work like you thought. After all every custom is like a snowflake each one is different.
meanwhile the hipster board critic who wants you to buy local is seen riding a German made "Beamer"
and wearing a watch made in Japan. Well here's my point...

I was looking to get a high performance long board to ride in better surf to supplement my other
longboard a SURFTECH TAKAYAMA "IN THE PINK" NOSE RIDER. That's right folks an epoxy
sandwich constructed popout manufactered in TAIWAN. It's light, nose rides like a dream and
nearly indestuctable.

So my choice for my HPLB was a shaper in Myrtle beach named Gary Wilson. I got
the poly "Hot Rod Log" a really sweet looking board. Of course it to was machine shaped and hand finished
like most boards are today. I've surfed long enough to know right away if I'm going to like a board
the first time I take it out. The first wave I caught I new I wasn't going to like the board
It was a 2+1 but no fin combination was going to work on that board. I rode it one day and went to my
local shop to see if I could barter a trade on a used longboard.
As luck would have it there was a 9 foot used Poly Stewart Hydro Hull for sale. The shop owner
said I could demo it since it was used.
The next morning I took it out in some waist to chest fun surf. It came with a six inch center fin
and no side bites and future fin boxes. I found some small side bites and
made sure the center was fin loose enough in the box so I could move it up or back to
to see what worked best. I started with it back in the box and the first wave it felt a little stiff so I moved up in the box and it was magical I negotiated straight up trade and there I was a proud owner a Stewart Hydro Hull made in Taiwan.
I felt so ashamed...lol

Now I now there have been some valid complaints on glassing quality on Poly boards
and I would be the first to admit the boards glass job is a little soft and prone to pressure dings. I think many manufacturers
have addressed this and are finding ways to make a more durable board. As often as I surf now
that board should hold up for a long time and my Surftech"In the Pink" will be around for decades.
Don't let these trolls tell what you should ride.The perfect board is one that will do anything you ask it
to do it will do it with no surprises...I've got my new horizons out to sea

Yeah G'day mate, welcome to the forum. Sounds like you should speak to your local shaper

I have boards machine & hand shaped. I have a pop out machine shape, I've bought 3 times. Although it may be superseded by a hand shape copy of another popular pop out shape I'm getting hand made. Had plenty of other pop out's most I've really enjoyed, others I havn't. Actually probably only 3 boards in the last few years I havn't liked.....However I do love my hand shaped Clearwater longboard & have my eye on a couple of other models by Steve Del Rosso. Bloke does some sexy bottom contours that go a lot further than just outline & rocker. Mates holding an 11' Munoz for me for summer fun, but for performance & requesting more or less glass I would speak to my local shaper. Just depends what you want, if you don't know, well then I guess it doesn't matter. Do know where your coming from & I think there will always be people chasing boards from their local shaper.

Cheers mate & check out the seabreeze longboarding forum. You can access it by clicking "longboarding" just above your nic "The Actor".

Most customs I've had have been somewhat of a disappointment ,either wrong dimensions or poor construction. Not naming and shaming but WA shapers.At least with production you know what you're getting and can often demo before you buy.

All I can say is. Buy Australian and support your local shaper .

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MickPC said..
Yeah G'day mate, welcome to the forum. Sounds like you should speak to your local shaper

I have boards machine & hand shaped. I have a pop out machine shape, I've bought 3 times. Although it may be superseded by a hand shape copy of another popular pop out shape I'm getting hand made. Had plenty of other pop out's most I've really enjoyed, others I havn't. Actually probably only 3 boards in the last few years I havn't liked.....However I do love my hand shaped Clearwater longboard & have my eye on a couple of other models by Steve Del Rosso. Bloke does some sexy bottom contours that go a lot further than just outline & rocker. Mates holding an 11' Munoz for me for summer fun, but for performance & requesting more or less glass I would speak to my local shaper. Just depends what you want, if you don't know, well then I guess it doesn't matter. Do know where your coming from & I think there will always be people chasing boards from their local shaper.

Cheers mate & check out the seabreeze longboarding forum. You can access it by clicking "longboarding" just above your nic "The Actor".

Thanks MickPc...good day mate. Dementia has started early. I thought I was in the LB forum...LOL I think I may be lost in the land down under...ha ha!

I have no problem with Made in Asia boards - one of my favs is a 6'10" Fountain of Youth from the SurfboardWarehouse(very versatileand surfs 1-8') - but I also have a lot of customs as I have a lot of shapes a little left if centre in outline, volume or bottom contours. Customs are good for that.

i do agree that it doesn't take long after 30 years of surfing and too many boards to admit to that it doesn't take long to know if a board and me are compatible. I bought a Lost Puddle Jumper second hand two and half weeks ago. After four or five surfs it was back in the shop on consignment before I added too many pressure dings.

That is the other thing - I hate boards snapping or falling apart and love heavy glass jobs. Double six all the way.

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Foghorn said..
Most customs I've had have been somewhat of a disappointment ,either wrong dimensions or poor construction. Not naming and shaming but WA shapers.At least with production you know what you're getting and can often demo before you buy.

Yep!

Hi TheActor,

I would politely disagree that you can tell if you are going to like a board the first time you ride it. Especially if its different to what you are used to. Some of my favourite boards i have not enjoyed the first couple of surfs - then everything has come together. Not to mention that different boards suit different waves so you really need to persevere with each board until you get to know them.

cheers

I reckon a lot of guys go for there first custom thinking they'll get the magic board and if it doesn't work out they blame the shaper and move on. Unless you surf with a shaper custom boards really need to be refined over the course of a couple / or even few boards to get those magic dimensions for each surfer. I rode Miller's exclusively for a few years and each board kept getting better and better as Grant would follow up with a few calls here and there to see how they're performing and keep notes fore the next one. I'll admit I've now found happiness on a pop out Annesley but would love to be able to start the refinement process again if I found the right local guy.

Yeah, I stopped getting local customs a long time ago.

Sadly, my go-to shaper has pulled the pin. Luckily, I'm confident in the technologies and shapes to select a ripper from the array of epoxy pop-outs on the new and used market.


Anyone need an almost as new tuflite or two? Must... Un... load.

I believe you can get duds and magic carpets with hand made and with mass produced.

There are some really terrible cheap nasty pop outs that probably give the decent ones a bad name (J***s and H*t T****e to 'not' name a couple )

I have been lucky enough to have had 3 local made boards that I loved but I know of people who had some shockers from the same people.

In general I feel people need to keep opinions as just that- an opinion. If you have had an awesome or dud board made from either a factory in Thailand or a garage in the South West then tell the story as just that - don't get all self righteous about your experience and put heat on others for their choices.

I love that there are heaps of boards to try and different shapers doing different things so either way does not bother me.

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Souwester said..
I believe you can get duds and magic carpets with hand made and with mass produced.

There are some really terrible cheap nasty pop outs that probably give the decent ones a bad name (J***s and H*t T****e to 'not' name a couple )

I have been lucky enough to have had 3 local made boards that I loved but I know of people who had some shockers from the same people.

In general I feel people need to keep opinions as just that- an opinion. If you have had an awesome or dud board made from either a factory in Thailand or a garage in the South West then tell the story as just that - don't get all self righteous about your experience and put heat on others for their choices.

I love that there are heaps of boards to try and different shapers doing different things so either way does not bother me.

Wise words, you finally growing into that beard

Ha ha just got rid of it actually mate...I immediately regret that decision!

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JAKE123 said..
Hi TheActor,

I would politely disagree that you can tell if you are going to like a board the first time you ride it. Especially if its different to what you are used to. Some of my favourite boards i have not enjoyed the first couple of surfs - then everything has come together. Not to mention that different boards suit different waves so you really need to persevere with each board until you get to know them.

cheers

Thanks Jake, you may be right...patience is not my strong suit...