Tell me again why your boards start at $700

The price is just one of the numerous benefits of the local sharper. Getting a board designed for local conditions as well as establishing a relationship with a shaper will allow for better, more dialed in boards, and more fun in the water. Cheaper price is just icing on the cake. We are fortunate in Florida to have many good shapers to choose from, but if we didn't, like Barry I'd have to find out what else is out there. My experience with name brand boards has not been very good either. Probably why I buy from my local guy every time.

As far as the price hikes, I think the large influx of foam surfboards is costing legit shapers/manufacturers sales. Last couple times I was in Hawaii and California, I was shocked how many people ride those fucking things. Now you have guys like JOB and Ben Gravy selling those god forsaken things and featuring them in their videos. It has to be negatively affecting the industry and driving up prices on real surfboards.

 

Stay out of those 2 shops in Asbury Park, NJ then

 

I support good shapers. I've picked up over 6 boards by Jay Novak (AKA Surfboards) since I've been out here. Not one of them over $400. No offense to any of the shapers on here, but if you havent pumped out thousands of boards with at least 10 years of R&D, I aint touching your stickkkkk (no homo)

 

True dat.....

 

I’ll never buy off the rack againe. Not never. Once you have a shaper that you trust and like doing business with it’s a no brainer to be a loyal customer and go back to them. Plus, if they keep a file, they know what you like to ride and can help you get it more dialed in each time.

 

How about this, put me together a shopping list of all the necessary items to shape a surfboard so we can finally put down the kool aid and become woke like you. Remember to allow for rent, electricity, and salaries for the shaper and sander.

TBH I would love to be proven wrong here so I can shape boards on the cheap and quit my day job... i mean pass my savings on to the consumer

 

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/spo/d/68-egg-surfboard/6614698274.html

Vs

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/spo/d/new-70-happy-battle-tear-drop/6612085798.html

Same Shaper, Different label on the board. I know the top one is "USED", but you can walk into clairemont surf shop and get one brand new board shaped by Jay Novak for 450-550 depending on color.

 

Im pretty sure I agree with you... I was pointing out the greed from one shop over another (the post with the 2 CL Links). Literally miles apart, with the same product & a $300 price difference. all for a different lam under the glass.

 

You're still talking about bigger names though. Sure, you can get a kit from foam-ez and greenlight and the others, but you're not factoring in the tools that are legitimately needed for building a decent surfing board. Of course you can get by with the tools in those kits, but give it a shot and see what comes out. I guarantee after shaping one or two, and you get hooked on it, you'd be looking to spend more money to get better tools.

It isn't very likely that a local shaper or builder is going to be charging $700 for a shortboard.

By the way, Drew with Inspired is a talented fella.

 

Boards went up instantly $100-$150 after Clark Foam went under. They never came back down.

 

I’ve never bought off the rack and never will.

All I purchase are customs from local guys and suite finds on Craigslist/Letgo. Soulrider, one of my bests buds, will shape mostly all of my bortes from here on out. I basically only pay materials, cuz he’s my buoy.

By the way I’ve made probably $300-500 in the last three years from flipping boards on C/L and Letgo.

 

That's fair, but you have to have capital to buy in bulk.

I guess my best answer for you in regards to your original question is: my boards don't start at $700 haha

You could look at those boutique style and big name surfing boards and compare them to cars that have special emblems on them (i.e. Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac, etc); then you can take regular, locally shaped boards and compare them to cars that have regular emblems on them (i.e. Toyota, Nissan, GMC, etc). Both are going to get the job done, but you're going to get a little more pissed when your Ferrari gets scratched than if your Fiat does.

 

A surfboard is not just the materials it's made of. You pay for the decades of shaping experience that goes into it, and for a "...lost", you are paying for that sweet looking logo.

By all means though, get that $200 foam-ez retro fish kit and make me a board that goes better than my Round Nose Fish without spending over $500.

No hurt feelings here. Just calling out some misguided nonsense when I see it.

Edit: I get it, $700 is steep for a non longboard and I would personally never pay it. But saying that a local/regional or a backyard shaper is price gouging... that's just plain wrong.

 

I built a board recently... a twin fin fish. Cost me about three fiddy in materials alone, and I get a bro discount.

That was a blue US Blank, standard Silmar lam resin, and standard 4oz Aerialite glass job, plus two FCS II boxes and an FCS under lam leash plug. Then you got your consumables: a few sheets of paper, some drop cloths, brushes, buckets, acetone, tape, razor blades, dust masks, respirator cartridges, latex gloves, resin additives, polish, and more... especially if you're doing any kind of color work (tints, paint, more tape, more tape, more razor blades, more tape...).

I have all the tools, but even your sanding pads break down after a while and need replacement. Your planer needs new brushes and blades sharpened every now and again. You'll have to replace your block plane, surforms and spokeshave after a while.

The shit adds up.

Add in the time away from your family, or the loss of "spare time," or not getting to do all the other things you love, the sweat equity, electricity, having to clean your garage or shop before, during AND after you build a board, the fear and frustration something won't come out right, and when it doesn't, having to do it over again... Being a pro shaper or glasser is hard, nasty, difficult, costly work, and being a backyard shaper is a bloody pain in the keester.

So who's in?


PS... A neighborhood grom asked me to help him build a board today. Guess what I said.... "sure."

 

Sounds amazing! Hahaha

 

Have a couple local shapes that I love; but, I have purchased a lot of borts off the rack. Only kept a few that I really liked (mostly Tomos), most I surfed for a year and sold for maybe a 30% loss on most. I am an admitted bort whore though.

 

i think if you decide to build your own board just the sanding alone might be the thing that makes you decide a handmade board is worth the money to get someone else to do it

 

Facts!

It's fun though - haha. Missed many a session because if this and a ton of sleep.

How is your twin fin going?