Taken from the erBB, not cool if true... "saw a CL ad for a board that looked interesting. it was an Oceanside Spoiler, for dirt cheap. that got me down the rabbit hole. started researching the brand. came across the name "Tom Sena". did some googling and came across this post from 2008. crass but made me chuckle a bit: Tom Sena of Long Island, NY. While not in the same league as others already listed, his crimes are still worthy of a painful, public punishment. This is a guy who's never surfed, ever. He imports cheap ****-box boards from China, and passes them off as real surfboards by using a pile of labels that were once respected names in the industry. Though every board he imports is made in the same factory by the same workforce, the boards carry an array of different logos. Some of which are: Natural Progression Challenger Oceanside (Spoiler) Canyon Surfboards Australia. In addition, he engages in cut-throat, back-stabbing business practices. Some of his offenses include... Ratting out a backyard shaper on LI to the local zoning authorities, claiming the guy had a factory in a residential area. Leveraging his buying power to pressure suppliers into not doing business with other, less well funded shops in his area. These shops were owned/run by folks who actually surf. so...sounds like not such a nice dude. but yet he owns a surf shop on Long Island that has apparently been there for decades. http://rockawaybeachsurfshop.net/surfboards.html just odd. any 2016 insight on the dude and his practices?" http://forum.surfermag.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2528777#Post2528777
All of those brands/names and many more that you might not even suspect, were bought by Chinese pop out companies about ten to fifteen years ago. He might be trumping up a story or not saying its a pop out but replacing the labels is not necessary you can order like ten of any of those boards at a time from China for $800 plus shipping and import tax. All surf shops are basically doing this.... except for the ratting out guerrilla shapers, that shyte would get you beat with a planer.
I Googled Tom sena and found there is quite some disdain for him. It has been discussed here at SI before: http://www.swellinfo.com/forum/showthread.php?11155-canyon-surfboards Also Swaylocks and erBB. Not necessarily illegal but probably deceptive. Of course, this chinese made stuff is everywhere. I own one or two I know better now.
No he doesn't.......he bought chinky-type boards and is in a man-bro relationship with Frankie.....not good!! Therefore, his reconne sucks........BRRRRPPPPP!!! to Valhallallallallallla!!!! lol
I have no problem with someone offering pop outs for cheap. Not everyone can afford a new $700-$1000 board. They are good for beginners and kids at least. And it's the shops fault if they are passing them off as legit "hand crafted" boards, not the owners.
agreed... I was just saying no need to counterfeit the logos or anything, but lying about the board being a classic and such is lame
I took a wire brush attachment on a grinder to the face one time, french fried when i shoulda pizza'd.
Not only are the shop owners COMPLICIT, they train their shop attendants to do the same. It is about money now. They ALL go by the WC Fields axiom of "Never give a sucker an even break". No exception; not one.
I think Iv heard this guy before. He's not really in my area though so I never been to his shop. Although knowing this, I would never go there anyway. Sounds like a douche. I bought and have a pop out challanger. It's my one and only LB. At least I think it's a pop out. Got nose and tail blocks. But I bought it assuming it was a pop out and just wanted something cheaper to figure out what I wanted from a LB I don't know how many of you other guys have a ship like this. But my go to shop has no gimmicky/salesman going on. All the boards on the rack are the owners own shaped boards. Except the used rack. Cheapest shop in the area. Really good shaper and really cool guy. When I go in to discuss a new custom he dosn't get all pushy. Gets excited about ideas and gives input when needed. I go there allot and got two customs in like a 8 month period, so I get deals on some big ticket items Every other shop I walk into is nothing like that place. Last time I went to a diffrent shop the guy there tried to explain the difference between lobster claws and mittens. Thanks man, I know exactly what I need/want in gloves and it's obvious as it took me 30 seconds to walk in, grab what I needed, and get to the register. But thanks for the lesson in gloves
Haha that's funny: this is a lobster claw... See it's a little different then the mitten ... This one here keeps you warmer .... Lol really?? This guy sounds like a mess... But it's kinda funny- like what do you expect from NYC? (Sorry guys who live there... ). Just sounds like this guy has no class... And after reading his history page - he started hand shaping at age 16 IN HIS GARAGE aka backyard! This guy is a total hypocrite I guess - on the other hand - I have a Nature Progression single fin short board that I have been riding for years and love the board! Only thing... I bought it form LBI from a good local shop... This guy is a mess - might as well change his name to Costco surf shop Wonder if he carries lobster claws?
