I occaisionally have the opportunity to talk story with Ben Aipa at the beach and I have to say the guy is so cool. Up until a few years ago, I had always thought of him as being kind of rowdy, I guess you could say. Youd always here stories of him getting into hassles with guys for waves and such. But the Ben Aipa I know is a cool, easy going Hawaiian. He loves to talk surfboards and very supportive of guys like me that do just a few boards a year. He’ll check your board out, give some words of encouragement. His shortboards are still state of the art and it would be hard to find a better longboard shaper anywhere. He’s still out there going for the big moves on his 9’0" stinger, and a stoked grommet at heart at 62 yrs of age. Luckily he has passed his knowledge down to his son Akila, also and excellent shaper.
I occaisionally have the opportunity to talk story with Ben Aipa at the > beach and I have to say the guy is so cool. Up until a few years ago, I > had always thought of him as being kind of rowdy, I guess you could say. > Youd always here stories of him getting into hassles with guys for waves > and such. But the Ben Aipa I know is a cool, easy going Hawaiian. He loves > to talk surfboards and very supportive of guys like me that do just a few > boards a year. He’ll check your board out, give some words of > encouragement. His shortboards are still state of the art and it would be > hard to find a better longboard shaper anywhere. He’s still out there > going for the big moves on his 9’0" stinger, and a stoked grommet at > heart at 62 yrs of age. Luckily he has passed his knowledge down to his > son Akila, also and excellent shaper. …Ben is (as tom says)Aloha, with a capital “A”.Herb
His shortboards are still state of the art and it would be > hard to find a better longboard shaper anywhere. I rode a couple of his boards in Town during summers in the very early 1970’s, and they were red hot then. I can only imagine what they are like another 30 (?!) years down the road.
His shortboards are still state of the art and it would be>>> I rode a couple of his boards in Town during summers in the very early > 1970’s, and they were red hot then. I can only imagine what they are like > another 30 (?!) years down the road. Ben’s boards are magic. Board after board he has made for me are unreal. If one has never had Ben make them a board, it is something one should experience. If there is anyone that thinks that all shaper’s are pretty much the same, ride a Ben Aipa and change your perspective.
His shortboards are still state of the art and it would be>>> I rode a couple of his boards in Town during summers in the very early > 1970’s, and they were red hot then. I can only imagine what they are like > another 30 (?!) years down the road. I also rode a couple of his boards in the seventies (swallows, stings). Thirty years later I am surfing like a kid again on an Aipa sting. Ben is a Master Craftsman while remaining one of the most down to earth “big” name shapers I have ever met.