I have a trip planned down to Puerto the end of june. I had three boards lined up to bring, 6’4" for La Punta, 6’8" for up to 10/12 ft., and a 7’2" for anything bigger that I would be willing to paddle into. I recently found out that the airline I will be taking down (United) will not allow me to check oversized baggage such as boards. I am currently looking into shipping my boards via Fedex or DHL (any thoughts regardsing this method?). Would it be easiest to buy boards down there and sell them before I leave? I have read about Miguel and his brother Roger who do ding repair magic but where are the shops that have good prices/selections on boards.
Since your in Long Beach Ca. call Roger Baltierra in Costa Mesa, 949- 645-7873, he is the guy who taught all those guys in Puerto, and has a house down there, when he’s not at his shop in Costa Mesa. He spends half the time here, and half the time there. A great board-builder, as good as anyone there is. He’ll give you the honest and right answer, to all your questions.
Don’t know Ody, but Roger Baltierra is one of the best craftsmen I have ever seen in this industry, and he’s close by, and approachable. Roger is the type of surfboard builder, that 99% of the people that visit Swaylock’s aspire to be. He’s the real-deal all the way for sure, and never seems to get the recognition he rightfully deserves; maybe this will help. Some people around here think i like to be hard on people, but I really like to praise those who through hard work, and attention to detail deserve it.
Baltierra was at the top of his game in the '90's thru early 2000's during the longboard resurgence. I'm sure he is still very good. Probably does a nice shorty too. I just never got around to veiwng any of his shortboards.
Baltierra may have run into a bit of resistance with his marketing strategies back then. You see his motto back then was: “All Shapes, All Sizes”, so confident was he in his prowess, he had condoms made with his motto, and used to pass them out at ASR. While I am not in agreement with his strategy, I must admit it took big balls.
Yeah I remember that $#!t. Forgot about that. It's not like junior high though. You don't have to encourage sexual activity between a bunch of adult surfers at an ASR show the way our Federal Govt. encorages it at high school proms.
roger is a good guy and makes a good board.ody lives in puerto year round and has all his life.cut all his own blanks and shaped his 1000th board last summer.i own the first wood board he ever made,agave wood and also the first sup he ever made.he has taught me alot about building and glassing boards.he is very meticulus.you should check him out for sure
Roger Baltierra is one of the best surfboard builders in the world, and he never gets enough credit. Growing up in Costa Mesa, not Newport, but above it. Roger learned from some of the best craftsmen in the business, and has been doing it his entire life. Proud to call him my friend. He is the guy who taught the guys to fix and make boards in Puerto. Don’t know Ody, but I know Roger. One day I saw him lift his hood on his old landcruiser, because there was a noise, a couple hours later, tranny’s out and torn apart, fixed and put together the next day, and I was amazed. I saw him splash a hull off a 17 foot whaler, extend it 2’ and build himself a 19’ custom boat for kicks, from scratch, and its at his shop. Better than any Boston Whaler. The guy has skills, and is not afraid of a challenge, or getting dirty. Isn’t a Newport trustafarian, he’s a real old-school craftsman, has been able to do so much the hard way, not by faking it. Yeah, he has his fault’s like he has to do most things his way to be done right, and he gives too much of himself and his time away. But those faults make him that much more amazing. Oh yeah when the new molds were made for the Malia 6 man canoes, and Sonny came over from Hawaii, guess who made them, and worked out the flaws in the old canoes- yeah Roger, fairing in those things for hours on end just to get it perfect.