I guess my question is if your talented or people say your talented at shaping /glassing…how fine of a line is there betwween a DOG and a MAGIC board…where in the spectrum of design choices does everything go to hell… Ive handed boards to friends and said to myself hope it rides… Its a tough one to explain I guess!
Nat,
You just got out your can opener and reached for the can labeled “worms” 
Interesting interview I saw of Wayne Lynch (who has been shaping for many years and is regarded as one of the best in Aus).
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He said he shaped a board intended for himself, and the whole time during the shaping thought it would go great.
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He then rode it and decided it went like a dog
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So he gave it to another guy and told him it was a dog but feel free to ride it.
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The guy came back and said it was the best board he had ever ridden.
Go figure?
DIFFERENT STOKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS----
Years ago I did a carpentry job for a famous shaper who I won’t mention his name. He paid me with money and a board… I rode it and hated it so I sold it right away to a friend who wanted it… He rode it and hated it too. His friend wanted it and hated it too. Another friend rode it unreal! The guy ripped on it the best he ever surfed and rode that board till it died… To this day he swears it was magic. It was one of the worst feeling/paddling boards I ever rode. Hahahahaha!
I made a 9’-2" board for myself to SUP. I rode it a couple times and it felt pretty good but not special compared to another I had so it sat around as a demo… Leleo Kinimaka tried it one day and called me right after wanting to buy it ASAP… Haha! I tell you what… He frigging shreads on that thing!!!
Leleo on the 9’-2" I thought was alright but definetly not magic. He absolutely loves it and you can tell…
On the other hand I once had a board shaped by Dickie DeLong. It was magic to me and I had incredible rides on it and many classic sessions I remember to this day and this board was made back in 1987. One day I lost it into Puena Pt and it got all busted up… I had it repaired but it was heavier and never felt the same again but it still ripped… I gave it away to Harold Fisher who was in the late 60’s early 70’s the best surfer at Haleiwa… He loved it and it got him back into surfing after a long lay off… He eventually gave it to his brother Clyde who ripped on it till it got stolen… To this day we all talk about that board as “Magic”. It was magic for all who rode it… Go figure…
…compared to the pros , I’m sure every board i have made is a dog , and I probably suck just as bad as a surfer .
but , as long as my boards don’t bark at me [or bite me too often] , I’ll keep riding them , just because it feels so fun to be riding something I made [fins included]
woof !
ben
…and , you know what else is weird ? Even with the dogs [ugly boards] that I gave away [or threw away ?!] , I still occassionally think “I wonder how THAT board would have gone out here today ?”