Never thought I would agree with a quote from the drug addled brain of Gary Busey.
Interesting read. I’m about to start a journey to make boards for the scandinavian market.luckily I have experience building boards in Japan. Up here most boards come from thai or china(of course you’ve got channel island and lost)and almost every shop carries the same brand.I believe in what I do and have the passion, so let the journey begin…I know it’s gonna be toughsince the market is small, but what the hell I’m going to do what I love and I also believe surfers up here want something different.
Highcoast Go for it.
In a small market It would be a good idea to work on becoming the the go to expert for design and board building in your area. Learn all you can and then some. In Publications and local Blogs. Make your voice known without being preachy.
Look at also doing other types of crafts useing what you have learned from building Boards. kayaks and Kite Boards and SUPs. to go along with the Surfboards.
Thanks artz, always feels good with a clap on the shoulder when you’re commited to do something.And yes definetly other surfcrafts like kiteboards and SUPs. SUP is becoming a big thing here in Sweden. Never done kayaks or kayaking though.Guess I have to look a little bit closer into building methods for kayaks. And I have also thought about doing some boat repair as well, thera are many marinas and boat owners in Sweden.
Boy! Wish I could understand you evaluation of the 60’s surf craze .
Reverb your very talented at most things you do!
Just Surf!
Make surfboards for the love.
To support yourself making boards is foolish unless your in the TOP TEN!
Little Guy survive?
Kind regards,
surfding
…McDing, what s the part you do not understand?
-Surfding, thanks man; but reminds me that last week I was in a chat in a garage and the machinist say that he had a surgery 6 months ago and the surgeon told him why not take a 4 months vacations then start with the shop again…the guy looked at the doctor and tried to explain that his reality is totally different but seems that the other never got it…you know, surgeons have possibly the best salaries all over the world and this machinist barely can maintain his family, pay all the taxes and pay for the rent of the house and the shop. He never had a vacation; do not have the money to close and go. Also, they (me too) cannot be in the luxury to lose customers.
Hi Reverb:
Everybody it seems looks at life differently.
If you can substain yourself building surfboards then you already have it figured out!
Kind regards,
surfding
I read through this thread. I’m not anywhere near selling boards, I just shape for myself backyard hack style. I’m not sure how old people are in here, but I just turned 21 a few months ago, and I’ve got some input.
First, I absolutely agree with the first post about blogs and websites. I, and most others my age and younger, use a computer a lot. I love looking at shapers blogs and sites. If I didn’t make my own boards, or I was going to get a shaper to make one, I’d be looking for their site or blog to see what they’ve made. If I was selling at a local level, I’d have a blog or something and make sure to frequently update with picutres and other stuff. It’s easy with smart phones now.
Second, I think the issue here is this; not every kid I know is as knowledgeable about surfboards. I’m not claiming encyclopedic knowledge, but I know more than my friends. They (kids) won’t even think to go looking around the web for a local shaper’s site or blog. Maybe for older dudes, if the market was more local shaper based back in the day, they’re familiar with the concept. But I can see how people my age and younger wouldn’t even know local shapers exist, and just assume all the boards on the rack were mass produced. Point is, they have no reason to go looking for a local shaper, either by lack of knowledge or otherwise. The only way they get exposed is by, like, having a dad or something who is into surfing and such, so he knows what’s up. Or Having a friend like me, who has shaped before and pays attention to local shapers. The only other thing I think of is seeing pros sponsered, but then they just see CI, rusty and the like.
They ride their HPSB thrusters all the time. They only see those and longboards. Nothing else. Or, rather, only distinguish between those two. I’ve been getting my friends off their potato chips for summer. Especially when they see me with my really short, wide stubby boards, they at least notice it’s not quite either of those two. Ocassionally my friends ask me for a board, but I don’t shape for others yet, I don’t think my shapes are good enough. But I tell them about a few shapers around here, an that it would be the same or less than a 600$ rusty shortboard, better in these waves and custom and you’d be supporting a local shaper.
I don’t know if it correlates, but I’d say I’m the most diy minded person of the kids I surf with. Naturally, I needed to know what makes a board go, so I got into reading about design, then about shaping and then actually made a few boards. Which exposed me to local shapers and stuff. Before that, I was usnure of the state of the market, if it was all mass produced or mostly local shapers or a bit of both. I also got lucky, my first board ended up being from a local shaper, purely becuase that was the one in the used racks with a ton of volume and of mid length. But this mindset lead to the uncovering of local shapers and such.
This is some of the best advice I’ve heard on this thread.
If you are in a small market, or you are trying to ‘capture market share’, you have to offer something unique.
If you do not have a unique design to offer, than offer the unique ability to build what people need or want.
If you become the go to guy, you develop a relationship where the consumer places trust or confidence in what you can build them.
Imagaine if there are only 100 to 300 people that are interested in ocean (or lake) activity in your area. Instead of making one surfboard for them, you are making, a kite board, windsurfer, SUP, paddleboard, kneeboard, skimboard, HPSB, funshape and longboard. Or any combo thereof.
One guy is idle and broke while the other guy is so damn busy he doesn’t know if he’s coming or going.
Same situation, different outcome!
I agree with you DEADSHAPER.
artz said it best!.
I live in HUNTINGTON BEACH and we have a surfboard shaper on every street corner.
Maybe I’m just jaded?
Kind regards,
surfding
drzoidburg,
Nice to hear from someone who is younger and shows an interest in what goes into making a board. You have some good advice for attracting a younger audience. Good for you making your own craft. If you live close to someone that is a pro see if they would be willing to give some tips or at least some words of advice.
A good friend is running a small shop in NJ he wants to carry local or at least USA made surfcraft. He also has toldd me that kids come into the shop looking for only a couple of brands and styles of boards. They all seem to quote the mythes that they heard about short wide boards are only for small weak waves. Fish can’t be riden in a tube or some other nonsense. Most have never done any real research or actually have first hand knowlage.
Don’t worry because in many cases the Parent that also surfs has his or her own mythes to contend with. People in their 30s.40s and beyond all have thier mythes.
… and I live in a town with barely 6,000 people and a total of 20,000 within a radius of 30 miles.
Am I busy?
Hell yes, because I have p-e-r-s-p-e-c-t-i-v-e .
And for the guys that don’t get the lucky breaks, etc. there’s more money in ding repair than there ever will be in surfboard manufacturing. Doesn’t matter who or where their made… they ALL break!
Now get busy.
