MOBILE SHAPER COMING NEAR YOU

General Discussion
1

Ive been shaping my own boards and boards for friends for a while now. I was thinking of opening a shaping shack inside a converted bus. I was gonna get a large bus (maybe 50 seater) and plaster the inside. I could divide the middle and fit a small shaping room in there and a small glassing room in there. My tools were going to be powered by a generator which would cost be about $5 a day in petrol for enough power. I could drive around to all different regions. Im in the UK, so i could shape here from about february to June on stock boards, and then june to august on custom boards when the surf gets busier. I then was thinking i could drive to hossegor in september when UK starts to lose all of the crowd and then october in Spain. I could drive to morrocco and sell boards there, as well as having a website to sell stock boards too. I was thinking of doing board finishing / glassing, Custom boards, Ding repair, stock boards etc.

Is this a totally rediculous idea or is it really quite clever?

J

2

I think it’s a pretty clever and original idea, but a bit risky.

Buying and fitting out a bus,even if you do all the work, would not be cheap .

Also you’re totally dependant on the bus & if it breaks down, you’ve got to have the cash to fix it or you’re screwed!

You would need to find out the ins & outs of trading from a bus in various countries, but it shouldn’t be too hard (Or always keep the keys in the ignition for a quick getaway).

You may get sick of living in a bus stinking of resin 24/7 (Epoxy would be a big help tho)

That said , I think there are alot of plus points.

As well as board sales (possibly hire?), you would probably do good business in "On the spot " ding repairs, and like you say you can follow the surfers.

If you are in the beach car park, leashes and wax would probably be a ‘nice little earner’,

You will also be able to surf yourself silly. (A fact which i’m sure hasn’t escaped you :slight_smile:

A good site for fitting out campers yourself (including busses) is http://www.sbmcc.co.uk/

They have lots of good info in the forum. You can view the forum free, but costs £10 (i think) to get full access.

Membership gets you lots of discounts on insurance & suppliers and will save you way more than a tenner.

If you do decide to do it, a bus build thread & news on how it goes would be awesome!

Good luck

Greeny

3

Greeny, Thanks for the reply

I could have a bus bought and converted for £5,000. It obviously would be an old bus, but when the interior is going to be a shaping room - it doesnt really matter. I wouldnt mind sticking it out for the first few years living in a bus. I could always get a double decker and the top deck could be living quarters!..

Shaping surfboards is extremely seasonal isnt it. I have friends who are pro shapers who make 80% of their years earning in 3 months. This idea could atleast lengthen the season to 6 months , as I can only really keep the bus in europe obviously - driving to South africa etc in an old bus doesn’t sound 1 cost effective and 2 feasable.

Any more input anyone?

Jonny

4

Brings a whole new meaning to the term GYPSY SHAPER.

5

Take a video camera with you if you do it and film yourself, the spots, interesting people etc… I’ve seen worse reality TV shows. Who knows, maybe you could get a sponsor to pay for some of the expense.

6

1st point: The vehicle needs to be in top shape! Keep a maintenance log,

2nd point: It’s not a bad Ideal. You will definitely get noticed.

3rd point: Ding repair that is fast one day service would be a money maker. (Have plenty of Solar resin and fast setting epoxy) Hang out at the PRO Events and set up shop to make your cash. Then that will get you through the winter months. The season is short in Europe so you need to be frugal.

4th point: Have it filmed and broadcasted on FUEL TV as a reality show. They need material.

5th point: Get sponsors (You can have your mobile shop skinned) the money you received can cover your expenses. The board money goes in your pocket.

6th point: The education is priceless!

7th point: Go for it!

7

I think that it’s illegal to do this in other countrys like france or spain!

And the local shops wont let you do this. I think you can get a lot of trouble outside the UK.

But I’d like to see it working!

8
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Unless you actually plan to do things legally, i.e. having a work permit for every country you’ll travel in and paying taxes, social expenses, insurance and so on, I’m not sure that guys like me (for instance, but I know many who will be much harder to deal with than myself…) who struggle to keep working because margins are so low and those legal expenses so high, will like you that much…

9

I will keep everything legal, and pay taxes. A lot of shapers near me are in the most remote locations and still get by, and in the UK the season is extremely short - not because of the surf but because it can be just too damn cold. If the season is 4 or 5 months instead of 2 months and It will allow me to be in a lot better locations. I will contact FUEL TV. I have got to look into it more though before i do anything because it may end up costing more than I will ever earn just in permits

10

I am seriously not trying to rain on your parade…in fact I once thought of doing this back in my sailboard heyday of just going to the Columbia River Gorge, and Texas, and Colorado and wherever to do sailboards for people on the spot. However, I would think if yo are headed to Morocco you might want to have a German Shepard or Pit Bull with you so you don’t lose everything while you are out surfing or getting groceries…or sleeping for that matter.

The positive aspect of it is totally cool. You would no doubt meet some great people along the way quite possible making friends for life. You could set up a website and have a blog going of where you currently are and where you might be heading next. Have you thought about Italy? Most people don’t realize that there ar 30,000 surfers there and that they do get surf. They eve have a surf mag and a national champion. I saw this on “Surfari” on the “Fuel” channel. Hell I wouldn’t mind having my share of devoted riders while livng and shaping in Italy.

Your plan is ambitious and goes much further than us who took our planers, power adaptors and spin templates to other parts of the world…we will start calling you the “Christopher Columbus Shaper” of the free world.

11

I can see why the call you the best writer on swaylocks! yeah that sounds totally cool too. The Initial costs of it all are quite expensive, but if i could get some sponsors involved than maybe it could become cheaper - this would only occur after some time.

Jonny

12

Internet access to run credit cards. Surfers won’t have cash on the spot to buy a board, but with a credit card, anything is possible. Don’t forget T- shirt sales.

13

Yeah I will have to sort that out. I will need online sales too, when the european surf season ends totally!

Jonny

14

Fuel TV and the road trips would be a blast!

Do while your young!

The experience would be worth it.

A lot of people are scared!

Your have your whole life before you.

Get a big dog like Deadshaper mentioned.

You never know?

15

Ofcourse, I will look into it more, but im going travelling a lot in the next year and a half. What I really hope is to sort out a bus, licensing and a website and start in 2 years time. Its going to be an expensive initial payment anyway so everything should be right. I just feel that I am still young, and if i want to be a shaper, Im going to have to be creative to atleast make a bit of money out of it.

16

Why would it be illegal? We are all part of the EU common market.

Citizens of the EU have the right to work in all EU countries.

Surely there are mobile shops of some kind in France and Spain, which means as long as they have the right permits etc a UK citizen is allowed to operate one as well.

Totally agree with Balsa about doing it legally to ensure fair competition, and I can understand local shops getting upset, but there are HEAPS of beaches in france and spain that are nowhere near any surf shops.

17

Sorry I know nothing about the law, I just wanted to mention that I think you can’t just do that.

You have to request some shit (don’t know what).

In France there is a shop almost everywhere, in spain maybe not (don’t know).

18

Greeny

Thats exactly what I thought.

I am already in the EU. even if i had to pay for a street trading license, it would be possible. I need to find out if you are able to get a street trading license for a shorter period like a month or 2, because if i have to pay for year permits in both the UK, france, Spain, Italy, it could be very expensive and set me back far too much.

19

…right advices from Surfding.

2 years ago I had a similar idea, but only to do repairs (building quality boards is much more complicated stuff and not so instant money)

all to pay for a surf trip all along the PCH

but never realized

so go ahead, is possible

20

Consider a detached trailer towed by a truck or van to separtate the shop from the transportation and sleeping center.