So, I’ve made my first board and been surfing it for a few weeks now, just finished talking a friend through making his first, and have my second board shaped. Aside from being paranoid about health implications, I’m completely stoked on making boards. But I don’t know where to from here.
I don’t want to own 20 boards, I don’t even want to own more than two. I don’t have a huge group of surfing friends, and most of them have decided they want to make their own board after seeing me do it anyway.
Even though I can’t really afford it, I’m considering making a few more, surfing them a few times, having friends surf them a few times, learn what I can then put them up for sale somewhere and hopefully cover costs so I can make more.
What have all you other backyarders done to get beyond the first few boards, and be able to afford making more?
..... making a few more, surfing them a few times, having friends surf them a few times, learn what I can then put them up for sale somewhere and... cover costs so I can make more.
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The above is exactly what I did, many years ago. I'm sure it will still work for you.
My wife has a large retail space upstairs at the antiques / collectibles mall...
I've sold two surfboards there so far (not ones I made, but one a buddy made and I painted), and the three shown are hollow wood surfboards made by me.
I am a back yard, weekend "shaper" and I am on board number 14 and 15 right now. I have found Bills advice the best I shape it ,surf it , work out what i like and what i do not. then sell cheap and start a new one. I have a couple of guys that have bought a few boards of me
I can normal cover my cost plus a bit on every board so I am not losing any thing but time and the more hours you shape the better the boards get
I just glassed the top of board number 22 tonight. My Longboard and my two guns get surfed. I have three back-up beaten up but un-snapped short boards including the one I’m replacing now. I have made 8 boards for other people. One of my boards got stolen a couple of years ago. That leaves 7 repaired snapped shortboards that live under the house and in the attic. I don’t know what to do with these but I can’t bring myself to throw them out!
If you sell them in good conditions after a few months surfing you should normally get more than your material costs out of them if they look ok. Also selling without fins gives you more money out of them, cause noone wants to pay for them on a used board.
I easily sell them for twice the material costs here. So every board gives me the money to build 2 more But that fact makes me shape more then surf at the moment. Have got 6 boards and 2 blanks ready to get glassed. So I got them only for my time spent, money is about -+0.
But that fact makes me shape more then surf at the moment. Have got 6 boards and 2 blanks ready to get glassed. So I got them only for my time spent, money is about -+0.