Turning Down The Volume

 

What does surfboard volume mean?

 No, I’m not going to waste either your time going into some overly complicated explanation about what volume is. I am sure you read all about it back in, like, 2013 on The Inertia or in Surfer or something like that. It’s height X weight X width, it’s in liters, and it’s pretty complicated to figure out in a surfboard. Right, moving on.

            Taking it a step further, what does surfboard volume mean with regards to actually shaping surfboards? Well, not much really. It is a number that’s useful for the comparison of finished surfboards. To a surfboard shaper, volume will usually, at most, be a small number in the bottom screen of some CAD program that changes when you start clicking things. That’s about it.

            The more important thing to consider here is what volume definitely should not be. For any shaper, new or experienced, volume should not be a goal. Going into any shape with the intention of coming away with some particular end number in your head should not (necessarily) be your main objective.

             No matter what way you look at volume, it is actually not a design element of the board. Yes, you read this correct and would do well to forever commit it to memory; 

Volume is not a design element of a surfboard.  

Volume is merely the result of an equation. It is what you get when you add up all of the different components of a surfboard as a whole. I’m talking length, width, thickness, foil, concave, and even the weight of the glass job; i.e. the actual design elements that require much thought and planning when shaping a surfboard.

            So now that we’ve gone over what volume isn’t, it’s necessary to come back to a point I made earlier. Widespread use of volume measurement is relatively new in the surfboard building industry, but this doesn’t mean that it is just some sort of fad. It is a useful metric. It is actually an incredibly useful number to consider when comparing (and I deliberately reiterate the term) finished surfboards. The bottom line is that when it comes to a hydrodynamic vessel such as a surfboard, every little tiny detail that touches the water will affect the way a board rides. Some of them are micro features (think those tiny inevitable glassing defects, or a machine cut board that is slightly more sanded than an identically cut board) and others are major features (think, well just about anything you can actually see on a surfboard). 

The point being, even at the elite level of surfboard building, variation is inevitable. 

            So what does volume mean to you as a surfboard shaper? It should serve as a constant reminder that each element of your shape adds up, in one way or another, to every other element. Each pass of the planer you take or ounce of resin you pour onto a board should be done with every other step, previous or future, kept in mind on some level. No, volume should not be your end goal. Volume should just float somewhere in the back corner of your mind like some mystical reminder from some ridiculous shaman that everything has a purpose. Besides, if you’re really dying to know the true volume of your finished board, I’m sure you’ve got a displacement tank sitting around somewhere just dying to be filled up, right?

-Joey Estrada

Interview with JACQUES BERIAU of SEA LOVE SURFBOARDS

 Photo Credit: Andre' Beriau

   It is a played out stereotype that all surf adventures involve exotic locales and tropical waters. Adventure, by most definitions, is an experience that must involve some degree of unusual and uncommon elements. To go truly off of the beaten path, one must do more than merely step off of a paved road and onto some tropical beach. Sometimes it involves finding a new way of doing things entirely, finding a new type of beach. 
       For 32 year old New England shaper Jacques Beriau of Sea Love Surfboards, this has involved leaving the perennially sunny shores of San Diego for the biting chill of the East Coast. Since 2010, Jacques has been shaping up boards for a different cut of surfer. With snowy lineups and heavy winds taking the place of palm trees and crowded beaches, Jacques has been able to carve out his own path along the often overlooked breaks of Maine's coast. The result has been his own unique design and aesthetic, that is evident in his boards, that are the result of a different kind of surfing community and environment. They have a quality that you wouldn't find in some typically tropical or suburban surf town. There is an element of ruggedness to the designs, a sense of the hours spent in less than hospitable conditions developing the craft. There is a sense of true adventure and wildness to them. 

-Joey Estrada

First things first, can you tell us a little bit about when you first got into shaping, and how?

I first started shaping surfboards while I was living in San Diego. I’m about 5’4” and 130lbs soaking wet, so it was hard for me to find off-the-rack boards that were exactly what I was looking for.  I had a few customs made, but it was hard for me to explain the feeling that I was searching for, and then have someone translate that into a shape for me.  I felt that I needed to take care of that aspect of my surfing.  I was surprised with the first few shapes that I made for myself, and a few years later decided to offer some of the shapes I was creating to the public.    

What made you decide to move to the East Coast?

My family is here, and my roots.  I grew up here in New England, and after chasing California for a while I felt more settled and even keeled coming back.  Sometimes you have to leave a place to see the beauty in it.  I moved back to New England in 2010 for an opportunity to finish a teaching degree.  I teach 7^th grade science, and at that time, there weren't a great deal of teaching positions open in Southern California.   Some of my best friends in the world still live between San Diego and HB, so I get out west a few times a year, get a burrito, see the homies.

Sea Love Surfboards 
Photo Credit; Andre' Beriau

 Were there any shapers you considered to be mentors of yours?

I have never actually had the opportunity to learn from another shaper inside the shaping bay.  When I started, I just figured that I’d learn what I could teach myself because the boards were only for me anyways.  I read everything I could get my hands on that involved surfboard design or the craft of shaping.  I’ve always been plugged into the historical aspect of surfboard design.  I just wanted to understand why these boards were created, what actual waves they were made for.  So I did all the research I could, and tried to get my hands to create what I was reading about.       

What are some of your most popular kinds of shapes like?

I’ve been riding a twin keel fish pretty much full time for a while now.  They work so well for they type of surfing I like to do.  I’ve always been a skate rat, and that shape is about a close as I’ve come to deep-end bowl carving.  I also ride a mid-length single fin, a piggy log too.  I dig the feeling you get out of shapes like that.  Just like riding waves.  I’m not crazy about fighting them. 

How are the waves around you and how have they affected/changed your shaping style?

Here in Southern Maine we have a pretty wide variety of surf.  Some great beach breaks, a few critical points too.  I’ve always shaped surfboards with particular waves in mind, and for the surf here, I’ve been into mid-lengths a bit more lately.  We get some heavy off-shore winds, so I’ve been adding a bit of belly to the front of my personal boards, seems to cut that off-shore texture pretty well.  

What's the surfing/shaper culture like on the east coast, what makes it unique?

Photo Cred; Andre' Beriau 

There are some great surfy people in my area, really good folks.  We have Grain Surfboards here in town, their crew puts on some great community events throughout the year and they are exceptional craftspeople.  As a whole, East Coast surfing has always been in the shadow of its California counterpart, but that’s ok I guess.  Its cold here for a big part of the year, and we definitely don’t have the surfboard design history that Southern California has.  It can also be difficult as a surfboard shaper to find materials, but you folks at Foam E-Z have made that piece so easy for me.  Cold empty waves, vs crowds though?  Snowflakes falling straight down on glassy chest to head?  A handful of your homies sharing it?  Those are the parts that keep me here.       

Who are some of the surfers you enjoy shaping for and working with?

Shaping boards for homies is always the best.  Especially homies that I get to surf with regularly, my brother Andre’ is probably my all time favorite person to shape boards for.  I know exactly how he rides, so I while I’m in the shaping bay I can translate that into his surfboard, he’s pretty good at letting me tell him what he wants haha.  Plus, he’s my brother, so even if I shape him a turd, it's a turd shaped with love.

Alright rapid fire question time;

Favorite tool?

My new racks, welded by my good homie Stu Gingras.

Favorite blank to shape?

US Blanks 7’3”A Red Density.  1/16” Redwood Stringer. 

-Favorite place to surf?

York County Maine

Biggest overall influence?

Dad

What're your go-to board dimensions/set up?

5’2” x 19” x 2 3/8” Fish, wide point 4 ½” forward.  Glass-on Fiberglass “Beatty” Twin Keels from True Ames.    

If you're interested in ordering a board from Jacques, you can contact him here:

Web:  www.sealovesurfboards.com

Email:  Jacques@sealovesurfboards.com

Instagram:  @jacquesberiau

LEARN TO SHAPE YOUR OWN BOARD!!! Shape Lessons Are For Everyone!

Wanna learn to shape a board????  We give lessons 2-3 times a week right here at in our own E-Z Shape Box.  Our instructor, Chas Wickwire, has lots of experience as he has been shaping for over twenty years!  Chas learned the ropes under the tutelage of Rich Harbour of Harbour Surfboards.  

Our Shape Lessons are great for everyone, young and old, because each lesson is customized to meet your needs. Sure, you can learn to shape on your own by trial and error, which can be frustrating at times, or you can have someone guiding you along the way. With the help of a professional by your side, your board will come out looking, and riding great. Along with books and DVD's, the Foam E-Z Professional Shaping Lessons are another way to educate board builders of every level.

The cost for the Shape lessons are $60/hr. Average time for a shortboard shape lesson is 4 hours and a long board takes approximately 5 hours. You are welcome to bring your buddy, dad, sister, brother, mother, or anyone you'd like to watch at no extra cost. Shape lessons are great for school projects. Each lesson is tailored to suit each student's needs and interests. At the end of the lesson each student will have learned about board design, functionality, basic and advanced shaping techniques. All students will walk away with a functional and aesthetically pleasing custom surfboard to be proud of.

Here's more details about the lessons and finishing out your custom board:

Blanks are sold separately (starting at $45.00).  You can paint your shaped blank yourself or have us professionally paint it.  We can print custom professional looking lams for you starting at $20.00. Just provide us a high quality PDF or Jpeg and we’ll do the rest.  Glassing is sold separately.  Glass your shaped blank yourself or have us professionally glass it (starting at $200).

Email us at Shape@FoamEZ.com  for more details or to schedule your lesson.  To see what dates are available check out the Shape Box Calendar.

Shaping lessons are for everyone! See ya soon…

Clark Foam Modified Hitachi Planer

Here is another video in from our series, Informative Foam E-Z Product Tutorials. In this segment we review the coveted Clark Foam Modified Hitachi Planer. This planer was first modified in the mid nineties by Clark Foam. Gordon Clark thought it was necessary to create an affordable planer specific for the surfboard shapers. Up till that time most shapers were using the Skil 100 but they were becoming more and more scarce causing the price to inflate. Over the past twenty something years the Clark Planer has been updated with different modifications a number of times. The current model was last updated in 2003 and appears to be here to stay.

This planer has become the standard for surfboard shapers around the world. It's light, affordable, functional, and has plenty of power. Check out the video and let us know if you have further questions.

Professional Shape Lessons In The Foam E-Z Shape Box

You asked for it, and we listened. Professional Shaping Lessons are now available at Foam E-Z!!! We got Maui Transplant Chris Carrozza to hop in The Shape Box and give one on one lessons. We’ve been doing lessons unofficially for the past 8 months and the response has been awesome from each student. They aren’t for everyone but for those of you ready to get into shaping and need some direction, or for the novice shaper ready to bump their game, then this will benefit you. Check out the video to get a taste and feel free to hit us up with any other questions you may have.

Bruce Jones, Some Serious Experience!

Bruce Jones has built premium surfboards for three decades. The company, renowned worldwide for its products, was founded by Bruce in 1973 after he shaped surfboards for many years with some of the biggest surfing names in the sport: Hobie, Gordie, and Brewer to name a few.

Bruce was there at Hobie's, during the golden age of the mid 1960's, when the best shaping talent in surfing history was gathered in one place: Phil Edwards, Dale Velzy, Terry Martin, John Gray and Ralph Parker, among others. Starting in the gluing department, Bruce worked his way into rough shaping, then into the actual shaping room and lost no time in getting help from everyone involved in shaping surfboards. In the mid to late 60's, Bruce moved to Huntington Beach, California where he shaped for Vardeman Surfboards, doing all the Jackie Baxter Models, which to this day are considered rare collector's items, being the first board on the west coast to combine the low tail rails of the Hawaiian Gun (for speed), with a refined longboard outline and eventually a turned down, flat-bottom nose for superb nose riding (influenced by the famous Morey/Pope John Peck Penetrator model).

At night, Bruce would shape surfboards for Gordie Surfboards. Gordie (Gordon Duane) had a reputation for being a superb craftsman but very hard to get along with. Bruce put up with him and learned some of Gordie's shaping techniques and most of all his dedication to perfection through using these techniques. Bruce did a short stint with Dick Brewer in '69, ghost shaping surfboards for him on Maui. He then went on to shape for Russell Surfboards, Newport Beach, and then Ole Surfboards in Sunset Beach, California from where he launched his own business. Bruce has made a number of surfboard blank molds for Clark Foam and most recently for US Blanks.



Enjoy this great little video with Bruce Jones shaping and designing filmed and edited by his son Brock.