Why do we hate our own shapers so much?

[Beeline2.0]

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[Bill E.]

With having standup shapers doin the shapin of kneeboards..

Sometimes you just have to teach the old dog boy some new tricks.

If you show them what you want and let them use their tools and shop to do it the way you want it maybe they will learn something new. The KB has a total different intimate knowledge of their board than the standup surfer. Sometimes you have to explain why you want the rail like you want it and why it works. Explain why the edge releases if its like this and grabs when its like that.

In the long run he learns more and you get the board you want. Just be there when it is shaped and have the right relationship with the shaper.

He will shape a kneeboard right and still be a standup surfer.

[Beeline2.0]

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[KenM]

Bee said, "swinging around last second and taking a quick drop into a wave is a thing of the past."
Say it ain't so, Bee say it ain't so.

[Beeline2.0]

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[Jerry]

With hopes of not sounding like an egotistical arse I can say unequivocally that I can take just as late a drop on my 5-10 or 6-0 as I ever took on my 5-4 to 5-8 kneeboards. And I've made my ( wave count ) living here dropping in late Without delving to deep into the design theory tit for tat, I'll just say from my experience, late drop success has more to do with board rocker than board length But then again, perhaps I'm delusional

[C.P.Odom]

I think that PaulN missed the point and asked the wrong question “Why do we hate our shapers so much?”
He should have asked “Why do our shapers hate us so much?”

This is a market driven business and if you want to sell in it, look at what we are buying. If you want to take the direction of the eclectic artist following your own path, well maybe we will discover you long after you have passed on.

Myself I purchase one new board each year and at that rate the cost is not a major object, but getting what I want is everything. One of the best boards in the world is made ten miles away (Eric S.) but the best one in the world is ten thousand miles away (Bruce H.). A hundred dollars, the internet, and an airplane solve this problem.

[K-man]

Sounds like you're on the payroll-good gig ...joke!\


Why do our shapers hate us so much?”....This is on the money.Now I think hate is a strong word,perhaps a bit of eye-ball rolling,teeth knashing is closer to it.
Too many times riders want to participate in the design process,which in itself is fine.BUT,not having a good working knowledge of design,can be self defeating,and highly annoying to a competent KB shaper

Been there,I know.


Jerry....seems to be something up over the other side?Hmmmmmm

[Jerry]

And another thing... ( Since there are no waves today ) I had great kneeboards shaped for me in the early 80's by Bill Caster and Gary Goodrum of Caster Surfboards in San Diego. Both non-kneelos.( Although I'm sure they got great feedback from the Huffmans ) A couple of years ago I had a board made for me by a So. Cal. based kneelo/shaper whom most of us have heard of ( not Romo ) It was so badly shaped that the rails and wings ( or flyers ) were VERY noticeably different on one rail than the other. It rode terribly and buckled on a 4 foot wave ( although claimed to have been glassed strongly ) about the 5th time I rode it. Whats my point ? Darned if I know. I'm just glad that as I enter the twilight years ( zone ? ) of my kneelo career I'm fading into the sunset ( and into some juicy point waves ) with finely crafted boards by Mr's Hart and McCray

[Craig]

Curtis, you mean the best Board in the world for you

Face it, if all Eric, Bruce, or any other (kneeboard shaper board builder) produced were Kneeboards they would starve to death.

They build as many or more surfboards than kneeboards. Eric for sure. (market driven)

They don't hate us, there just busy making a living like the rest of us.


StIlL a gRoM

[jamie]

He did not appear to be starving last time I dropped by, in fact i think he had bought the beers for the afterwork drink that the boys at the factory were enjoying.
However I think you will find Bruce Hart does not manufacture or shape any surfboards for those who choose to stand, if pressed he may on occassion sand, polish, even do some calligraphy on a surfboard for the crew at the premises he shares to help out in an emergency.
Like most of the kneelo shapers in oz, he works with and shares info with a lot of crew who shape all sorts of craft, they all learn from each other as far as i can tell and then apply what they have learnt to the boards they shape.
All this suggests to me that guys who shape kneelos most of the time have an inherent advantage over those who do it on rare occasion.
It would make sense that a guy who shapes a lot of kneeboards, would like to think he knows what he is doing and while he would be happy to hear what each customer thinks will work, he would generally try to steer them onto something he believes in without steering them out the door and into someone elses factory. The reverse would generally hold true for the guy who makes his living making surfboards, he doesn't have the experience to fall back on when shaping a kneelo so he would likely be more inclined to let his customer have their head so to speak.

[gumby]

So glad to upset people with a comment. ARE YOU HAVING FUN? That is what it is about. Yes the board that you ride is the best. Other wise you would have a differnt board. Bee Line I want to surf with you some time. I need to learn how to paddle in to a wave. I love the late drop. It is one of the things that is a turn on about kneeboarding. What is progressive? Do we want to do some thing that will get a cover shot on a mag? I will go back to my question ARE YOU HAVING FUN? Any board / Shaper that does that for me I like.

[Bill E.]

If everyone wanted a board like ~them~ ,and wanted to ride like ~them~, then they should just get a plastic kneeboard for water sking and cut the seatbelt off.

The thing is everyone has an option to have their perspective and have it shaped the way they want it to be. Not everyone can do the dirty and do it them selves. Some dont even know enough and shouldnt be tellin. There are floor boards for the masses, but not the elite few who do know the small differences that relate to a good board or not.

Bring what you want to ride and ride what you brought.

[Craig]

Jamie, I stand corrected. Good for Mr. Hart, no doubt he makes great boards for great riders. No disrespect intended.

I still perfer my Local Kneeboard shaper even if he has to build some stand ups for cash flow.


stilL a gRoM

[surfhorn]

All good comments. Just wanted to add a few of my own. Up in this neck of the woods, we started working with concaves in the 70's. The 90's saw the concave experimentation as it realted to thrusters and then quads, etc.

I love whipping aroudn and doing a one kick, no-stroke free fall into the pit. I've found ti a bitndore work on my 6'0" than my 5'8" - which was the max length I used on my thruster KBs. But the added paddling of 6'0" and longer lengths opnes up new owrlds for me. No more waiting around for it to get step and deep. I can now rip aprt ankle bitters. A big improvement in my book.

All the shapers I know have been open and generous to a fault. Take Bruce Hart.

Knowing that I've ridden Freelines since 1971, he fully explained his design concepts as they related to longer KBs....in detail. Very interesting stuff and info that makes us all the richer for the telling. Australia truly has a gem on their hands.

But give me one of John Mel's KBs any day and I'll dominate a peak. lol