Windsurfing Magazine

luke
2010-02-18 19:16:53 | 1767 views | 2 Comments

Not too long ago — though I guess it was in the last millennium — the surest way to get all the local Madison, Wisconsin, windsurfers in one place (besides a 15-25 knot westerly forecast) was the delivery to any one of us of a much-anticipated custom windsurf board.

We’d meet at the local shop to help the proud owner free the board from its cocoon of cardboard and bubble wrap, suck in the heady and slightly toxic aroma of curing resin, and then quantify, qualify and second-guess every bit of the board: from weight and size to bottom shape, mast track placement and airbrushing.

Back whenever then was, customs were our only good shortboard options: The production board companies couldn’t afford to mass-produce the innovations that seemed to be announced almost monthly: twinsers, phasers, asymmetricals, ultrashort boards, spoons, concaves, styro, X-tune, etc. And, of course, none of us saw ourselves as “off-the-rack” windsurfers. We were the antithesis of one-design.

But in the ’90s things changed: Growth leveled off, board design stabilized and factory production capabilities both raised the quality and lowered the price of high-performance windsurfing boards in every category. When the biggest names in the custom board business started designing and putting their names on production boards — and pros started riding them — they took on a whole lot more beach cred.

The Angulos — father Ed, who at one time was the world’s most prolific custom shaper, and pro sons Mark and Josh — were industry bellwethers: “A small factory in Thailand named Cobra was slowly gaining fame as a production factory that was making boards as good as custom boards,” writes Josh on the Angulo website. “Although we were a bit skeptical, by the early 2000s we started our first production boards.”

The Naishes closed down their custom factory in the late ’90s. Carol Naish says it was a good move: “The quality of the production boards is excellent. The retail price is comparable to what we were charging for our custom epoxy boards 10 years ago. And straps, pads and fins are included!”

But customs are not dead. And the reasons for wanting one aren’t limited to vanity. “It’s the same difference between wearing shoes off the rack as opposed to wearing ones with custom inserts,” says Mark Nelson of Nelson Factory. “The fit, experience, comfort and fun are all better.”

And prices are, surprisingly, comparable. While production boards benefit from lower labor costs and economies of scale, custom makers sell directly to the consumer.

So why wouldn’t you just buy custom boards? It’s time-consuming. It takes a minimum of three weeks, not including your initial search for the right custom board maker. Start by finding one who has experience making boards for your type of riding. A slalom or Gorge specialist may not be the best choice for a wave board — or vice versa.

Get Googling: everybody has a website, and you can see not just what they’ve made, but how they did it. For example, Nelson’s site includes HD video of his building process. Then be willing to talk honestly and in depth about where and how you (and how you want to) sail.

“It’s a 45-minute conversation,” advises Rob Mulder of Vancouver-based Roberts Sailboards. “I need to know your size and ability. Where you sail. What kinds and sizes of sails you use. What boards you’ve liked. The more info, the better.”

Advises Lee Brittain of Rogue Wave Custom Boards: “Don’t tell the shaper how to shape the board, other than what volume and dimensions you want.” Trust the board maker’s ability to translate your stats and aspirations and experience to the physical thing itself. Mulder, like many of his custom peers, guarantees your satisfaction. “I’ve only had two boards returned in over 25 years.”

Save your specifications for the graphics — if you’re going to spend the time and money to get a custom, make damn well sure it looks like one. But don’t be afraid to trust the artistry of whoever’s wielding the airbrush: Tell him or her what colors you prefer, what designs you like, and let them loose. The only custom graphic I’ve been disappointed with is the one I designed myself.

My most recent board purchase was production. I’d rented, ridden and loved it in Maui, so when my buddy at a local shop offered me a great price on a return, I literally jumped on it. While it was a satisfying purchase, it wasn’t anything like buying a custom: As much as I like the board, I miss the probing questions of the shaper, the exhilarating leap of faith in his recommendation, the day-counting wait for delivery, the first-kiss thrill of the dreamed-of first ride. And, of course, the vanity and pride: Every custom I’ve bought looked like what it was: something made just for me.

By: Jim Schuler Photo: Erik Aeder