Shapeshifting – The art of hand-making surfboards
Outcomes
The satisfaction of the job, Jay says, lies in being able to stand back at the end of a working day and see something for his efforts; of being able to look at a beautifully sculpted, highly functional board and say: "I made that".
The satisfaction lies in doing work that involves a direct link between the head and the hands (and the heart) that allows for creative freedom and pride in the quality of one's craftsmanship. Part of the price paid for this freedom and pride is the time and effort required to achieve mastery over the materials and techniques of the trade.
Some shapers, such as the 'gunsmiths' of Hawaii who build needle-nosed big wave boards for their local breaks, spend their careers endlessly refining one type of surfboard. Jay describes himself as a broad range shaper. "I like different shapes, different boards that make you surf really differently. Boards that make you approach waves differently. From a shaping point of view, it's really pleasing to see different curves. Like big differences in board shape. I think it's a sign of good craftsmanship if you can build aesthetically different boards that both work, not just scaled copies of the same board."
Feedback from customers is important. Shapers stand or fall on, the judgement of others. Failures and shortcomings can't be interpreted away. "It's when someone else can surf the board you can surf that you know you are getting there."
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