I’m happy to support a local/small guy shaper if it works for me. I looked online for the Album Townsend and didn’t see any in stock anywhere. I walked into the surf shop, the guy there was happy I was there, was very friendly and helpful and I left with the thing I went in to see if they had. It was very easy to do and was an all around pleasant experience. I got to feel up the finished product and check it over for blems and rough spots. It felt perfect.
In May or June, I ordered a kiteboard from a friend who used to glass a couple of boards for me when I was too busy. He’s been making a bunch of boards lately. He spent a bunch of time up at his new house in Tahoe over the summer and I didn’t get the board until October, which is basically the end of the kite season here. I got one session on it. When he used to glass boards for me, he glassed this fish I shaped for myself and his sanding left a lot to be desired. He left way too much resin on the tips of the fish tails, to the point that there was recurve on the speed bead. I could also feel ridges on the rails in the tail. I told him it was an unacceptable level of work and we fell out for a time. We made up and I actually referred a few of my customers who reached out to me for boards bc I’m no longer making anything. Well, when I got this kiteboard home and felt up the rails, there were ridges through the tail. Having perfectly smooth rails is critical on a kiteboard because of the speed you’re traveling when you hit a lip or do any kind of turn. So there’s a local shaper who won’t get any more board orders or referrals from me.