Surfing Waves

Hi! New here. I've been lurking on this site for a while but this is my first time posting. I'm in the LA area, hoping to become a shortboard newbie and to get better at my longboarding. I'm also really trying to learn how to shape boards, especially now since the water here is sadly unswimmable. The only thing is, I have no clue where to start. Any tips are much appreciated. Excited to be here!

Shaping boards is an art and a science. The best way to learn is probably to apprentice for a shaper. Perhaps you can find someone willing to just let you watch the process. I'm sure there are youtube videos showing approximately how to do it but how to do it and what to do are two different things. You might just try to duplicate a board you have and that might be a starting place. Step one is to get a blank and that requires some knowledge as what kind of foam what basic shape and size of a blank should you get? Then most shapers use a template which is the outline of the board with a saw. Then using a planner rough shaped the board and then using a surform to get it smoother and sanding to make it even smoother (depends on foam type as to how you actually smooth it.). Anyway a better place to ask this question would be in the Surf Chat part of this forum. I made my own board once. Prior to that I watched a pro making a board from start to finish. I had some designs I wanted to try out and did so on my board. The resulting board wasn't very easy to turn but it was really fast and hung very high on the face of a wave so a good tube riding board. The shaping part wasn't the hardest part it was the glassing

Best shapers are surfers and they shape to their understanding of what works in the conditions where they are located. Shaping is understanding the performance effects of different shapes, rockers, plan shapes and tails. You just can't get that theoretically.

Learn to surf well first.

There is a lot known about surfboard design and there is a book The Surfboard Book: How Design Affects Performance by Sean McCagh, that goes over what is known. But for the how to do it you need to observe a shaper doing it. Many of them use power tools but back in the old days it was all hand tools and for small amounts of boards that worked. These days there is numerous videos available for free on the internet youtube for example that show you how to do it. However as far as the design goes if you aren't too poor and can afford to make boards that aren't very good then shaping your own can be a fun project. I got lucky that my board worked well for what I wanted it to but was surprised by how poorly it turned. I could do cutbacks but I really had to stomp on the tail to do them. A good shaper though will take into account your age weight physical fitness and the waves you intend to surf and what maneuvers you intend to do surfing. That is why I have used an experienced shaper for the boards I bought and only made the one board.

try getting a hold of someone with a machine who gets blanks made up. my mate started that way. then he would touch up shapes by hand. then youtube the rest of the process. I had 2 of his boards. not that good, but i've seen some that he made himself work as good as his others possibly better. but hes about 40 deep or so maybe more.

couldn't think of anything better than riding your own boards. im useless with my hands so wouldn't ever try, but its definitely something people do.

internet is information overload, and the videos will get you there. youll need equipment though.. board stand, sanders etc a space to get dusty as heeill..

post up any progress be cool to see. I think i have photos of my mates bo0ards i should post them up