Definition of BRAND
1
a : a charred piece of wood b : firebrand 1 c : something (as lightning) that resembles a firebrand
2
: sword
3
a (1) : a mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership (2) : a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark b (1) : a mark put on criminals with a hot iron (2) : a mark of disgrace : stigma
4
a : a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer : make b : a characteristic or distinctive kind c : brand name 2
5
: a tool used to produce a brand

I recently heard someone refer to the surfboards they made as a brand. So my question is are all surfboards made a brand of surfboard? No matter who makes the board or how many they make, as long as there is a name on the surfboards is it a brand?

4a reads above …. A class of goods identified by name as the product single firm or manufacturer … so if your surfboard is a brand then it is also a product… even a manufactured product. Because something made by hand or with machinery is manufactured.

I don’t remember the early surfboard makers or manufacturers calling their surfboards a brand. It seems to me that someone that makes surfboards, has a label that they created and for the most part sells their boards on a local basis wouldn’t be called a brand. Because I’ve always thought a brand name is something recognized on a larger scale than something local. Maybe that thought is wrong and there are local brands.

Does calling your surfboard a brand take away the personnel aspect? If I say my surfboards are a brand make it sound more like I manufactured a product? Rather than hand craft something for riding waves that I’ve developed over a long time watching and riding waves to learn how they waves form and break, and continue to fine tune the boards I make?

If you shape a lot of boards and have a long list of dealers and have a bunch of pro surf types riding your boards or maybe even have your boards made over seas and market them nationally or internationally then you should call your boards a brand.

I’ve never considered what I make as a brand. It’s a hand crafted, mostly with my hands, surfboard. Something nice to look at and nice to ride.

D.R.

My first shaping shack was a lean to behind the shop/garage on the family house when I was a teenager. I talked about that here.

The second place I shaped surfboards at was Pacific Plastics in Ventura. Then I went on to Morey Pope and had a shaping bay at their facility when it was on Front street in Ventura.

After that I went out off the east end of Main street in Ventura and set up the William Dennis shop where I had a room to shape in. Later I went out to Saticoy and worked in a bay for MP again. Then I went to Santa Barbara and set up a shaping bay with Wilderness surfboards.

Over the years I’ve worked in or set up shaping areas at least a dozen other times that I can think of. I’ve had Black ones, Blue ones, Green ones, multiple colored ones. Small ones, medium sized ones, large ones, wood floor, cement floor, carpet floor… no dirt floors… that I can think of anyway, hot stuffy ones, air conditioned ones, one I could see the surf from even.

It’s important to set up your room right. You need the lights at the right height so they cast good light but not have glare. If there is too much light or is too bright in the room not only do your eyes fatigue but, you can’t see high or low spots or inconsistencies in your work. Then again you don’t want the blank to dark either. The height you like your shaping stands should dictate the height of your lights.

Since what we do when shaping is walk, walk , and walk some more, it’s also best that the floor is level and flat. If you get in a room with a cement floor and there are low and high places in the area you're set up in you will fatigue easier as well possibly develop back problems.

So basically setting up a shaping bay is more than a room with some lights on the walls. I’ve got my preferences and things I like so I’ve been seriously taking my time setting up the one that may be the last one I will ever have. And hopefully it will be home for where I work for many years to come.

I’m almost finished!

D.R.

For the most part I think surf flicks are boring. There are exceptions, and to qualify that line I’ve got to say I don’t watch many surf films… so there may be plenty I haven’t seen that are really good.

But now we have the internet video sites that you can watch all kids of short clips of surfing. Stuff from all over the world even. Or… pick your favorite pro surfer, type their name in the search box and most likely you’ll find clips to watch to reinforce why your favorite surfer is your favorite surfer.

This past week I even watched an 8 minute clip of some pros surfing my home break. The Bud Tour came to town, again. There was some surf for the event; I didn’t want to go near the beach because of the crowds and traffic. But I did get to see what the surf was like via the short clip of the event.

In the old days you’d go see a surf movie and get stoked to go surf and try to emulate the moves you’d see in the movie. I think it can help your surfing get better.

And now? You can watch a short clip on the net over and over again at night, then get up the next morning stoked to go surf and work on emulating what you saw. Or, maybe you’ve just got no stoke at all. But after finding some nice surf clips on the net your mental outlook will change and you get stoked to go surf.

Sometimes when you get to the beach and find mediocre surf it can be hard to get motivated. You’ll sit and watch the surf for awhile and try to talk yourself into going out. But if the surf is really good you almost can’t get in the water fast enough.

After watching some good surf and surfing on the net I’ll usually be ready to surf what ever I find at the beach, unless it’s totally blown out. Not quite like finding an epic day when you get to the beach but, good enough to get you in the water and psyched to surf!
D.R.