Donald Takayama, legendary shaper of Hawaiian Pro Designs, has had over 55 years of experience in the surfing industry. He designs, shapes, and manufactures shortboards, funboards, and retro and progressive longboards. Hawaiian Pro Designs has several retail locations in Hawaii, California, and Texas. Not only is Takayama known for his line of custom surfboards, he is also a five time United States Surfing Champion. His surfing experience undoubtedly helps him make the ideal surfboards for a wide range of surfing expectations. His shapes have been proven both in Hawaii, California, and around the world as evidenced by his Surftech line which are some of the most popular epoxy boards around today.

A glance at the variety of Takayama Surfboards:

Shortboards:

• Twin Fin: classic board built for speed and agility that holds bigger waves than a tri fin would of the same size
• Thurster: maneuverable model that allows for quick vertical snaps and cutbacks
• Single Fin Gun: built to tackle the biggest waves with a more than capable baord
• Quad: designed to work in all conditions with more speed than a twin fin

Progressive Longboards:

• DT1-4: series of longboards designed for speed and maneuverability
• Beach Break: hard down rails and the extra rocker make this tri-fin a high performance progressive long board
• In the Pink: modern 2+1 fin arrangement with a harder edge to allow board noseriding and turning
• Stephen Slater Model: tri-fin set up with rounded pintail designed for Stephen Slater to match a full range of surfing, from nose riding to straight up snaps

Retro Longboards:

• Model T: the broad nose and wide tail of this versatile retro longboard make it perfect for shoulder to ankle high waves
• NR2: retro version of the DT2 with a similar design to the model T, but with a more narrow tail allowing for tighter turns
• Classic Noserider: the volan cloth and single fin bring back the mid-60s style longboard
• Double ender: made to ride any size wave but its nose and tail are built to ride overhead waves

Funboards:

• Scorpion: this mini-noserider is a fast mid-length board with controlled maneuverability
• Flo egg: progressive short board with volan cloth, a single fin, and a long full rail that enable tighter pocket turns
• Retro single fin: single fin short bard designed to handle barrels with confidence
• NR3: shorter version of the NR2 with a tri-fin setup

After writing a post on Firewire Surfboards back in March of 2007, I finally got a chance to try one of these hyped up boards. Luckily for me, Kumau at Tropical Blends was cool enough to let me his personal board. For some reason, the Firewire people have been uninterested in letting me demo a board…who knows, perhaps they’re not into free publicity? Anyway, I recently got a chance to try a 5′10 Futura on a dying south swell which would be a good test to see how this board worked in less than perfect surf. The Futura is available in 3 models:

5′10 x 19 1/2″ 2 1/4″
6′0 x 19 3/4″ x 2 3/8″
6′2 x 20″ x 2 1/2″

All come with swallow tails and a thruster FCS setup. An interesting note on Kumau’s board…he set it up with FCS MR twin fins (glass) and added the smaller trailer to it. I had never heard of anyone riding this other than as a thruster but he said it worked well for him so I figured it would be very interesting.

This board has a somewhat fuller shortboard outline, lower rocker, yet overall the board is pretty thin…especially in the nose area. Paddling was very easy and it definitely floated a lot better than it would have if it were traditional polyurethane.

I ate sh!t on the first wave…guess I wasn’t prepared for the slippiness of the twin fin setup but after a few more waves I figured out where my weight needed to be and voila…I was very impressed at how responsive the board felt. The biggest thing I’ve heard about Firewire boards is how they flex out of turns. Well I didn’t really feel the board pushing out of turns and giving me a boost of speed (probably because the surf was only waist/chest high at best) but the board did feel a bit more springy and lively than even a fresh fiberglass board. The Futura demonstrated exactly what the Firewire website claimed: “The Future Series merges the innate performance of new school fish design with the acceleration of Future Shapes Technology, creating a surfboard with pedal to the metal top end speed and remarkably tight turning radius. Buckle your seatbelt.’ This board could definitely fly and I was blazing on the small little walls. It’s hard to say if it’s because of the flex in the board or more because of the twin fin setups which usually go faster than tri-fins. Either way, this particular setup is killer for smaller days head high and under with twin fin speed and thruster performance. The Future basically rides like a traditional shortboard yet it’s so much more forgiving in less than ideal surf.

I have another day to try this board out in a tri-fin setup so I’ll report back on my findings. So far, the hype is true and these boards are quite remarkable. Best thing about them, they’re pretty resilient to dings and damage so if you’re the type of surfer that always wrecks your boards, you may want to try a Firewire.

I recently received a question from a surfer.

What is the retail value of a vintage signed Gerry Lopez lighting bolt surfboard in great condition?

Does anyone have any idea? I know it’s hard to tell without a photo and much details…I”ll see if they can send some over for me to post. I guess it does matter what it’s condition is, if it’s been restored, who shaped it, when, etc. If anyone knows anything please post a comment below. Mahalo.

Updated, just got more information about the board: Attached photos of board. 7′ 6″ yellow lighting nolt. A pure source TM. It is numbered, however resin was attached over number for an ankle strap. Part of the number is visible - 898. Mahalo for your help.

After many near misses at the Surftech warehouse, I finally got a hold of a Surftech Takayama In the Pink. I had always wanted to try this board and up to this day I had never had the chance to ride a Takayama board. I see these things out surfing all the time and they look like really good boards so I was definitely stoked to finally have my hands on it. This particular In the Pink model is 9′3 x 22.38″ x 2.88″ with a 2+1 setup…Steve hooked me up with FCS side bites and an 8″ Takayama Surftech fin. Not a whole lot of foam but what can you expect for a performance longboard? Before jumping in the water I was hoping it would paddle a bit better than the Pearson Forumla One so that I could compete with all the logs. As soon as I jumped in the water I could tell this board was gonna work well…it floated me well and the lower entry rocker cut helped with the paddling as well.

This particular day saw extremely small and weak surf. It was lining up okay with the surf around knee high at best…this would be a good test to see how well the In the Pink board performed in gutless conditions and how well it groveled. Paddling into waves was a cinch…I have to give a lot of credit to the flatter rocker…you don’t feel like the board is bogging and pushing water up at the nose. The epoxy seemed like it floated a bit better than a traditional PU board and that helped with wave catching as well.

The Takayama ITP also turned extremely well and was quite responsive in the not so great surf. The board seems to want to go where you want to go and as well as it performed in the weak surf, I’m excited to try it at 3’s on the next south swell. As far as its noseriding capabilities, I did manage to hang 5 on one wave and got close on a few others. There just wasn’t enough of a wall to really get to the nose and in small weak surf, you can do a few quick noserides but anything longer will result in the nose pearling. I’ll try noseriding this board in better surf and report back. Stay tuned.

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I recently tested a Surftech Bob Pearson Formula 1 performance longboard. Dimensions were 9′0 x 22.5″ x 2.88″. This board is supposed to be more like a competition board that can maneuver well yet still noseride. It’s hard to tell from the photo but this particular board features a very blunt and wide nose typical of Arrow boards. On the extreme end the board also features a very pulled in tail which kinda resembles a rounded pin or diamond tail.

I took this board out to one of the best longboard spots Number Threes on a day with waist high peelers and a heavy crowd. The first thing I noticed about this board was how domed the deck was which basically decreased the overall volume considerably. Paddling was somewhat difficult and unless you’re a champion paddler or small framed surfer, this board will probably not float you very well. Once out at the break I had to jockey for waves as I was competing with guys on absolute logs, however, I did manage to snag a few waves and interesting enough the board made up for its lack of paddling power with extreme versatility and performance. I managed a few noserides courtesy of its blunt nose and this board felt really good down the line. Once you got the board moving it seemed to glide pretty well into waves probably due to its flatter rocker but this board was definitely made for solid surf. This board would work well on a fast and steep point break when your only competition in the water are shortboarders! Unfortunately I was under-gunned at Threes this day.

Up next is the Donald Takayama In the Pink board. Can’t wait to see how this one rides!

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The local surf tech rep here in Hawaii has been cool enough to give SurfboardShack.com a full run of all their Surftech demos. While I’ve always favored traditional PU boards, I am quite intrigued with epoxy boards and Surftech’s long list of boards shaped by the world’s top shapers. After writing an article debating which surfboard material works better, epoxy or polyurethane, I’ve had a number of people inquire about how well epoxy, most notably Surftech boards work in a variety of conditions. Up to this point I had only ridden one Surftech board and a few other epoxys so I guess you can say I haven’t given epoxy a fair chance. Anyway, thanks to Surftech, I now have access to write about every Surftech board available and let you all know how they ride.

I just tested Randy French’s 5′8 Soul Fish the other day in marginal shoulder high surf out on the South Shore of Oahu. This particular Soul Fish has dimensions of 5′8 x 20.75″ x 2.5″ and rides with twin keel fins. When I first took a look at this board I noticed how thick the middle to front section of the board was and knowing how floaty epoxy is, I knew this board would paddle well.

The waves in town this particular day were average with an out of season south swell rolling through. Incoming tide at my normal surf spot which is better suited toward fishy type boards. The waves were on average shoulder high coming in at a funny angle and not connecting all the way to the inside…definitely not epic conditions! Today would be a great day to test the limits of this small wave fish as the Surftech website claims that this board is recommended for gutless to shoulder high surf.

I caught a bunch of waves and it was very amazed at how easy it was to paddle into these weak waves. The board does have a lot of volume for being only 5′8 but I think the ‘floatiness’ of epoxy along with the super flat entry rocker made wave catching ridiculously easy. Once up and riding, this board had more than enough drive…I would say it was more drivey than loose and very responsive. Cutbacks were a cinch and the board seemed to want to go where my feet went. Pumping was pretty good as well and I got a few ultra fast speed pumps on the waves that lined up just right.

The only downside to this board is that it didn’t hold very well on the drop on a couple head high sets. I was practically dropping in sideways on one head high wave which would make me assume that unless you like feeling out of control on larger waves, you should surf this board shoulder high and under. This board is an awesome small wave groveler board, especially for those who don’t like riding longboards.

Lastly, I’ve had problems with epoxy boards being too floaty and not being able to keep the rail in the water, especially in windy conditions. However, the Soul Fish rode almost like a traditional PU board even with offshore winds around 20 MPH.

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Dimensions: 5′4 x 20.5″ x 2.5″

Well I’m totally stoked to have gotten my hands on Tore Surfboard’s newest design, the Mr. Eggo. This particular design is inspired by retro boards from the late 70’s and early 80’s and features boxy rails and lots of foam! This particular board measures 5′4 x 20.5″ x 2.5″ and utilizes 5 future fin boxes which allow you to ride it as a thruster or quad (not really designed to be ridden as a 5 fin but with the right fin setup you may be able to get it to work). This board also features more of a rounded pintail…the standard Mr. Eggo model features a rounded squash tail. I’ve been getting tired of riding my longboard on those small gutless days because a) they’re heavy and a pain to carry around and b) they just don’t respond and turn as well as a shortboard. The problem is that when the surf is on the smaller side, normal shortboards don’t work as well which creates that trade off. It looks as though Mr Eggo has come to save the day. You basically get a board that paddles insane due in large part to the amount of foam and flat rocker of the board. However, the extremely short length allows you to take this board wherever you want to go and the short length also fits well in the pocket.

Test Drive

I was able to ride this board for the first time in knee high onshore slop and surprisingly the board paddled extremely well for something only 5′4 in length and I actually got a couple decent rides when everyone else was struggling just to catch a wave. I’d have to say that the conditions today were so poor that I wouldn’t really judge a board in those waves but this board seemed to work as good as a longboard. I rode Mr. Eggo with a thruster fin setup and after I get a few sessions in decent waves with the 3 fin setup I’ll give the quad fins a go…stay tuned.

Q: I have a protruding chicken bone in the middle of my rib cage where the rib cage meets. When I’m surfing, the bone starts hurting from rubbing on the board. Have you ever heard of this before, and do you think that a pad placed chest high on my board would be workable? Thanks, Richard

A: Hey Richard, I’ve never heard of someone having this problem before but I’m sure there are a few options to remedy the situation and get you to surf pain free. I guess the easiest and quickest way to solve this problem would be to do exactly as you say and velcro a piece of padded foam to your deck directly underneath your chest (you should lie on your board and see where you need to place the pad). Another idea would be to talk with your local shaper and have him create a concave in the deck where your protruding bone rests on top of the board. It sounds weird but having the concave would not affect the performance of your board and would effectively allow you to ride pain free.

Has anyone else out there experience something similar?

Q: Hello my name is Sara, I am a beginner surfer looking to have a custom shape that fits me and i’ve heard from a friend that you can help. The board I have now is a 7.0 longboard thruster. It’s 21 and a quarter wide and 2 5/8 thick. I find that it is hard to paddle, and impossible to duck-dive this board. What i’m looking for is a shape that will be easier to paddle and catch waves with. Yet I don’t want a longer board. I want a board that’s good for a beginner but that I can grow with.

Can you give me some advice?

A: Sara, I’m assuming that a ‘7.0 Longboard thruster’ is a really short longboard/mini tank? Now I see you’re looking for a shape that will paddle and catch waves better without getting something longer. You’re not going to find a board that will paddle and catch waves better than a mini tanker. You could technically get a board around 7ft long and go a bit wider and thicker, say 22″ wide and 3″ thick but you’ll lose some maneuverability. Regarding not being able to duck dive your board, you won’t be able to duck dive it unless you weigh 200+ pounds…there’s just too much board to sink….you’ll have to learn to turtle your board through oncoming waves (flip your board over and hold down the nose will underwater and let the wave pass over your board).

Be aware that the type of board you get is really determined by your skill level and average surf conditions at your local beach. If you’re surfing gutless waves most of the time, I would definitely recommend getting a longboard as you’ll be able to catch a ton more waves, stand up and actually ride the dribbling surf, and have more fun. On the other hand, if you want to stick with something around 7′0, make sure it has enough width and thickness and just keep at it and surf as much as possible. Becoming a competent surfer takes time and lots of practice.

From Kendra:

Question: Hey, so im in hawaii for 10 days we just arrived…looking to buy a used surf board, i suck…something cheap and for beginners…im thinking maybe a “fish/long or short” around $100.00..where is the best place to do so?

Answer: You should check out our used surfboard listings and contact the individual selling the board. Keep in mind that it costs upwards of $60 to ship a board back home so you may just want to rent something to avoid the hassle of packing, wrapping, and shipping. Here are two places that offer rentals:

http://www.surfboardshack.com/quality-surfboards.html — rentals + used surfboards

http://www.california.surfboardshack.com/oahu-surfboard-rentals.html — rentals

From Jason:

Question: I am going to be on Oahu for three weeks in early January and would like to purchase a used surfboard….as opposed to renting one. I grew up in Hawaii but never really surfed.
I noticed the used Roger Hinds ($225) board on your site……7′-3″length and 2 7/8″ thick……thinking this may be a good choice. Do you have many other used boards at your shop that would be good for me? (6′ and 180lbs)

Answer: Regarding the size of your board, you’re a pretty big guy and I always recommend that beginners learn to surf on a longboard (something over 9′0). The longboard will allow you to paddle much better than the funboard you mentioned and the good thing about a longboard is you can catch tiny waves (the surf isn’t always good). I firmly believe you’ll improve faster and have more fun during the process with a longboard, though it’s not to say you can’t do it with a smaller board…it’s just a lot harder.

All of the boards listed on our site are sold by individual sellers. If you want to pick up a used board and don’t mind traveling all over the island to find one, you should contact the individual selling the board. While finding a board through our used surf board listings can save you quite a bit of money, you’ll lose a lot of time visiting each seller. Because you’re on vacation and time is limited (I’m assuming), you should go to a surf shop in Honolulu and get a used board off the rack Feel free to visit our partner Quality Surfboards. They have a unique selection of boards for sale and rent. Just remember that if you buy a board here, you’ll have to pay a fee to have it shipped with your luggage which could cost over $60 depending on the size of your board.

From Gary:
Question: Will be in Waikiki in 2 weeks. would like to learn to surf and found u through Google. Can u tell me where u are and what I can get in the way of lessons and rental or purchase?

Answer: Please contact either of these two shops for rentals:

http://www.surfboardshack.com/quality-surfboards.html
http://www.california.surfboardshack.com/oahu-surfboard-rentals.html

For those who have questions on finding a used surfboard on your next trip to Hawaii, or if you have questions about rental surfboards, please email us.