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 your surfboard. 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.

I have a “Coastal” surfboard, single fin, good condition. How do I get information on the history and value of these boards? Looking to sell… my son has gone to skateboarding. Thank you, in a advance , for any help.

Anyone have a clue? Please post a comment if you have information. Mahalo!

So I decided I wanted to try shaping a surfboard (after years of buying them) and coincidentally my favorite twin fin was on its last legs with most of the deck delaminating. Luckily for me my girl friend’s dad has been shaping their boards for years in a garage and while his boards aren’t of Wade Tokoro caliber, they work well and pretty damn good for a lawyer. So, the two of us set on our mission of recreating that retro fish and after two days of mowing foam, airbrushing, and sanding fiberglass, we cranked out a pretty close version of my favorite fish.

This board features dimensions around 5′9 x 20 x 2.5″ (hey it’s not exact when you don’t really know what you’re doing). Being the anal perfectionist that I am, I admit that this board has a bit too much nose rocker probably because we used a 6′6 shortboard blank (board shaped a few months after Clark closing and major foam shortage). We forgot to build up the trailing edges which is why the board doesn’t feel as crisp in turns. Overall, this board works pretty well and everyone who’s tried it said it works great.

I think all surfers should shape at least one board in their lifetime to see how much work, dedication, toxic fumes, and fiberglass dust it takes to make a surfboard. You’ll respect your surfboard shaper that much more, which I do, especially after this holy experience.

I recently tested Kent Senatore’s personal Rocket Fish quad as we had very clean conditions and a fun swell last week. While I have my own Rocket Fish with a thruster set-up, I was eager to try Kent’s board which he claimed was much faster than a traditional 3 fin setup. This particular board also featured slightly wider and thicker dimensions than my own board: 5?9? x 2? 3/8 x 19? 1/2

I’m quite accustomed to riding loose boards as I normally ride twin fish fishes and I was expecting the board to be relatively easy to get used to. Boy was I wrong. Off the bat this board felt ultra loose and slippy but with a surprising amount of drive and speed. It took a few waves to get the hang of riding the board as pushing too hard on the rail lead to near spin-outs. I was amazed at how fast this board worked in relatively slower waves and hard cutbacks and snaps felt a bit easier…without center fin drag, I really felt like I could whip this board around and turn quicker in the smaller surf.

As a faithful twin fin rider, I was very much surprised that it took me a few sessions to get used to the looseness of the quad. Perhaps it’s attributed to the fact that the Rocket Fish quad features a much slimmer outline (more ’short-boardy’) than the wide body retro fishes of the past which I predominantly favor. In my opinion, quads work really well in smaller/slower surf because the generate much more speed than your traditional thruster. As the wave size increases as does its power, both quads and thrusters begin to work equally well although some of Northern Cal’s top big wave surfers on Stretch boards will argue that quads work better in 2ft to 40 ft surf.

My boyfriend used to surf with a Krahn board.  It has been with him forever and has been repaired so many times that it is finally being retired.  He’d love another one, and I wanted to surprise him, but I can’t find one anywhere.  Any suggestions?  Do they still make them anymore?

Attention surfers, can anyone help her out?

These were given to me by the owner who had them stored on rafters since he stopped surfing 2-3 decades ago. They are pretty NICE. I am going to sell only one. Whichever one brings the most $$. One is a signed Frye and I believe they are both numbered. My friend surfed with Skip in Mexico before his knees gave out. He is an old timer. I was offered 4grand for both of them but believe they are worth more.

Anyone have any idea what they’re worth?

Posting’s here for anyone interested:

http://www.california.surfboardshack.com/jsp/detail_ca.jsp?docid=4768
http://www.california.surfboardshack.com/jsp/detail_ca.jsp?docid=4771

More Photos

Does anyone know of a company called style eyes of California? My son brought home an old surfboard and that name is on the board and like a wave/ sun logo on it and we don’t know much about it and we would like to know if that company is still in business and we are in Virginia and have never been to California. Can you please help us.

I’ve decided to dedicate a completely separate section to my favorite type of surfboard, the trusty old fish. This section will cover fish design, fish photos, fish videos, and everything else related to fishes both retro, modern, and hybrid. I know I’m biased towards fishes but it is my mission to convert die hard shortboarders to at LEAST try some type of fish. Stay tuned as we talk more about one of the most versatile boards around, the FISH!

The sudden shut down of Clark Foam left many shapers and surfers wondering where their next blanks and surfboards would come from. The Clark monopoly made everyone comfortable, shapers and surfers alike riding traditional polyurethane (PU) boards and same basic design elements since the introduction of the three fin design in the early 80’s. Since Clark closed shop, there has been a serious push to take board design to the next level with new composite materials. Finally, shapers have broken out of their old ways and are now thinking progressively.

Surfing Magazine recently released statistics on the types of surfboards surfers have been ordering/buying. While traditional (PU) blanks are still the staple of many shapers, statistics show that non-traditional surfboards (sandwich molded, epoxy, composite, etc) are making their inroads into surfing. The breakdown is as follows:

P/U: 69.26% - While most shapers previously bought all of their foam from Clark, today, shapers are buying blanks from many different companies including US Blanks, Walker, Just Foam, etc. It seems as though a new foam company pops up every other month claiming their foam is top dog. PU blanks account for the large majority of surfboard due in large part to habit. Shapers have been working with PU for years and are comfortable working with it. That may all change in the future as materials are developed to perform and last better than standard polyurethane.

Sandwich Molded: 22.49% (Surftech, NSP, Placebo, etc) - Surftech’s Tuflite technology is the reigning king of sandwich molded pop-out boards due in large part to its efficient manufacturing plant and iconic shapers that produce pop-out epoxy versions of their top designs. These boards last a lot longer than epoxy and PU boards but lack the flex and springy feeling of traditional PU.

Epoxy: 6.1% (EPS, XTR) -  Epoxy surfboards didn’t catch on as fast as some shapers had hoped for after the shutdown of Clark. However, a few big name shapers in the likes of Rusty, Al Merrick, and Matt Biolos of …Lost are still pushing for epoxy’s future. While these boards float much better than PU boards but don’t hold up like sandwich molded boards, the jury is still out on this one.

Composite: 1.35% (Firewire, TL2, Aviso) - While this segment owns the smallest part of the surfboard market, the future of surfing is in high-end composites. Shapers have begun to unlock variable flexing patterns which were previously missing in composites. Materials are now providing a lot more flex to suit high performance surfing. For surfing to progress with the “New Millennials” surfing of Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith, their surfboard designs and materials will need to progress with their ballistic styles.

Most of us would like to think that our favorite pro surfer rides a particular board label (ala Al Merrick, Rusty, Firewire) because it gives he or she the best opportunity to win contests and surf at their optimal level. Put another way, pros only ride the best boards out there. Not so in the case of South Africa’s future World Champion Jordy Smith. The 6′2 200 lb surfing phenom has been seen surfing boards from some of the largest board manufacturers including Firewire, JS, and Al Merrick. Currently sponsorless, both clothing and board, (he’s waiting to see how much money he can get), Jordy has openly admitted that sponsorships are strictly business and who ever offers the largest contract will get the rights to this incredible talent. When he does decide on a board sponsor, you can be rest assured that he chose that particular board manufacturer because they have the biggest wallet.

I guess it’s quite naive for me to think that pros only ride the best surfboards available to them. Then again, if Costco offered me $1 million to ride their boards, I’d do it in a heart beat.