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ALL ABOUT SURFBOARDS
Sacred Craft keeps the focus on shapers and their shapes
By: Evan Fontaine
Photos: All photos: Sean Brody
Surf News ALL ABOUT SURFBOARDS
October 13, 2008
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Finally, an industry trade show less about the industry and more about the trade. The second annual Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo, held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds October 11th and 12th, was, as so many people said over the two-day event, all about surfboards. Doors were open to the public, which meant for a measly five bucks surf enthusiasts could walk the show, giving shapers and their customers actual face time.
 
By removing the retailer from the usual consumer experience, the event provided a unique interface for both parties and the opportunity to discuss various elements of board design. "People are asking pertinent questions, about boards and technology and cutbacks and fins. It's interesting. I enjoy it," Robert August, owner of Robert August Surfboards, said.


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"A lot of the retail outlets were carrying the top four [board manufacturers] and the local guy was being left out," Sacred Craft organizer Scott Bass said. "So I said, 'Let's put those guys together with surfers.' So I got the greatest surfboard manufacturers in the world with the greatest surf consumers in the world, and just tried to marry the two.

"Surfers really only care about two things - waves and equipment to ride them with," Bass said. "All the other stuff is sort of periphery. Surfers really don't give a crap about what you're wearing, but they're interested in what you're riding. All the trappings that are kind of around [surfing] are superfluous and not really what it's all about. I just said, 'We need to recognize the surfboard, that's why we're here.' In the '50s and '60s, it was Noll, Velzy, Hobie, Bing, Hap Jacobs - that was our surf culture. And then as time went on, we lost sight of the fact that the guys who make our boards, they're the real deal. In fact, if you ask a guy what board did Nat young win the '66 World Title on? Everyone says, 'Oh yeah, the Magic Sam.' Ask them what surf trunks he was wearing? Nobody knows. Nobody cares."

Bass, who is planning to hold another Sacred Craft event at the Ventura Fairgrounds in the spring, was careful to point out that ASR serves its purpose. Some of his event's exhibitors, however, begged to differ, welcoming Scared Craft's departure from the usual trade show hoopla. "I don't feel like ASR has anything to do with surfing," Fletcher Chouinard, of Fletcher Chouinard Designs, said. "It certainly doesn't have anything to do with hand-shaped boards or the craft of making surfboards."

Jeff McCallum, shaper and owner of McCallum Surfboards, said he would never be able to afford a booth at ASR. The young shaper added that for a small label like his, Sacred Craft still isn't cheap but it's a venue where he can show what he's doing that may be different than other shapers, and reach the most relevant audience.
"I think right now, it's the most fun time ever to be a surfer because there's so much different stuff you can ride."
--Peter "PT" Townend
A sold-out floor and a constant stream of attendees spoke to the popularity of the event. "I didn't come last year. I heard good things about it, so I thought I better come down and check it out," surfing icon Peter Townend said. "It's really exceeded my expectations. I think Bassy's done an unbelievable job of creating, I wouldn't say an anti-ASR vibe, but a vibe that's really important for craftsman because that's a lost art."

The emphasis, though, for the two-day span was on craftsmanship, the honed trade of putting your hands to a planer and building a surfboard. At no time during the event was that more apparent than the Tribute to the Masters Shape-off in honor of Bill Caster, a legend in the shaping world and in the San Diego surf scene. Shapers Tim Patterson, Chris Christenson, Matt Calvani, Ned McMahon, Ward Coffey and Ricky Carroll each took his best shot at reproducing the 1979 Caster board - a winged pintail single fin with a channel bottom - in hopes of winning $1,000 and a full page ad in Surfing Magazine. The six shapers basically ran shaping heats, at 90 minutes a piece, in one of the two shaping bays, each half the size of a single car garage, complete with bleacher seating.

"It was a true measure of shaping skills," Chris Christenson, owner of Christenson Surfboards, said. "We had to shape a 6'10" board out of 8'6" blank with completely different rockers in it. It had wings and channels, and we only had an hour and a half to do it."

Ward Coffey, owner of Santa Cruz-based Ward Coffey Shapes, added that it was nostalgic. "When I first started shaping this is what we were trying to emulate," Coffey said. "The board was a beautiful board to try to copy." The contest was judged by Hank Warner, Eric "Bird" Huffman and Peter St. Pierre and all the boards auctioned off to benefit the Caster family.

The second shaping bay, where three pros would hold court and shape for charity, was located near the back wall of the venue. Brad Gerlach, Pat O'Connell and Rob Machado shaped boards for charities of their choice, and were each miked up for their time in the "fish bowl" so they could provide running commentary for the crowd.

Machado, who shaped a 5'10" low rocker plug, of which the proceeds will go to the foundation that bears his name, has set out in particular to try to work toward a more eco-friendly board. "You can't expect it to happen overnight," he said. "Surfboards are so toxic; they have been for so many years. Starting with foam to resin to everything that goes into surfboards. People are so used to that technology. People are so used to foam and resin, it's ingrained. Change is going to be a slower approach. Getting people to open their minds to different feelings and, obviously, the technology becoming available. Different types of foams and resins that really work."

And perhaps, given the political climate, the energy crisis and the fact that surfboards essentially come from drums of oil, there are now more than ever viable alternative options in the marketplace. Take for example what Tom and Jon Wegener are doing with the Alaia - a surfboard that looks like a wood plank, but has drawn a lot of interest from average consumers to pros like Machado and Chris Del Moro. Guys are trying different hull designs, fin designs, new foam, resins and composites, and moving away from the center stringer. That's what gets people's attention - a willingness to try it, whatever it may be, because it is a departure from the norm. Why Sacred Craft is so successful is its ability, in almost a non-competitive way, to showcase the range of the market.

"I think right now, it's the most fun time ever to be a surfer because there's so much different stuff you can ride," P.T. said. "Whether you want to ride molded technology out of China, whether you want to ride wood boards, whether you want to ride old school, new school, whatever. It's just the best time ever to be a surfer."

When it boils down to it, you're next board isn't going to magically make you surf like Kelly, Fanning or Parko. It's about you and your waveriding experience and making it as fun as possible, and to its credit Sacred Craft was about just that.
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Comments: (24)    Add Your Comment
Kitty 10/15/2008 08:00 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Nickname
Kudos to Scott Bass....2 years in a row.....this was the best yet~
Brad Anderson 10/15/2008 07:53 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name
Larry Mabile is redifining the meaning of '' progressive surfing'' to me, progressive surfing is a board that alows me to progress faster then other equipment avalible, do you really think a 6 ft x18 nich widex 2 1/4 inch thick, over rockered board is progressive? if you do then you must be 14 years old, Kelly is bad for the industry, ya, we all surf like him, NOT~! Brad G, shaping ? Oconnal ? Mob ? give me a break, they could'nt even ride a long board, incomplete surfers, wheres larmo? SimbadPB
Alvin Farmer 10/15/2008 07:13 AM
I surfed for Bill Caster for many years on the East Coast. There have only been a few people in my life who have been such a positive influence on my life as well as my surfing. I always have and always will acknowledge Bill Caster as a true legend of HIGH Quality well shaped boards that rode better than any other boards I ever rode. It's about time Bill got the recognition he so richley deserves. I still own the last long board he shaped (or one of the last) and I always will. Thanks Billy!
Chaz Bowser 10/14/2008 11:47 PM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name
It is a little hard to believe some of these guys (spoiler alert - hater comment coming up) who preach what soul surfers they are then appear in an ad for sandals made by a bunch of kids in Indo for about a dime or two a day. Same goes with plastic no soul boards that guys ride. Real shapers where I live like Mike Casey and Dennis Pang and even Owl Chapman (yup - Owl) are shaping with Skil in hand - support them! Not China. Chaz
Tom 10/14/2008 09:07 PM
Chuck Norris likes Sacred Craft.
Tom 10/14/2008 07:36 PM
DOC had some sick boards to show ! The Thing and that 5-6 Ltl Buddy !!
10/14/2008 07:03 PM
did anyone else see the guys with "jkf surf" shirts? who the hell is that? does anyone have any info on their product? looked very interesting? website? myspace?
Erich Burkhardt 10/14/2008 03:26 PM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name
What a fantastic event! Can't wait to attend at the Ventura Fairgrounds. With the economy the way it is, cost of living increases, etc., it is getting more difficult to purchase "premium" surfboards. This allows us exposure to local and less known shapers offering quality products at a presumably lower cost, and helps the shaper's businesses as well! One is sure to find boards not available in local shops. Win-win situation, cut out the middle man!!
Kim Sturmer 10/14/2008 02:40 PM
I attended the Expo with some friends on Saturday and congratulations to the organizers for an excellent event! Many of old time surfers (I started in 1966) are really turned off by the crass commercialism that has taken a lot of the enjoyment out of the "soulful" side of surfing. And where else can we see Greg Noll, Robert August, Wingnut, Bobby Challenger and Jeff Clark among others all in the same place? Plus I was stoked to see Marc Andreini who was one of the Montecito surfing gang!
East Coaster 10/14/2008 02:29 PM
PLEASE...Bring Sacred Craft to the East coast/Mid Atlantic region. I'd drive from the sleepy little hamlet of South Carolina for this!!! PLEASE!!!
Dave Caster 10/14/2008 01:53 PM
BIG Thanks to Scott Bass and the rest of the crew for putting this on! My family was extremely honored to see our dad in lights and re-uniting the relationships of our family's past...... We're stoked!
Chunk 10/14/2008 01:44 PM
I wish I could have gone to see this show. I have no idea what it takes to make a surfboard? Does it justify the expense or are fiber glass/epoxy whatever boards over-priced by the surf-shops? I ride a pop-out because it's affordable. The fiber glassed boards I have are used and won't survive as long. I know people are going to hate me for riding a cheap labor product but the reality is is that it's affordable. I don't have 100's to spend all the time and just want to enjoy the magic of surfing.
Michael Schultz 10/14/2008 12:03 PM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name
I am so impressed with the vision and the philosophy behind this event. The craft of designing and making surfboards is one the most unique, sophisticated, and beautiful aspects of our "sport". Kudos to the organizers for recognizing that the surfboard deserves it's own forum for discussion, brainstorming, and just plain ol' story-telling. I can only imagine how many surfers walked out of their with ideas and inspirations to go make something that...goes! I wish I could have been there.
ABOMB - HB, CA 10/14/2008 11:58 AM   * PREMIUM MEMBER - Nickname
Heard that the show was a blast and a great success. Keeping it real. Did not know that the boys new how to shape? Well the more of these the better.
BLINT CREASTWOOD 10/14/2008 11:21 AM
Over here on Kauai..It doesn't matter what you ride..all that matters is how much fake pigeon you know..and what kind of trunks you wear..Because STAND- UP PADDLE SURFING has destroyed any scraps of SOUL that were hanging around..Now it's one big KOOK FESTIVAL/24-7/365 days a year..I might as well be living in Ohio..
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