Surfing is Losing it's Greatest Generation of Handshapers
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- Опубликовано: 8 авг 2024
- Through the lens of Robin Prodanovich shaping his last board (around the 40,000th of his career), Todd Prodanovich reports on how surfing is losing its greatest generation of high-production handshapers, and what will happen to the culture and practice of building surfboards once they’re gone.
“At some point in the not-too-distant future, we will be living in a world in which the greatest generation of handshapers that ever lived is no longer able to contribute to the craft. To be clear: As a discipline, handshaping itself isn’t going anywhere. While mass-production handshapers have been replaced by machines, a new breed of boutique board builders continues to connect surfers to our lineage of craftsmanship, even in the Costco era.
“But handshaping is a different game now, with different incentives, and it produces both different boards and different board builders. Never again will a shaper need, or want, to produce 40,000 surfboards by hand in their career. So how will our craft culture change when this motherlode of experience is no longer there to be mined?”
Read “The Last One” in full here:
www.surfersjournal.com/editor...
I grew up with Greg Webber & his family, I watched him shape his 1st board in his backyard & loved the process of making boards. I was privileged to ride for TF & have him shape my boards, especially the ones for Hawaii. Those were golden years, it's amazing to have seen the ground covered, the evolution of a craft that has been so influential in my life. Look forward to a lengthy video depicting the many roads the different earlier shapers explored with their new ideas and refinements
i think the draw to handshaping is as alive today as it was in the late 60s-early 70s. Sure there are guys starting their first boards off of cuts, but those guys are the same as someone learning to skateboard in their 20s on an electric longboard. different approach, different mentality.
Robin we love you and your family! Good thing we still have a shed full of your boards, and we sincerely appreciate all the ones you’ve made for us over the years. Especially our wedding boards, we have those hanging on our walls.
Had 2 boards shaped by Mark Angell in early 70's. Had shaping appointments for both at Haut shop.
One of the best in North County SD...Tom Eberly...
Tommy's great; but he's been in Nica for way over 20 years... NicaSurf...
I remember back in the day when you ordered a custom board from a shop you had the option of making an appointment to discuss it with the shaper and then watch while he shaped it. What a cool experience and you felt like the shaper was considering your personal needs and preferences. Over the years I watched boards get shaped for my by Brewer, Rawson, Dan Bendickson, Mike Eaton, Chris Hawk, Dave Johnson, Phil Becker, Steve Boehne, and more. Are those days gone ?
@@MrTimmeyer128 not if you still have their home phone number
I’ve never full on watched him work, but Tim Stamps will make a custom board to your specs and style. Isn’t there a bunch of guys around SoCal like this? His old apprentice Brandon in San Pedro does the same I believe. I’m not clear what has changed?
Owl Chapman is still hand shaping the best Hawaiian guns. They work well at Gland too!
Robin's definitely an SD shaping legend; especially in the OB/Cliffs area!
My guy, Hank Byzak, Donald Takayama's long-time production shaper, is still around, but had some "health issues" recently, so who knows if he'll be back... keep encouraging that older "legend" you know, and keep ORDERING boards!!!
don't forget Malcolm Campbell!!!
No greater life than surfing, BUT! With these over the top crowds and the parking situation not to mention the e bike swarm it' well I'll be nice and not tell the truth on my comment and just say surfing lol is not even remotely the same. This shapers generation and the generation before him had thee greatest years in human existence. Now it's a freak show Circus. Did I mention hourly traffic?
@@bobcatblues7766 Lol WELL... I'm 7 blocks from the beach in N County SD and if I want to go to one of my fave spots 3 miles away yup! *TRAFFIC* JUST *GETTING* THERE!
Now if I want to go and surf Church (like I have been for decades every week) then YES traffic getting there -- then ya have 'traffic' out in the water where everyone is stealing and trying to steal your wave you earned by putting yourself in the right of way position. THEN *THERE'S MORE...*
I/we have an obstacle coarse soon as ya catch that sweet set wave, and NOW you can't draw the line you want because of ALL THE PUCKING *"TRAFFIC"* [there's that word again] out in the water; SO NOW you have to dodge the humans so you don't slice their skulls and back up with your fins. It's surfing in the year 2024 and beyond, so yeah "traffic." Any other questions fEEl frEE... Peace
Even Phil Becker, after 100,000 boards, still shaped a few more during retirement on the north shore.
I watched him shape my friend's christmas present in 1971 at his sm dilapidated garage bay. WE were outside the open door and 25 minutes later he had his 6'11". $75.
Some people cook with a recipe and some wing it. Evolve or die. I’ll take consistent quality over human error all day. The fact that you now can go anywhere around the planet and get your exact model off the shelf is amazing. Hard to get that consistency by hand.
Had a board made at G & S. Had it for 3 months and it got stolen. One of a kind. Diamond tail, concave front section. Had a surf picture on bottom. Would love another.
No way that’s his last board.
I kept my Bing Pipeliner shaped for old mans by the big kook when I moved to Tennessee, Surf Lakes Nashville!?! 🖖😎
Bill Hamilton still going strong in Kauai
one of the local O'side guys (raymond) was over there around 10 years ago and picked up one of billy's boards. I saw it, and showed him the model I'd been trying to get him to try by Hank Byzak, DT's long-time production shaper; remarkably similar... great minds think/shape alike!😃
So true 👍😊
I think there maybe some of the most Rad shapers now. Specifically because of the use of computers. And CNC. There is an Underground movement of hand shape only. ❤
I have Steve Boehne as my favorite shaper...Infinity...
Not as long as I am breathing
Keep it real 💯
There’s still a bunch of younger guys still that refer to themselves as shapers. Are they not then?
What’s different about the process the 30 something yr olds use vs the old timers?
Prop's Robin🎉
I’ve had a few boards from Robin. Every board was magic. He is a super underrated hand shaper everywhere accept SD.
Ocean Beach circa 87-96 Robin P. Aloha nui
What’s up Bobby?
@@drtybrdy75 I don't recognize the handle? If you ride bounce waves and don't wear a cord well then you're my brother from another mother who is this
@@BobbyJetty1502 Eric. I live in Florida now.
@@BobbyJetty1502does the jetty even bounce anymore?
@@drtybrdy75 only for the locals. How's Florida brother
The future of surfing: interactive surfboards, which dynamically change their shape and size in real time as you ride them, always adapting to the ever-changing wave face and water surface conditions. Paddling out it's a longboard. Duck-diving it's a hand plane. In the tube it's a tow-in. On open faces it's an egg. And one more thing: it's self-healing.
Does the producer/director not know, or understand, the old 5 W Rule for journalists...Who, What, Where, When, and Why ?? You do not even give the shaper's NAME...his name should be mentioned at least once and also flashed on screen too. Good video but not complete without a Name.
Lost me @ $1700.00 for a custom shape...
its a real shame, losing this handcrafted ability, why, I remember when my granpappy would build nuclear power plants, with nothing but his hands! give him a pocket knife and some uranium fuel rods and before you knew it you would have yourself a 2 × 2923 MWth BWR, built the good old fashioned way! none of these cheats like CAD and computers, all he needed was a slide rule and an abacus.
they were innovative shapers, right...but there is a new generation of shapers that are definately on the same level!!
@@bobcatblues7766 you have no clue what happens here in noryh france!! SOgood and innovative young shaping talents!!!.....i say that although i shape surfboatds since 30 years!!
@@bobcatblues7766 i ll be back on next friday and the forecast is getting better and better for the next weeks...i m also into it for 34 years, ride a 10.2, have a fat belly and still noseride 🤣🤣🤣🤣