Chronic Surfboards Surviving Hawaii’s Custom Surfboard Industry

Wow, today’s economic deal around the world has surely made the surf industry think twice; especially the clothing end of the business. But in a weird way, we, or at least me and some of my custom surfboard shaping friends, don’t seem to be seeing any real decline in business.

In a time when machine-turned surfboards seemed to threaten the shaper, more and more people want custom surfboards from Hawaii. Here in Hawaii, custom forms of long boards (or long boards), as well as handmade short boards, have increased slightly.

There is a central location in Hawaii where most of the top modelers do their trade. There is a Hawaiian surf factory in Wahiawa that handles a very high percentage of surfboard glass. For those who don’t know, it’s a process where after surfboards are custom shaped, they are “glazed” with fiberglass and resin to give the final strength and seal the board.

Anyway, this Hawaiian surf factory in Wahiawa is home to some of the most famous surfboard shapers like Jeff Bushman, Dick Brewer, Mike Casey, Keoki, Tommy Tanaka, Glenn Minami, Mitsu Matsushita, Jon Pyzel, Cino, Dennis Pang, Jay Hodge and Ben Aipa. . Each of these moulders has orders that will last them for the next few months and during this economic crisis we are very pleased but not surprised.

You see, surfing is a personal thing for anyone who does it. For some it is a total spiritual commitment that is at the core of their existence. Surfing is NOT a luxury item or something you keep in your closet; It is a lifestyle.

In my opinion, the reason the custom surfboard industry in Hawaii continues to grow is because when a surfer gets to that point in their life where they want to order a custom board, it’s a decision to enhance their surfing experience. navigation. It’s personal and it’s a feel-good addition to your life that only a true surfer can understand.