Business & Tech

Shape Your Own Surfboard Store Comes to Mar Vista

People can design their own custom board with the help of a professional shaper.

For surfers wanting to nose-ride or hit the lip on a board made with their own two hands, there is now a shop in Mar Vista that will teach them how to shape such a surfboard.

Shaper Supply Company, located at 3523 S. Centinela Ave., will offer surfboard shaping classes on two work-bays where customers can either start out from scratch with a foam blank or bring their own board for repairs and alterations.

“I was giving lessons out of my garage in Venice this summer,” said Shaper Supply Company Owner Florian Saylor, who then decided to open a bigger space that could accommodate more people.

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Including materials and the constant supervision of a professional, a custom board starts at $699, which is approximately the cost of a board off the rack at many surf shops. The shaping bays and tools will be available to rent for $25 an hour and the store offers monthly memberships for shapers that may not have the space in their own homes to practice their craft.

The shaping process takes about 5 hours, and “it is fairly easy since the instructor catches any mistakes,” Saylor said. Once the board is finished, it is sent to be glassed, which involves laminating fiberglass to the foam core using resin. The customer receives the board after about a week.

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In addition to classes, the store sells shaping tools, respirators, cloth, foam, resin and other materials.

The 1,600-square-foot space will also be available to rent for private parties. Saylor has also been in contact with a few local schools in Pacific Palisades and Malibu to hold demonstrations on surfboard shaping in the near future. 

Shaper Supply Company will offer free beer, music and show surf videos on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. for their grand opening. Visit www.shapersupply.com for more information.


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