The BREAKDOWN: My Top 5 Surfboard Shapers In Santa Cruz CA!
Hello from Bri Steel, Broker/Realtor® & Owner of Live Love Santa Cruz!
As a fellow surfer, I know the importance of having the best surfboard shaper in the area as a contact.
Your board needs to feel like an extension of your body, and you can only achieve that by trusting experts to build a board that listens to you and responds to your needs.
You want your board to be fast, stable, and responsive. This is only possible when a surfboard shaper knows his craft and listens to your personal needs.
If you are new to the area or looking to replace a broken or damaged board, I got you. We have searched long and hard for the top 5 surfboard shapers in Santa Cruz. Below are the links to their websites, experience, and unique backgrounds.
Let us get started!
Owned by Geoff Rashe, who started shaping boards in 1989. He has shaped boards in Spain, Argentina, and Peru and has been based in Santa Cruz since 1996.
The business had grown nationally and internationally and dominated the industry until 2008 when the recession hit. Despite this, they were able to overcome the crisis and came back stronger and today, thousands of boards later, they are one of the most popular board shapers in Northern California.
They personalize each board for its owners to create a reliable board. Geoff and his team started in the late 1990s with used wood templates, hand tools, a power planer, and a sander to shape the boards. They have moved with the times, adapting to the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine they have used for over 20 years, the KKL machine, and Shape3D, and hand-finishing their creations with sanding blocks and screens for the finishing touches.
Their custom boards are the Magic Carpet, Hogfish, Puck, Tomahawk, Yoke, Slab Slayer, and Milenial, which can be altered to your needs.
Take the time to visit their website and find out why Geoff is a popular surfer shaper in Santa Cruz.
Based out of Santa Cruz’s favorite surfing location, Pleasure Point, located between Moran Lagoon and 41st Avenue. L41 is derived from “Lower 41st Avenue”.
Kirk McGinty has been in business in Santa Cruz since 1996. He is a designer and surfer, so he understands and appreciates the design and functionality of a board to create a perfect symbiosis between the board and rider.
All L41 boards are custom-made. Kirk takes the time to listen to each customer to consider their needs, their own definition of functionality and design, and their personal preferences. He takes stock of everything: age, weight, surfing style, experience, whether the board is for competition or recreation, and more.
Kirk uses the famous Shape3D CAD software and CNC milling for precise shaping.
Check out L41 if you are looking for a surfer that will respond to your needs and exceed your expectations!
Ashley is an ambassador for Sustainable Surf and Sea Trees, advocating for change in the surf industry and for the restoration and protection of coastal ecosystems around the world.
Ashley has a unique approach to shaping boards. Her principles revolve around environmental sustainability, protecting the ocean, and bringing her community together, which is reflected in each of her boards.
Every board made at Ashely Lloyd is sustainable and environmentally friendly. The result is an eco-friendly board. With each board made, a Sea Tree is planted.
Ashley started surfing at an early age and competed in longboard competitions throughout the state and internationally. In 2022, Ashley began learning how to shape surfboards. By 2005, Ashley was developing her own board models while working for Bing Surfboards, and in 2008, Ashley Lloyd established her own brand of eco-friendly boards.
Originally the boards were made of wood, but today they are made of polyurethane foam and polyester resin, among other materials. Ashley and her team are pioneers in developing eco-friendly options for building and designing boards. They currently use materials such as EPS foam, bio-based epoxy resins, and flax fabric. These materials are verified by the Sustainable Surf ECOBoard organization.
Ashley's boards are definitely unique, and her customers keep coming back because of the effort that goes into making each board.
If you have any respect for Mrs. Ocean, Ashley Llyod is the shaper you need to make your next board exactly how you envisioned it!
William "Stretch" Riedel opened his shop in 1979, and since then Stretch has made a name for itself in the board-shaping industry. The shop is strategically located in mid-town Santa Cruz, a prime location for seasoned surfers and beginners who fall in love with the sport.
Stretch was introduced to the world of boards by his father Mike Riedel, "The Noodle," a well-known shaper and surfer in the 1960s.
Stretch's designs are distinctive and innovative and are custom-made for his clients. He has shaped various boards for surfing, sailing, kiting, and tow surfing. Stretch is passionate about surfing, and it shows in his craftsmanship. Today, his enthusiasm for surfing carries over into his work. Stretch works with technological advancement, team feedback, and a passion for his craft.
The cool thing about Stretch is that every board is built in the largest EPS/EPOXY surfboard factory in Northern California under the supervision of a team that understands the sport, knows the riders' preferences, and can anticipate your needs.
At a Stretch, you'll be greeted by a team that cares about your board and helps you turn your vision into palpable results.
Doug Haut is a local celebrity of sorts. Doug is an experienced surfer with a long list of accomplishments, but he prefers to stick to surfing and designing surfboards and stay out of the limelight.
His store is one of the best-known in NorCal. Doug has over forty years of experience designing surfboards and can make all types of boards: short boards, longboards, hybrids, guns, and windsurf boards.
In 1959 he moved to Hawaii and lived there for almost six years, gaining a lot of experience by starting at the bottom and learning from the best. He used boards built by legendary surfer/shaper Mike Diffenderfer and gained all his knowledge by immersing himself in the surf culture. In 964, Doug returned to Santa Cruz to open his own store.
Haut was invited to compete in the prestigious Duke Kahanmoku Invitational in 1964 in '65, he returned to Northern California and opened his first store.
At Haut's, you'll be served by one of the best shapers in the business!
Take Away!
Now that you know where to find the best shapers in Santa Cruz, make an appointment with one of these masterminds to bring your vision to life.
At Live Love Santa Cruz we bring a fresh and innovative “boutique” approach to real estate in the Santa Cruz area. In the process, we make dreams come true.
Looking to sell? We will make your home SHINE. Listings like ours that are beautifully presented and professionally inspected sell faster and for more money.
Looking to buy? We help our clients write offers that WIN. We are competitors at heart and negotiators at work. We get results.
Call or email us to set up an appointment with our broker and owner, Bri Steel.
Bri Steel
Broker/Realtor® + Owner
Live Love Santa Cruz
831.200.6338
bri@livelovesantacruz.com
Bri Steel at the Live Love Santa Cruz office with her two mini Aussies Kiwi and Fiji.
