Vincent Dalessio May 19, 2022 Lifestyle, Locally Sourced
These photos may be black and white, but finding your next magic surfboard is not.
There are more surfers today than ever before, but the distance between surfers’ hands and boardmakers has only increased with the influx. Surf industry tycoons used this boom as an opportunity to exploit and taint the supply chain. The result? Lineups everywhere are littered with low quality boards produced abroad in factories by non-surfer labor. It’s a shame seeing these absolute turds floating in the water next to boards masterfully crafted by local shapers, whose jobs are put in jeopardy due to uneducated buyers and poorly made, high-quantity shipments of boards outsourced to cheaper labor.
For the most part today, the sale of a board is directly correlated with the board’s presence in surf media. For example, back in 2014, Haydenshapes dropped the “best surfboard of the year” called the Hypto Krypto, featuring hip looking technology (leave the black rails to the Black Beauty, please) and marketed toward the everyday surfer for “every condition.” The board was a sensationalized hit and ended up being the most purchased board in the world in 2015/2016, largely in part to professional surfer Craig Anderson riding a 5’4” Hypto in pumping Indonesian swell, 10- to 12-foot Kanduis to be exact. In all honesty, it still stands as one of the most fucked up things I’ve seen done on a surfboard. Photos of the wave ended up on the covers of magazines, the clip of the wave has hundreds of thousands of views on each repost and still pops up on suggested social media pages for me some seven years later. With demand through the roof, Haydenshapes moved production to Thailand.
The thing about it, though, is the Hypto Krypto was one of the worst boards I’ve ever paddled out on in my life. Why? Well, I’m not Craig, and a majority of the time I’m surfing waist-high mush burgers at The Poles.
Surfboards are vessels for self education. Surfboards are subjective. I hate to break it to you, but there is no “best surfboard in the world,” no board to make you the next Kelly Slater or give you the courage to paddle out in pumping, double-overhead Indonesian swell. This is not a one-board-fits-all scenario; the board making me want to scratch into five more waves after land life consciousness kicks back in might leave you yawning in the parking lot and vice versa.
The purpose of this piece is to introduce you to a few shapers worth letting take the wheel on what board you should buy next. Local shapers know best. Period.
The two featured here, I feel, have been making a positive impact on the surfing community through their vision and who’s riding their boards but most importantly through the boards coming out of their shops. Surfer/shaper relationships have been the backbone of the surf industry, but these days the relationships take on a much different look.
Despite summer time being the slowest season for surfing in North Florida, it’s also the time when lineups are the most crowded, often due to new surfers looking to try surfing for the first time. New surfers means new boards, and this season I want new board buyers to be educated on why they should shop local, rather than grabbing a used, imported pop-out off Craigslist. Leave that Hypto on the shelf, where it should stay.
There is a certain earned knowledge that comes with being a local shaper. Working with local surfers, and surfing the breaks around the area gives shapers detailed insight into what makes a board work well in Northeast Florida swell conditions. Someone on the other side of the U.S. might not have even seen what waves we surf here, whereas local shapers are in the trenches every day.
“Performance always comes first for me. It’s got to function. Like when I know someone’s bought a board and they’re telling me they’re gonna hang it on the wall, sometimes I just want to give them their money back. It’s got to function first. But I can’t do that,” explained Tony Lannorone of Clean Ocean Surfboards (COS).
COS boards stand out in the lineup like no others. Perfectly balanced outlines and sexy curves coupled with pristine glassing is what you can expect when you snag your board from the factory. Lannorone has made a name for himself in the East Coast longboard community for having some of the logs around and some of the best surfers riding them, like Trent Phillips and Austin Strecker, both riding a Chingona here.
Lannorone has been shaping boards since he was 13 years old but started taking it as a career in 1989; he shaped his 10,000th board a few years ago and shapes hundreds of boards each year. He draws much of his inspiration from early ’70s and ’80s classic board design and the boards he would come across when he was a kid. His expertise runs deep and talking with him is like sitting next to a fountain of surf knowledge, but my favorite thing about him is his views on mentoring the next generation of shapers.
When Lannorone first started shaping surfboards, the only real way to learn was through trial and error on your own or by watching and learning from an experienced shaper. Today, YouTube, websites and all sorts of outlets teach board design, but still the best way to learn is to get into the shaping bay with someone who’s already producing high quality boards. Lannorone isn’t afraid to let someone in his shaping bay; he’s happy to share all the information he’s gathered over the years with people who are willing to put in the work, and he actively mentors a few up-and-coming shapers he feels have their hearts in the right place.
“Back in the day, shapers would only want you around because they wanted you to do all the grunt work. But you learned things from just osmosis and learning why you’re doing certain things. They’d show you the steps, but at the same time, you had to kind of figure it out on your own. Now with Instagram, I feel like a lot of guys coming up mimic what they see on Instagram, but they don’t really understand why they’re doing those things,” explained Lannorone.
One shaper Lannorone currently works with and mentors is Sean Piper of Piper Surfing Boards, formerly Ghetto Surfboards. Piper has been running his own board shaping business out of his backyard for the past 10 years but recently put his day job to rest in order to put in longer hours in the shaping bay.
While Lannorone found inspiration in classic board designs and shapers like Hap Jacobs, Piper picked up shaping thanks to the 1995 Lost Surfboards cult classic 5’5” 19 ¼, featuring Chris Ward and Cory Lopez riding modern-style fish surfboards that were 5’5” long and 19¼” wide (considered revolutionary at the time). Much like the Hypto Krypto, the Round Nose Fish, as it’s known, exploded and still is in production today, but unlike the Hypto, the board was not readily accessible to anyone with a credit card and was very difficult to get your hands on, so Piper took to the shaping bay and shaped one for himself.
The Round Nose Fish was unprecedented in design and still influences board design today. For his 10th year anniversary, Piper shaped a tribute 5’5” 19 ¼” style fish. I felt truly honored to not only hold this tribute board but also the first 5’5” he ever shaped. When I held both under my arm, I could just tell they wanted to go fast.
In addition to the design of the Round Nose Fish, Piper specializes in small, alternative style performance boards. His boards are easily characterized by the bright resin colors and eye-catching outlines. But what impresses me most about Piper’s shaping is his range. Not only does he whip up a smile-inducing alternative shortboard, but his longboards are up there with the best.
So if you’re looking to get your hands on a new board this season, rather than heading to Google for a “what’s the best surfboard” search, hit up one of these locals. Talking through board design with your shaper will not only help you get the exact board you’re looking for, but you’ll start to understand why the board is gonna work and what you can expect with board feel, ultimately leading to more fun in the water.
100 Stable Rd, Jekyll Island, GA 31527-0870, United States
11924 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32223-1840, United States
1200 Atlantic Ave, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034-3404, United States
1207 Prudential Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32207-8327, United States
121 E 8th St, Jacksonville, FL 32206-3703, United States
168 S Myrtle Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32204-2165, United States
1715 N Main St, Jacksonville, FL 32206-4403, United States
2042 Orange Ave, Orange Park, FL 32073-5251, United States
2497 Hwy 16, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043, United States
25 W Castillo Dr, St Augustine, FL 32084, United States
33 St George St, St Augustine, FL 32084-3607, United States
500 Atlantic Blvd, Neptune Beach, FL 32266-4024, United States
600 Brickell Key Dr,Miami,FL,33131,United States
601 Seaway Dr, Ft Pierce Florida 34949
6431 Pottsburg Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32211-7253, United States
7 Creeks Recreation Area - Fest Welcome Hub
712 W. Duval St., Jacksonville, FL
841 Prudential Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32207-8329, United States
9822 Tapestry Park Circle Suite 207, Jacksonville FL
A PHILIP RANDOLPH HERITAGE PARK
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
ABET - All Beaches Experimental Theatre
Adam Herbert Center @ University of North Florida
Adam W. Herbert University Center
Address Sent Out at Ticket Purchase
Alma Ramirez Art Studio Gallery
Amelia Island Plantation Omni Hotel & Resort
Amelia Island Plantation Omni Hotel & Resort, and Fernandina Beach Middle School
Ancient City Brewing Downtown Taproom
Art Center Gallery at the Jacksonville Landing
Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library
Artisan Village of Amelia Island
ARTSee & Shop @ The St. John's Town Center
Avonlea Antiques & Design Gallery
Azurea at One Ocean Resort & Spa
B & BSUN Gallery 2422 Myrtle Ave N
B&Sun Art Gallery
BABS' LAB, CoRK Arts District North
Backyard Stage at The Amp
Backyard Stage at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre,
Bay Street Bar & Grille
Beaches Town Center - Where Atlantic Boulevard Meets The Ocean
Black Creek Ravines Conservation Area
Black Rock Bar & Grill - Tampa
Blue Bamboo - 3820 Southside Boulevard - Jacksonville, FL 32216
Bob Hayes Sports Complex and Legends Center
Bolts & Bytes Maker Academy
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida
Breezy Jazz Club and Resturant
Bryan-Gooding Planetarium at Museum of Science & History
Casa Marina Hotel & Restaurant
Casa Monica Hotel Cobalt Lounge
Casa Monica Resort and Spa
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
CC Framing in Claire Lane Center
Cedar Point Area of the Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve
Christ Episcopal Church Ponte Vedra
Christ Episcopal Church Ponte Vedra Beach
Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church
Christina Grace Mastrangelo Fine Art
City of Atlantic Beach Recreation & Special Events
Clay County Public Library Orange Park
College of Fine Arts at Jacksonville University
Community First Park at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville
Confederate Park, 956 Hubbard St, Jacksonville, FL 32206
Corazón Cinema & Café
Coxwell Amphitheater, John A. Delaney Student Union, Building 58
Crisp-Ellert Art Museum at Flagler College
Crossroads Health and Wellness Center
Culhane's Irish Pub - Southside
Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach
Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Depression glass show and sale
Di Pizza Restaurant & Bar
Dicks Wings and Grill North Jacksonville
DJ Maseo from De La Soul Live
Domo Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
Donna Mancini Interiors and Flooring
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Jacksonville Riverfront
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
Downtown Festival & Art Show (Gainesville, FL)
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
DUVAL COUNTY, ST JOHNS COUNTY, CLAY COUNTY
E Beaver St, Jacksonville, FL 32202, United States
Element Bistro Bar and Lounge
Embry-Riddle ICI Center, 601 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114
Encore Borland Groover Clinical Research
Endangered Wise Men Recording Studios
Engine 15 Brewing Downtown Tap Room & Biergarten
Episcopal School of Jacksonville - Munnerlyn Center Theatre
European Street - Beach Boulevard
EverBank Field Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32202, United States
First Baptist Church Fernandina Beach
First Baptist Church, Amelia Island
First Florida Credit Union CR 210 Branch
First Florida Credit Union Kingsley Ave. Branch
Flagler College - Flagler Room
Flamingo Lake RV Resort - Approved Page
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
Florida State College - Wilson Center For The Performing Arts
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Florida State College at Jacksonville - Downtown Campus
Florida State College at Jacksonville - Kent Campus
Florida State College at Jacksonville - Kent Campus GALLERY
Florida State College at Jacksonville - North Campus
Florida State College at Jacksonville - South Campus
Florida State College at Jacksonville-Cecil Center North
Florida State College at Jacksonville-Deerwood Center
Flying Iguana Taqueria & Tequila Bar
Former JCPenny at Regency Square Mall
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, 601 Howard England Way, Key West
Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park
Four Points Sheraton Oceanfront Jacksonville Beach
Freedom Boat Club at Beach Marine
Freedom Boat Club at Camachee Cove Marina
Freedom Boat Club at Julington Creek Marina
Freedom Boat Club Palm Valley
Friday Musicale of Jacksonville, Florida
Friends of the Cape Coral Library
FSCJ Kent Campus, Auditorium, F128
FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts
FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Performing Arts
Ft. Lauderdale Convention Centre Hall B 1950 Eisenhower Blvd Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Generations in Aviation/Marco Airplane Hangar at Jacksonville Executive Airport
Global Summit on Oncology and Breast Cancer
Good News Church World Golf Village
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & Precious Lambs Preschool
Haines City Parks & Recreation
Hall of Fame World Golf Village
Hanna Park and Hanna Park Campground
Haskell Gallery at the Jacksonville International Airport
Henry Gonzalez Convention Centre 900 E Market St, San Antonio, TX 78205
Hicks Auditorium, Jacksonville Public Library Downtown
Holiday Inn Dubai - Al Barsha
Holiday Inn Dubai & Online
Holiday Inn Dubai Al Barsha 1
Holiday Inn Rome - Aurelia
Hyatt Place Jacksonville St Johns Town Center
Hyatt Regency Orlando, Windermere Ballroom 9801 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819
Italian American Club of Jacksonville
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Jacksonville Center For Clinical Research
Jacksonville Center for Performing Arts (formerly Times-Union Center)
Jacksonville Golf and Country Club
Jacksonville Health and Wellness Center
Jacksonville Historical Society at Old St. Andrew's
Jacksonville Offshore Sport Fishing Club
Jacksonville Public Library - Regency
Jacksonville Public Library Southeast Regional BranchJ
Jacksonville School for the Arts
Jacksonville University Terry Concert Hall
Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts
Jarboe Park- Community garden, playground, lakes
Jax Public Library- Highlands Regional Branch 1826 Dunn Avenue Jacksonville, FL 32218
Jazzy's Restaurant and Lounge
Jewish Family & Community Services Headquarters 8540 Baycenter Road
Junior Achievement of North Florida
JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria
JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria Hotel
Keiser University - Open House
KICKBACKS GASTROPUB GOOZLEPIPE & GUTTYWORKS
Lauren’s Seafood Blues & Jazz
LaVilla School of the Arts
Lawn in front of Village Bread Café
Lazzara Performance Hall UNF Fine Arts Center
Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College
Lexington Hotel & Conference Center
Lexington Hotel & Conference Center - Jacksonville Riverwalk
Lillian's Sports Bar & Grill
Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
Listening Room Concert at the Mudville Music Room
Live Oak Seventh Day Adventist Church
Lohman Auditorium, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience
Main & Six Brewing Company
Mandarin Museum at Walter Jones Historical Park
Mark Lance National Guard Armory
Memorial Pkwy, Palatka, FL 32177, United States
Miami Airport, Hotel Crown plaza, USA
Mind Body and Beyond Center
Mocama Beer Company // Brewery & Coffee Bar
MOJO Kitchen, BBQ Pit & Blues Bar
Moran Theater at Times Union Ctr Perf Arts
Morocco Shrine 3800 St Johns Bluff Rd S, Jacksonville, FL 32224
Mudville Music Room 3105 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32216
Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville
Museum of Science & History
Museum of Science & History, Jacksonville
Myth Nightclub, Element Bistro & Craft Bar
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge Hotel
Night Lite Pediatrics Urgent Care
North Florida School of Special Education
Offices of Michelle Wright, MS, LMHC
One Ocean Resort & Spa
One Ocean Resort and Spa
OUTshine Film Festival - ONLINE
Pacific Gateway Hotel at Vancouver Airport
Parker & Dufresne, P.A.
Parol, Filipino Christmas Star workshop
Peach State Summer Theatre at Valdosta State University
Pearl WIC & Nutrition Services
Pennsylvania Convention Center 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
Players by the Sea Theatre
Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company
Ponte Vedra Ballet & Dance Company/ Fusion Performing Arts Academy
Ponte Vedra Beach Cultural Center
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
Ponte Vedra Library, FOL meeting room
Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center
Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park
Queen's Harbour Yacht & Country Club
Ramada Jacksonville Hotel & Conference Center
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews
Regal Beach Boulevard Stadium 18 Cinema
Regal Cinemas Avenues 20&RPX, Maggianos Little Italy
Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village
Ringhaver Student Center: Gamache Room
Ringhaver Student Center: Virginia Room
River City Science Academy Innovation
Riverside Fine Arts Association - Church of the Good Shepherd
Riverside Presbyterian Day School campus
Romanza Festivale of Music and the Arts
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville
Royal Caribbean "Harmony of the Seas" Cruise Ship
San Juan del Rio Parish Family Center
Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa
Schultz Center Teach & Leader
Seaside Gallery of Amelia Island
Sheraton Heathrow Hotel Heathrow Airport, Colnbrook By-Pass, Harmondsworth, West Drayton UB7 0HJ, United Kingdom
Ships of the Sea Museum
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
Springfield Historic District, Jacksonville, Florida
Springfield Improvement Association and Archives
Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR)
St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park
St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum
St. Augustine Sailing Enterprises, Inc.,
St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church
St. Johns River in Downtown Jax
St. Johns River State College
St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church
St. Mark's Episcopal Day School
St. Mary's Episcopal Church Fellowship Hall
St. Mary’s Little Theater
St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
St. Paul's Catholic Church Auditorium
St. Simons Island Pier Village
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
Stephen Foster State Park, White Springs
Stephen Foster State Park, White Springs Florida
Sunrise Emergency & Family Dental
Surfer The Bar Jacksonville Beach
TAC II Union Studios C4
The 5 & Dime, A Theatre Company
The Amp, 1340C A1A South, St. Augustine
The Art Center Cooperative Gallery Art Opening
The Art Center Cooperative, Inc Gallery
The Art Center Cooperative, Inc.
The Art Center Gallery at the Jacksonville Landing
The Beacon Listening Room - Food, Live Music, Sports
The Capital Grille - Curbside Takeout & Delivery
The Collector Inn and Luxury Garden
The Corner Gallery at The Jessie
The Cove at Marsh Landing
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
The Cypher Open Mic Poetry & Soul
The First Baptist Church Amelia Island
The Florida Ballet Studio Theater
The Golf Club of Amelia Island.
The Markets at Town Center
The Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida
The Pavilion at Port Orange
The Prime Osborn Convention Center
The Rhoda L. Martin Cultural Heritage Center
The River Club of Jacksonville
The Spa at One Ocean
The Sweet Spot & Urban Lounge
The Temple - Congregation Ahavath Chesed
The Union Art Studios and Gallery
The Vault at 1930 Art Gallery
The Westin Peachtree Plaza Atlanta Hotel
Theatre Jacksonville, 2032 San Marco Blvd.
Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park
Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, Moran Theater
Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, Moran Theatre
Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, Terry Theatre
Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, Terry Theatre Enrance
Times-Union Center for Performing Arts
Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts
UF / IFAS Extension Duval County Agriculture
UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension
UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center
UNF Andrew A. Robinson Theater
UNF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
UNF Division of Continuing Education
UNF Divison of Continuing Education
UNF J.B. Coxwell Amphitheater
UNF John A Delaney Student Union
UNF Library - for the community
Unidos En La Música: A Latin American Festival
University of North Florida Arena
US Assure Club - TIAA Bank Field
Various locations in St Augustine, FL
Victory Lutheran Church & Preschool
Victory Lutheran Church and Preschool
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE: Conference link will be available later
VY Star Veterans Memorial Arena
Webb Wessconnett Library- parking lot
Wells Fargo Center in Downtow
west lawn of the Castillo de San Marcos National Park,
Whiskey Jax Kitchen & Cocktails - Baymeadows
Wicked Barley Brewing Company - Jacksonville, FL
Wildcrafters Tea & Kava Bar
Willie Gallimore Center, St. Augustine
Wolf's Museum of Mystery
Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville
World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort
World Summit on Hematology and Cell Therapy
ABET | Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre
Beaches Museum & History Park
Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
City of Saint Augustine Beach Civic Association
Communities In Schools of Jacksonville
Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach
Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
Douglas Anderson School Of The Arts
Flagler College Theatre Arts Department
Flagler College’s Forum on Government and Public Policy
Florida Junior Chamber of Commerce/Jacksonville Jaycees
Florida State Parks Florida State Parks
Florida’s Birding & Photo Fest
FOCUS (Friends of the Ocean Communities United to Support the Cummer)
Historic Springfield Main Street Cruise
https://www.facebook.com/events/ical/upcoming/?uid=1600093710&key=AQAneSALGWBiF7cQ
Isle of Faith United Methodist Church
Jacksonville Area Golf Association and Northern Chapter of the North Fla. PGA
Jacksonville Public Library Coordinator of Community Relations & Marketing
Jacksonville University College of Fine Arts
Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville
Museum Of Science and History
Parrot Heads In Natural Settings, Inc (PHINS)
Sponsored by the Friends of the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR)
St Augustine Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 2282
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
St. Mary’s Little Theater
The 5 & Dime, a Theatre Company
The 5 and Dime A Theatre Company
The Art Center Cooperative, Inc.
The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary
The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach
The Dairy Council of Florida
The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) North Florida District
The Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
The Ritz Theatre and Museum
The Spoonbills & Sprockets Scenic Cycling Tour
The St. Augustine 450th Commemoration
The St. Augustine Independent Restaurant Association (SAiRA)
Thrasher Horne Center for the Arts
Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts
Town of Orange Park Town Hall Park
Where to Find EU Jacksonville