Worth a few cents...

[steve shearer]

I agree with your argument Pinhead but don't think it applies to Jim's $1700 semi-guns being heavily glassed, resin tinted kind of things where weight is a secondary criteria.

Totally agree though on the disposability of the perf shorty.

One big reason why Asian made surfboards(Surftechs in particular) were able to gain such market share so quickly : they were durable and light.

I still haven't seen any evidence of any "tipping Point" where the new tech becomes the mainstream.
I keep my eyes open around the Northern Rivers/Goldy area.

[PeepeelaPew]

...

[Shane Peel]

A really good custom would probably take a day(done right not blasted out) to shape, a day to glass maybe two if there were tints and cut laps, a really good sand would take half a day and a polish would be another 1/2 a day that's about 4 days work right? A really good tradesman (one with 20 plus years experience) charges around 300 a day not including materials that's around 1200 ad in 300 for materials and you come to 1500 in most business this wholesale price is then doubled to get a retail price so I reckon Jim is selling his boards at a pretty damn cheap price for the work involved … but just like golf clubs they are worth what you can afford to pay some people can't afford the price and with a whole lot of cheap boards produced using the economy of scale it is hard for guys doing the high end low numbers to survive. It will be a great shame if surfing does not have these shapers cause in a way they hold the most important IP in all of surfing but the surfers who are so happy to enjoy the benefits of design just don't wanna pay for it. Reality. A jagged little pill till you find a way around it.

[speedneedle]

Shanes Calculations are in the ballpark.

I can understand where guys are coming from in decrying that price, say, if we're talking a 6'10...just one step up from their daily ride, and probably glassed just the same. The shop racks have heaps of options in those.

But to go 8' or 8'6", There is literally more shoe-leather just walking up and down the thing, and, say, 1/3 to 1/2 more in materials.

Furthermore, if you happened to find yourself out in 15ft G'land, there are few boards you would prefer to be on than one by JB. Thats his market.

I'd happily support any shaper with that level of experience who wants to claim respectable coin each board, for the product of a lifetime work.

Josh
www.joshdowlingshape.com

[Grooter]

One big reason why Asian made surfboards(Surftechs in particular) were able to gain such market share so quickly : they were durable and light.

Absolutely true. As the previous owner of an NSP 7'6" I can attest to how strong the damn thing was, how cheap in comparison to others and great re-sale value as well.

But since I went custom I'll never go back.

I reckon custom boards are by and large pretty cheap, depends on the shaper and the "brand name" of course, and I'll never buy anything other than Australian made either. Maybe a tad "nationalistic" on my behalf but I strongly believe in supporting our local industries

[spotty]

I agree...

Surfing is cheap and boards are cheap...

I buy about 4 to 5 boards a year...

2 new ones at about $800 a piece and 2-3 second handers at about $400 a piece...

About $3000 a year...

I sell about the same and recoup about $1500...

Thus i never have more than 5 or 6 boards...

And i am certain to spend about that on my morning coffees per annum...

[spook]

i reckon boards are pretty good value, even if you're paying full price at about $750 a pop
i've never sold a board as i just hang onto them. selling them cheap seems worthless to me. i'd rather have em around just in case or give it away to a mate cheap than try and get any money back from em.
but i figure at $750 that works out to about $15 a week. surf at least 3 times a week and you're talking 5 bucks a surf. surf more and it works out cheaper. i buy a new board every year or so, but i'm still riding boards that are 5 years old.
i'm living in indo and have a couple of simon anderson boards. probably had about 200 surfs on each of them. good value for a magic carpet under my feet

[buzzy]

I don't know if Banksy's stuff is overpriced based on his inputs but they sure look overpriced compared to peer work.

I mean look at Mitchell Rae over at Outer Island. Mitchell Rae is also considered a guru for travelling boards, having spent a decade or so in Indo. His boards are super well constructed. You'd be buying them for $700-$750 or so, and they aren't built to break like so many off the rack boards.

If it was me looking to buy a board for Indo I'd buy two from Mitchell Rae for every one from Jim Banks. Or I'd use the cost savings to stay an extra week or two.

I try to have 4 boards going at any one time (super fat, fat, fat's off and surfing ok and oh the waves look pretty good and I'm surfing good) but I'm thinking of moving that up to 5 (fat but surfing ok).

[gibber]

Does Mitchell still do flextails?
Bet they would cost a bit more but they are definitely worth paying a extra for.
Rode one quite a bit on one stay in west java and the board had so much spring out of turns it was freaking epic!

[kreepykrawly]

Surfed and old Jim Banks out Ullu’s on Saturday . What a pleasure.
Felt so stoked I nearly dropped me boardies to do an aqua turd.
For no other reason other than "release".

[steve shearer]

how was the Brazzo/Euro factor at Gruelus?

[gibber]

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out when I get a chance tonight