Another #1
Kevin Kosha recently shaped his first board. Like my Dad says, “There will never be another number one.”
The cool thing about shaping your own board is that it makes you hyper-aware of every second of every wave you ride on it. Everyone should do it at least once.
pushingtide
January 30, 2007Cool. But did he glass it himself also? That is the real test and what makes your homemade board stand out for the worst, i mean, from the rest.
My opinion but if you are going to shape it, go all the way with it!
Cool fins!
J.P.
January 30, 2007Well, we glassed it hence our logo and the front lobby photos, heh heh.
J.P.
January 30, 2007Oh yeah, fins are bamboo made by Marlin Bacon/101 Fin Co.
rob70
January 30, 2007Glassing a board does make you appreciate ALL the work involved. I don’t really balk at most board prices after those experiences, but I also probably won’t be glassing another one. 😀
pushingtide
January 30, 2007Yeah, glassing is amazingly tough to do right. But it is part of the process. I am using epoxy resin for the first time on my new stick. Should be ugggly….but FUN!
Anonymous
January 30, 2007Shaping is easy and fun glassing and sanding sucks.
reverb
January 31, 2007…man, shaping IS NOT easy
seems easy
IS NOT the same mow foam only than shape da board
think about that
Also, is not the same shaping than known about the stuff you do
yeah looks like a board yeah
but you should to understand the why s…
think again
its very difficult to shape an excellent board
I repeat, is not only mow foam
AND all the manual complications about to shape a fish
is now done with the machines…
so c´mon
by the way JP
what s happend if a guy bring you a shape to glass, and the shape is not so good, many mistakes etc
the shop still put the Moonlight logo in it?
and what happend if the guy wants a tint, and the shape is plenty of scratches gouges, marks?
do you glass it anyway?
Anonymous
January 31, 2007Proper. You can tell he’s soo stoked to be holding his board in his hands ready to ride. I myself am planning on doing the exact same thing. Shaping a board down at Pravda surf in HB and then having Moonlight glass it. Was gonna try my hand at a “Bonzer” or “Widowmaker”.
Aaron Dsurf
January 31, 2007Kevin,
glad to see you are still into surfing. if you see this get in touch with me
J.P.
January 31, 2007If someone brings in a blank we deem unglassable we send them into one of the old shaping rooms with some sandpaper.
Even professional shapers leave scratches on the tint boards, I try to keep an eye out for that and nip it in the bud.
We always put our logo on the board no matter how hideous the shape job, heh.
Anonymous
January 31, 2007Way to go Mr.Kosha!! Did you shape that at Moonlight? What are the Dimensions? How did you get that template? Was it hard??
Lets hear from the shaper about the first board experience!
Anonymous
January 31, 2007Bitchin’. I’d agree that glassing and sanding are actually tougher than shaping for first timers. Now shaping really well, that’s a different ballgame. I miss shaping but I don’t really feel the need to lam hotcoat and sand again for a very long time.
Anonymous
February 1, 2007i couldn’t help but share about this post/comments. as kevin’s wife, i was a little dubious when he informed me that he was going to shape a board. however, this has been a dream of his for a while. the day he came home with white powder invading every inch of his being, he was grinning from ear to ear. i don’t know about you, but to see a grown man smiling like he’s 8 yrs. old and it’s x-mas morning … well that’s something. the night his “baby” came home, again, that same ear to ear grin. this grin was followed by much (i can only describe it from a female perspective) caressing. top to bottom, along the stringer, side to side and all around the fins. i cannot recount the minutes that ticked by, but there were many. so on that note, i will let kevin tell you all how it rides. i have also heard a rumor there might be another. regardless, thank you moonlight glassing for putting that awesome smile on my man’s face.
regards,
wifey.
Kevin Kosha
February 1, 2007Hey JP,
Thanks a ton for putting these pics up! And yes, everyone should shape their own “#1”. It was one of the best experiences ever, and it taught me a ton about what really goes into the design of a surfboard (even though I have owned plenty of them, and have seen a lot of them shaped too). I also now have even more respect for all of the craftsmen (shapers, glassers, etc.) involved in our “industry”, that devote so much into creating the works of art we call surfboards…
And to reply to some of the comments:
No, I did not glass it myself. I left that to the experts at Moonlight Glassing, because if I did it, I know that I would have ruined it. Maybe some day…
The fins are amazing! Bamboo single foils made by Marlin at 101. Perfect shape, rake, flex, everything!
The board’s dims are: 5’7 x 20 3/4 x a hair over 2 5/8. It has an outline similar to a Frye, with full rails and a slight single concave going through the last 1/3 of the bottom. It was shaped at my friend Ken Lewis’ house in his backyard. He has shaped a few boards himself, and walked me through the whole process. Thanks for everything Ken (and for saving me a couple of times too)! Can’t wait for us to shape #2…
The process was way harder than I imagined, but once you get into it, it’s unreal! Definitely a lot of chances to screw things up (thanks again Ken!). Being able to tune it up at Moonlight helped out big time too. Proper lighting is very important…
It was amazing seeing the evolution from a rough slab of foam, to a shaped blank, and then to a real surfboard after being glassed. But the best part was actually riding it! #1 rode like a dream; it caught waves easily, was super fast, and turned on a dime. Definitely the best twin fish that I have ever ridden, and I’m not just saying that (I got really lucky!)…
Thanks again to Peter, Sally, JP, and everyone at Moonlight for their all the help and support. You guys are the best!
Sincerely,
Kevin Kosha
Anonymous
February 1, 2007This blog is rad.
Moonlight is rad.
Kosha is rad.
Surfboards are even radder.
getting rad is rad.
shaping is rad.
Peter and Sally are uber rad.
JP is rad too.
Those Acid splash stock boards would be rad in my quiver.
Get Rad!
Anonymous
February 2, 2007Kevin,
That is awesome.
Sooo stoked for you.
Did you buy your planer yet?
Mama’s gonna be really happy when you turn the garage into a shaping room.
Congratulations
Blu
Anonymous
February 2, 2007For real though, Kosh,the board looks great. You should get that garage converted soon.
Way to go dude.
~Ken
Anonymous
February 3, 2007Kosh,
You are my hero. Now go shape me one too.
Jono
chip @js productions
February 5, 2007kool kosha
you can shape a few 4 the pod room@ the hillst. cafe. there will be a swift collection & a few boards by sean tully & his very cool hand made board bags. art, film , & books. look for ando & friends. harry daily .& all that is 4 the good of spreading the love of grass roots surfing.opening4.01.07. 4 info call chip@760.685.3782. big props 2 dan & wayne @ hill st. cafe & nick & crew@ t .st surf shop 4 the support & of making my dream come 2 life.
thank you all
chip bynum
Anonymous
February 6, 2007Kevin,
I am now proclaiming you the “pseudo Larry Ricci”. You can definitely see your roots of living the OB lifestyle. The board looks really good. It reminds me of a girl I knew in high school, short and wide but really fun to ride.
I am putting my order in now, that way I will have #2 in my hands very soon (No Blu, not that #2).
KL, nice job helping Kosha find his new calling.
Let me know when I can try it.
Fels
Stump
February 8, 2007Kosh – nice job! Will you teach me to shape too? I wanna make little baby fishies too.
Anonymous
February 11, 2007We need a backyard BBQ/Shaping fest this summer. Fels, Blu, Kosh…all the homies. you guys get blanks and beer and its go time!
Ken
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