SHAPER DIRECTORY
Haydenshapes
Interview with Hayden
Whats your main motivation for shaping surf crafts at the moment?
Surfing! Being in the water myself keeps me motivated to continually improve my shaping and the designs that I am manufacturing. Surfing with all my young team riders keeps me amped to keep up with how they are developing surfing as a sport and taking it to the next level
Is there anything you are doing differently now as opposed to 12 months ago?
I am working with a new machine now, which has helped improve the finer details of my shapes and to consistently replicate this down to every customer. Every day there are design improvements being made.
How have board designs changed in the last five years?
Board designs are always slowly improving in every aspect, from the shape, to materials used and the types of fins used in the board. It is a never ending progression that will continue to evolve with surfing.
How long have you been shaping?
8 years.
Approximately how many boards have you shaped in your lifetime?
A couple of thousand.
What design innovations are you currently working on at the moment?
Lately I have been working with Tom Carroll on this quad fin design. It doesn’t have a twin fin feel or a thruster feel, it is totally unique. It is a very fast and drivey board and at the moment we are waiting on some new fins to be foiled to suit the set up better.
What do you think the current surfboards designs could improve upon?
The accurate customization of a design to each surfer, like getting a computer program to analyze a video of a surfer and combined with a few other stats like their weight, height, and what waves they will be surfing, it will be able to generate a range of detailed specs to suit that rider. It is definitely a long way off because surfing and surfboards have so many variables you have to take into account.
What advice would you give the average punter when ordering a board for the first time?
The board under your feet has to feel comfortable. To get this right the shaper has to have the right ouline, rocker and foil to suit your size/weight, ability and the type of waves you are going to surf. Giving the shaper these details correctly will help them choose what your board needs for you. Work with your shaper and give them as much constructive feedback as possible and I am sure they will shape you some great boards.
Who is on your surf team?
Craig Anderson, Laura Enever, Lucas Gresham, Nick Carroll
What is your advice on fins considering the options available today?
Future, FCS, or Fixed They all have they good points and depending on the customers needs one of these will do the trick.
Apart from yourself, what other shapers do you think are leading the way at the moment?
If I didn’t shape, I would definitely be buying boards off Chilli, or Simon Anderson.
Anything else you would like to get off your chest?
Thanks to all my customers!
