Name: Shane Stoneman Zone: Midwestern California Years Shaping: 10 Boards Per Week: 8 Specialty: High-performance shortboards and fish
Is your business better or worse since the Clark Foam shutdown?
My numbers are the same but my business is better. That post-Clark period just rattled out a lot of the kinks in my business. I built a new shop and dialed in our production.
Do you feel polyurethane foam/polyester resin will always be the dominant surfboard construction?
Yes, I hope so. I just feel that the traditional surfboard materials have the highest performance characteristics and, provided you keep a board in a board bag and fix dings as needed, they are incredibly durable. I personally just don't like the ride of the other materials available.
Do you think there's an increasing or decreasing appreciation for a custom surfboard?
Increasing. I feel a lot of appreciation from my clientele. The customers I work with respect the finished product and the craftsmanship that goes into it. They aren't looking for a board that is mass produced. They want something tailored to them.
Are quads declining or increasing in popularity?
Still increasing in popularity as far as I can see in my shaping room.
What's keeping you afloat? Custom clientele? Shop accounts? Surftech?
My work load is pretty balanced between custom clientele and my shop accounts.
If it hasn't already, will your surfboard production ever have to go overseas?
Hell no! This is the most un-green thing any board builder can do. Boards built overseas abide by what environmental standards? And then the overseas shipping Cargo ships use tens of thousands of gallons of bunker fuel every day and then dump their dirty ballast water into our the waters off our ports.
What kind of music do you like to listen to when you shape?
All kinds Lately, I am going through a Tower of Power thing for its incredible accuracy and pure funk of it all. I can accomplish a lot of work when I rock these guys or similar artist in the genre. Other times, I need to slow down and cruise through a long board so Ill put on some Jim Hall/Bill Evans thing--or maybe Ill be somewhere in the middle with something like Honks 5 Summer Stories, Mother Hips, or Citizen Cope. I also have a stack of must-have 80s classics like Bowies Lets Dance (featuring srv) or Talking Heads Remain in Light. You know, the tasty stuff.
How much time do you spend on a single board now? Is it a race?
I shape a short board in an hour or so. But for longer boards it just takes as long as it takes. I don't need to be in a rush making someones board.
Do you spend more time on the computer screen or in the shaping bay?
Shaping bay. Some customers like the computer technology and I know how to use it but I got into this because I like to make surfboards so Id rather make them by hand. That said, it's up to the customer.
How important is teamrider feedback to you?
I get just as much out of the feedback I get from customers as form team riders. I prefer to try any radical design changes out on myself and know exactly what it feels like without the filter of team rider feedback. If I like a new idea I definitely make a team guy one to get some outside validation --but their feedback is secondary.
What kind of board do you enjoy shaping most right now?
The good wave board -- a 6'6" round pin sexy thing.
How often do you get to surf?
I am averaging about five surf sessions a week. It's easy to paddle out when it's good but sometimes, if it's lousy surf I'll use the PT method of setting a goal to catch four decent waves. Usually, I end up having more fun that I thought and catch a lot more than four.
Are you actively pursuing "greener" avenues in your surfboard production?
No, I'm not a scientist but one thing that bothers me is the amount of foam waste that accumulates for even a small shaping business like mine so I have contacted the environmental engineering and industrial technology departments of the local college to work on ways to re-use this stuff or find ways to break it down safely. Other than that, I feel I can be greener than the big guys by keeping my production numbers small and making a quality product that performs well for a long time.
Shaping was not something that I ever set out to do as a career. Throughout high school, it was simply a hobby that taught me about the process and tools at a young age. As I became involved with competitive surfing I developed a more sensitive relationship with my surfboards in general. My boards were then built by one of the industry's gurus so I was able to work closely with a master craftsman and get a high percentage of magic boards. I would ceremoniously name them and hold each one under my arm for hours getting the feel of them, mentally noting the characteristics that I liked. They were finely tuned tools that helped me earn a spot on the U.S. team that competed in the 1990 World Amateur Contest in Japan. This team was made up of some of today's superstars and I was pleased to take home a third place for my country in the juniors division. Two years later I won my first pro contest on the (now defunct) PSAA tour. These endeavors gave me an insight into the process of excellence that I have tried to apply to all facets of my life. So, with a great desire and focus, I have created a line of surfboards that is both artistic and practical. I know from experience how subtle designs work under your feet and I know the qualities of A-grade product that customers expect and deserve. There are a lot of big brands making boards right now, but I assure you that my boards are unique, hand crafted, and well tested.
Jim Crooks' title is Quality Assurance Manager for Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California. His dimensions are 5'10" x 180 lbs and his main summertime vehicle is pictured here-a 6'0 13 ½ x 20 ½ (+3 above center) x 14 ¾ x 2 5/8" Stonefish. Its great to have someone in his field riding my boards, picking over every "quality control" aspect of the product. As we all know, good beers and great surfboards are important parts of a well lived life.
Ryk Kluver is a classic surfer, carpenter, and master wood worker. Here he is standing with his 10' modern classic series longboard (10' x 18 x 23 x 15 x 3 ¼) in his immaculate cactus garden in the hills of Cayucos. This board has soft 60/40 rails throughout and a domed deck making for a buttery and easy flowing feel.
Doctor Eric Jacobson is an Emergency Room doctor at French Hospital in San Luis Obispo. He is 6' x 185lbs and favors a 19 1/2" 80's flavored 6'2"s with big hips and flat rocker with vee. He also became fish addicted this last summer after ordering a Modern Classic series fish. 6' x 15 ¾ x 21x 16 x 2 ¾ with heaps of vee and thinned out little swallow tails…all the drive of the twin keels and all the rail to rail looseness you'd ever want. Eric also likes this design because he can catch more waves than the longboarders.
Tim Bluhm is a touring musician and songwriter in the San Francisco Bay area. His live music perfomances are amazing (with The Mother Hips or solo) and you can find him at www.timbluhm.com. Anyways, he is tall (6'5?) and skinny and surfs in a smooth laid-back manner. The board I made him is a 6'5 modern classic fish and it was great to see him get off his single fin and get some disco going on in his surfing. Again, these boards give you the paddle of a long board but the shortness and turning of a short board.
TJ Mortimer is the youngest brother of three great surfers from the sleepy beachtown of Cayucos. TJ had quite a bit of success as an amateur competitive surfer but has turned his sights on earning a college degree from Cal Poly. He still has time to knock the top of a couple sets at the pier though. Here he is riding the standard Stoneman.
Here is Trevor Hischer standing in front of his dad's place,Wavelengths Surf Shop in Morro Bay. He rides a 6'1 10 ¾ x 18 ¼ x 13 7/8 x 2 3/16ths. This board has a standard dose of single concave under the front foot leading into the double barrel with a smidgen of vee out the tail. The rocker and bottom configurations of my shortboards make for ridiculously fast and well-behaved surfboards.
Team rider, Christie Carter, has been doing some serious research and development for me down at his resort in the Mentawais. He is an easy going kiwi by land and a fearless charger by sea. He puts my shortboard designs into some heavy situations and I am proud to have him ripping on my boards. If you ever need a trip to paradise with a perfect left right in front of your tropical island resort and twenty more reachable by boat, contact Christie at www.wavepark.com and you will know bliss. He has been running this land based mentawai camp for a decade and it has it all...this is not camping --this is affordable luxury with tube riding.
The guy in the photo above is Anthony Circosta, a local skater and quad fin shredder on the central coast. He likes the quadropheenia design the best because it is so fast and allows him to do crazy airs like this with ease. He's also a bit of an inventor and is working on his product you can read more about at www.winewand.com.
Jim Crooks' title is Quality Assurance Manager for Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California. His dimensions are 5'10" x 180 lbs and his main summertime vehicle is pictured here-a 6'0 13 ½ x 20 ½ (+3 above center) x 14 ¾ x 2 5/8" Stonefish. Its great to have someone in his field riding my boards, picking over every "quality control" aspect of the product. As we all know, good beers and great surfboards are important parts of a well lived life.
Ryk Kluver is a classic surfer, carpenter, and master wood worker. Here he is standing with his 10' modern classic series longboard (10' x 18 x 23 x 15 x 3 ¼) in his immaculate cactus garden in the hills of Cayucos. This board has soft 60/40 rails throughout and a domed deck making for a buttery and easy flowing feel.
Doctor Eric Jacobson is an Emergency Room doctor at French Hospital in San Luis Obispo. He is 6' x 185lbs and favors a 19 1/2" 80's flavored 6'2"s with big hips and flat rocker with vee. He also became fish addicted this last summer after ordering a Modern Classic series fish. 6' x 15 ¾ x 21x 16 x 2 ¾ with heaps of vee and thinned out little swallow tails…all the drive of the twin keels and all the rail to rail looseness you'd ever want. Eric also likes this design because he can catch more waves than the longboarders.
Tim Bluhm is a touring musician and songwriter in the San Francisco Bay area. His live music perfomances are amazing (with The Mother Hips or solo) and you can find him at 
TJ Mortimer is the youngest brother of three great surfers from the sleepy beachtown of Cayucos. TJ had quite a bit of success as an amateur competitive surfer but has turned his sights on earning a college degree from Cal Poly. He still has time to knock the top of a couple sets at the pier though. Here he is riding the standard Stoneman.
Here is Trevor Hischer standing in front of his dad's place,Wavelengths Surf Shop in Morro Bay. He rides a 6'1 10 ¾ x 18 ¼ x 13 7/8 x 2 3/16ths. This board has a standard dose of single concave under the front foot leading into the double barrel with a smidgen of vee out the tail. The rocker and bottom configurations of my shortboards make for ridiculously fast and well-behaved surfboards.
Team rider, Christie Carter, has been doing some serious research and development for me down at his resort in the Mentawais. He is an easy going kiwi by land and a fearless charger by sea. He puts my shortboard designs into some heavy situations and I am proud to have him ripping on my boards. If you ever need a trip to paradise with a perfect left right in front of your tropical island resort and twenty more reachable by boat, contact Christie at 
The guy in the photo above is Anthony Circosta, a local skater and quad fin shredder on the central coast. He likes the quadropheenia design the best because it is so fast and allows him to do crazy airs like this with ease. He's also a bit of an inventor and is working on his product you can read more about at 