Interview 001- Hamanda Shapes

G: Boardshorts: above or below the knee?

A: Ahaha, when I was 14, they were over the knee, but now I like them shorter.

G: Are you tired of liters in surfboards?

A: It’s just a reference. Most of the time I don’t know the person I’m shaping for. But then you get people who tell me they want a surfboard with 35 liters, and I tell them I have one with 34.28 liters. In the end, they don’t want it, because what they really
want is exactly 35 liters. But imagine—a surfboard with 33 liters might paddle and surf better than one with 35, and people don’t realize that. You have to consider all the measurements: the rocker, how wide it is, how the thickness is distributed. All of these things can completely change how a board feels. For example, surfing a twin with 30 liters is much easier than surfing a shortboard with 30 liters.

G: I see how that must be hard to manage. The customer’s expectations and your expertise. Sometimes there might be a clash.

A: The easiest way would be to say, “I’m not going to sell you a surfboard.” ahah. But that’s not how it works. I’ve had people reject boards because of the liters, or want to change the shape halfway through.

G: Can you guess the liters on your handshaped surfboards?

A: I have an idea of what it might be, because sometimes I make boards on the computer. With that and the measurements, I can guess more or less how many liters it has.

G: Do you feel like you created a community of people around your brand?

A: Yes, definitely. I have my group of friends who surf my boards, and several customers I’ve built relationships with over the years, who keep coming back. And I have a lot of people from Germany ordering surfboards. This is really good, because the first board I make for you won’t be the best. With the feedback from that board, I can make another one that’s much better.

G: Why a Portuguese shaper and not a German one?

A: What they’ve explained is that they have German shapers, but they don’t trust them, because most of them don’t have experience with the ocean.

G: That’s a little weird. You’ve probably never surfed in a river before, ahah.

A: I’ve never been there, but that’s not a problem. What I do is take the feedback they give me and try to shape better boards. Basically, you don’t need as much volume or rocker because the wave is static. Most of them surf twins. A big board in a river is a 5’6”.

G: What’s it like sharing this space with other shapers?

A: It’s really good. We can share our insights and perspectives. This can be a very lonely job. When you have other people, you can go outside and have a laugh together. We have Francisco, Tomé, Diogo and Pedro.

G: From start to finish, what part of building a board frustrates you the most?

A: I guess it would be the sanding, ahah. I’ve shaped in other factories, and I know exactly what makes a good surfboard, what to do from beginning to end. But in the end, two boards are not the same. If I shape two boards for you with the exact same measurements, you might love the first and hate the second.

G: Ahah, there are CT stories where guys have won championships with off-the rack boards that weren’t shaped for them.

A: Exactly! Let me give you an example. If I shape a surfboard in winter and another in summer, they won’t be the same. In summer, they usually come out better. They’re lighter and behave differently than a board shaped in winter. There are guys who take fifteen surfboards on a trip and only like three of them. For me, there are so many variables. If you have your head in the right space and the waves are good, the board is going to feel amazing from then on. If it’s the opposite, you might end up hating it. I think to make a magic surfboard you need to know who you are shaping for, and bring into the board a shape that will make them surf better. You need to understand their expectations, what kind of waves they want to surf, and so on.

G: I also think we need to have an open mind. I surfed the midlength you shaped for me in a lot of different conditions, probably some that weren’t suited for that kind of board, and you find out it works, and you also find a different surfing style in yourself.

A: Exactly! Sometimes you need a few months to adapt to a board. There’s a strange thing with older boards, you’re so used to them, that it feels weird not to have that pressure ding under your front foot. For example, whenever I skate, I find it super weird when I change to a new board, even though it’s the same shape and size as the old one. So you have to use the board, adapt to it, and understand it.

G: Nowadays, what do you think the Portuguese surfing culture lacks?

A: I think there’s still a trend where if you’re new to surfing and want to buy a surfboard, you have a tendency to go to a surf shop, where you’ll pay more for a board that wasn’t shaped for you. Most people aren’t aware that you can talk with a shaper and order a board. There are people who think surfboards come from surf shops. Surfing culture creates this vicious circle where people just go to the surfshop and pay more, when they could meet a shaper and get a custom board for less.

G: But I think there’s also something interesting about that. I remember the first time I went to a shaping factory—it was super intimidating. I felt like I didn’t know anything and was afraid to ask questions, because somehow I thought I should already have the answers.

A: Ahah, that’s because you imagine that the people who work at a surfboard factory are old men who yell at you, treat you badly, and act like they’re doing you a favor. But in surfing, it’s nothing like that. Still, the idea of a factory brings up those feelings. I think for that to change, it has to start in surf schools and surf shops, where they can guide you to a good local shaper.

G: Before surfing, you started skating. Do you feel that skating resonates with how you shape and ride a surfboard?

A: I like twins and longboards. I like boards that are small, wide, looser, and let you slide. That comes from skating. Twins allow me to do all of that.

G: What did you enjoy most about skating as a kid?

A: Back then, waiting for all the video parts and magazines to come out, watching them with your friends and studying them, so you could go to the skatepark and try to do what they were doing.

G: Do you think the surf environment is different from skating?

A: Of course. Skating is much more inclusive. If you go to a skatepark, normally everyone is friendly. If you’re trying something, someone might help you learn a trick, or if you land something, everybody’s hyped for you. But in surfing, it’s completely different. No one is going to clap because you went on a wave. People are going to be pissed you took it. If they see you’re not good, you won’t catch any waves. There’s much more community in skating. But I think surfing is progressing in that direction.

G: Boardshorts or wetsuits?

A: Ahah, boardshorts are better, but here you can’t surf in shorts. I’m super sensitive to the cold, so I really like wetsuits. In summer I usually wear a 5/4. But the best thing is shorts with a backzip jacket.

G: Our motto at Diploria is “Our brain is underwater.” Do you prefer to be on
the surface or underwater?

A: I like to be on the surface, ahah. Usually, I’m on the surface when I’m shaping.