Which One are You?
There are only two types of surfers. Those who ride someone else’s shape and those who design and shape their own surfboards. The majority of surfers either buy a surfboard off the rack or get a custom shape from their local shaper (a much better option for your surfing than an off the rack board). Both are missing out on a whole higher level of surfing only felt by surfers who design and shape their own surfboards at home.
It’s not as hard as it seems It’s not hard to shape and build your own surfboard when you have a partner that is an expert. Greenlight Surfboard Supply is the catalyst for the growing movement of surfers who desire a deeper connection with the true spirit of surfing by designing and shaping their own surfboards. Greenlight was founded in 2005 with the vision of comprehensively teaching and continuing to support surfers who want to shape their own surfboards at home. Through our unmatched talents of engineering, manufacturing, education, and communication in the surfboard world, we provide top quality materials, tools, methods and support to make surfboard building easy, fun, and affordable.
“Finding Greenlight changed my whole perspective of the surfing industry and made me gain more respect for what goes into making boards. It has been awesome building my own boards.” ~Tyler Meller, Oak Ridge NJ
A little help from your friends
No one expects you to do it all on your own. That’s why Greenlight Surf Supply continues to build and support an extensive educational online library of video and step-by-step instruction to comprehensively teach surfers of any age or ability how to design and build their own surfboards. Our education-based approach takes the mystery out of shaping and surfboards by providing an unprecedented level of instructional resources available to you online 24/7. The Greenlight brand is widely recognized in the surfboard building community as the most innovative, professional, and trustworthy source for materials, instruction, and service on the web.
Even average surfers deserve an exceptional experience
Greenlight caters to the average surfer who wants to expand his/her surfing experience (and save a lot of money) by shaping their own surfboards at home. The higher connection of surfer to board to wave can only be achieved on a board that is shaped to your personal style and preferences. No one makes that connection easier than Greenlight.
You guys are the best. Not gonna lie I've tried a few surfboard suppliers so I can get to know who are the best and I definitely get the best service, fast & accurate communication with Greenlight! ~Sebastian Carson - Cocoa Beach, FL
Greenlight continues to work hard to remove the barriers to entry into the world of surfboard building. The Surfboard Shaping Starter Kit is a popular item among first-time shapers as it includes all the materials, tools, instruction, and support needed to successfully build a good looking board that is a blast to ride. Greenlight excels at developing innovative tools and methods designed to relieve some of the “skill” required to shape a good surfboard. We understand not everyone has experience working with hand tools but that shouldn’t stop them from being able to get stoked on shaping their own boards. So our engineering team analyzed the troubles first-time shapers had with conventional wood-working tools and developed surfboard shaping specific tools to eliminate problems.
Pride in every ride
Brian Gagliana, founder of Greenlight says “Our research has uncovered the motivation for shaping your own surfboard. It’s the feeling of pride and accomplishment in building and surfing boards built with your own two hands. As well as satisfying the inner craftsman so many of us have. The popularity of home shaping has increased dramatically over the past 5 years. I think our efforts toward educating surfers on how to shape and design the board before ever touching the foam, along with our excellent technical support, has given even novice craftsmen the confidence and knowledge to try shaping at home. We get lots of positive feedback thanking us for stoking them out with a new experience in surfing.”
To have an idea of what you want to do on a wave, shape the board based on that idea, and then experiencing that feeling you crave when surfing the board… no words can describe it. It’s the highest level of surfing. It’s EPIC! ~Dave Grimes – Long Branch, NJ
Customer survey results are in
Our customers have told us the three biggest reasons why surfers want to shape their own boards:
1. Ownership of your surfboard's design and construction instills a sense of pride that cannot be achieved by a stock surfboard.
2. It creates a deeper connection with surfing and higher level of stoke through designing and building your own personal surfboards.
3. It's cool to be an individual and express yourself through creating a functional shape to improve your surfing and personalize even more with artwork and custom color work.
9 out of 10 build a second board
We must be doing an awesome job of helping our customers design and build their boards because 89% of them keep coming back to build more and fill out their quiver. Most never buy a board off the rack again. The materials to build a board are about 1/3rd the cost of buying a new board. Essentially you can make three boards for the price of buying one. It’s a no brainer to shape your own.
Where can I build my boards?
Not everyone has access to a fully equipped surfboard factory. We asked our customers where they build their boards. The good ol’ garage tops the list but outside is always an option for some. Greenlight offers all types of materials including low VOC epoxy resins that have no odor and are safe to use inside your house without upsetting the wife, kids, roommate or dog. It’s easy to set up a small work area anywhere.
I don’t have months to build a board
Our survey also tells us the average time among our customers to build a surfboard is less than 2 weeks. 80% of our customers have never even done a ding repair before building their first board. Some had not even built anything substantial before successfully completing their new surfboard.
The guys at Greenlight bend over backwards helping their customers progress in building surfboards ~Jesse Arrington - Capitola, CA
Discover how designing and shaping your own surfboards will boost your surfing experience to the highest level with Greenlight Surf Supply.
Learn how to design your own boards with our FREE Surfboard Design Guide and how to build your boards with our FREE Surfboard Building Guide A-Z
Here are suggested surfboard shaping Kits to get you started fast and easy
Visit our Webstore for a large selection of surfboard blanks, fiberglass, carbon fiber, epoxy and polyester resins, surfboard shaping, glassing, and sanding tools, fins and fin boxes, surfboard templates, art & color supplies and tons of surfboard building instruction and support.