Eric Arakawa: On Shaping Surfboards for Jack Robinson, Andy Irons, and the Hos

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Eric Arakawa (@arakawasurfboards), the shaper for over ten World Champions, including Andy Irons, Jack Robinsons, and Michael and Derek Ho, joined me in this week’s Basis Surf Podcast episode to share his insights on shaping boards for these world-class surfers and to discuss how each board was crafted to help them perform at their best.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and the Impact of Small Changes in Surfboard Design
03:02 The Importance of Balance in Board Performance
05:27 Refining Board Designs Based on Surfer Feedback
09:08 Analyzing Performance and Making Improvements
12:04 The Joy of Seeing Surfers Excel on Arakawa Boards
30:10 The Art of Last-Minute Board Changes
33:23 Shaping Boards for Pros
39:37 The Challenges and Rewards of Shaping Boards for Surfers
45:27 Building a Quiver: Considerations for Everyday Surfers
48:58 Delivering an Experience: Tailoring Boards to Customer Needs

55:31 The Importance of Teamwork in Shaping Boards

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