Interview with Surfmama, shaper of Mère-Made Surfboards

Mère-Made Surfboards is a boutique surfboard company based in Encinitas, California, that is producing some super clean looking boards. Surfmama is Valerie, an avid surfer, wife and mother of two young children. 

Where are you from originally?

I was born and raised in Paris, France (suburb). But I studied and lived in Bordeaux (South of France) for 7 years before coming to the US.

When did you start surfing?

Although I was dating an avid surfer, Vincent Duprat, who I met at school, his attempts to introduce me to surfing were a disaster (maybe because I was in love with him (not with surfing) and he was in love with surfing more than with me)  But it all worked out overtime as we got married and I am now a surfer ;) 

I actually started surfing as a competitive tandem surfer in 2003.

It might sound weird, but it was like going to a driving school for surfing: I learned with a teacher on board! When my tandem partner had to leave the US a few years later, I kept on surfing…solo!

When did you start shaping?

It all started in December 2010 when I saw a blank under the Christmas tree. My first board was shaped in the direct sunlight of my backyard with borrowed tools and it took me 2 months to finish it. Today I still shape in my backyard but in a real shaping room my hubby built for me. Now I can complete a shape in 3 hours.

How did you get your start, did you have any mentors? 

I would not be shaping right now if I had not met with David Charbonnel, the owner and shaper of SWOPSurfboards, a very respected and successful custom surfboard company in France.  

We met because he and my husband were schoolmates and they randomly reunited a few years ago. Aware that I like new challenges, David helped me to give shaping a try. I got to train with him multiple times .

Of course, I am deeply inspired by his creations. He is always willing to answer my questions and share his “secrets” with me. 

Although David helps me on the technical aspect, my hubby is my greatest supporter. He encouraged me from the beginning, wiping away the tears when I got frustrated, pushing my limits and most of all, believing in me even when I was not. I owe him everything.

How long does it take you to finish a board?

This varies a lot depending on multiple factors: the complexity (or novelty) of the shape, the length of the board, and the artwork ordered. For example, a performance short board for my husband will take me 2.5 hours to shape plus 30 minutes of artwork, it goes pretty fast since I’ve shaped the same model before and he doesn’t really care about the artwork  However a shape with special features like E-wings, or channels, will take an additional hour or more to shape. Most of the time, the painting part takes more time than the shaping itself since some orders require very complex art work. But even though I enjoy shaping more than painting, I acknowledge that “custom” means a unique design. I don’t like white boards… The artwork  should convey a personal message like a tattoo. I am the first one who wants fancy artwork on my boards!!

What aspect of shaping do you like the best? 

My favorite part of the board building process is when I blend in all the little angles from shaping the rails. It sounds very geeky but smoothing out the rails (the most important part of the board) is very enjoyable to me!

What is your full time job outside of surfing?

I am a scientist at Illumina, a successful Biotech in San Diego. I had to do something with my PhD in Biochemistry!!!

Is shaping strictly a hobby for you or would you like to see it grow into a full time career?

That is a question I ask myself a lot lately  If it wasn’t for the money, I would probably have quit my day job already to focus all my time and energy on shaping. Unfortunately, it is not an easy decision since shaping surfboards will never pay as much as being a scientist…but you can’t put a price on happiness, so we shall see. I will surely keep my blog followers informed of any important announcement, (spoiler alert: Mere-made is already a trademark and my husband is working on a business plan…).

What is your favorite surfboard that you’ve shaped, and why? 

My favorite board is the latest one I shaped for my ultimate team rider: my husband! I really like that board for 3 reasons:  First, I shaped it in the record time of 2.5 hours – because I know exactly what he wants…Second, I created the original artwork…and third, my husband’s shredding on it!

Surfmama's current favorite board

Are you inspired by any other shapers or brands out there?

I am actually trying to pull away from being inspired by other boards or shapers ;)  After “copying”  existing shapes since I started shaping,  I am now reaching that stage where I am starting to create my own models. It’s a very exciting and creative phase!

Have you learned anything new about yourself or others through shaping surfboards?

I learned that it is never too late to learn something new.

If you could shape a board for anyone in the world, who would it be for and what kind of board?

Ahahaha, what a tricky question! My husband has been teasing me lately about shaping a board for Kelly…and he was surprised that I’m not really into shaping for celebrities.

With the risk of sounding boring, I have to say thatfor every single board I shape, I put my heart in it, and I have the future owner in mind the whole time I am shaping his or her board. To me, every Mere-Made Surfboard customer deserves celebrity treatment! 

Photos courtesy of Mère-Made surfboards

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