Sticks with Soul - Chris Bugge Customs

It is a brave new world in which the surfboard shaper has to exist. Gone are the days of being a grumpy old man in a shed smashing together some fibre glass and calling it a surfboard. Shapers these days are required, at minimum, to be able to make a whole sentence with words, talk to a client and retain a smile during at least some of the process.

This is and does have a flipside. Stay with me here. While being expected to evolve (see above) they are also being expected to shun modern techniques and labour / time saving processes. I am talking about the handmade approach, not hand finished, but handmade. This is all up to where you stand on construction and more of an opinion than a fact. For me personally its all about 100% handmade surfboard by an artisan that deals in exactly this.

Chris Bugge has been shaping surfboards from a very early age and is very good at it indeed, he honed his skill working for Lost in San Clemente, rubbing shoulders with present and future great shapers. Chris knows how to speak whole sentences very well and, oh yeah, make stunning 100% handmade surfboards. He believes that contact with the customer is of primary importance at all stages of the game.

Chris agreed to have a chat with us about his boards, shaping ethos and the general state of the surfing world.

SB: Hey Chris, thanks a lot for your time, we know you travel a lot. How has the swell been at home this autumn so far?

Chris: I spent autumn in California and the swell was consistent and fun, I really miss only wearing a 2mil suit right now as Ireland is cold!!

SB: What is your favourite place to surf in the UK?

Chris: I enjoy a lot of spots in Cornwall, sometimes cruising a log at Saunton (Devon) is lovely too. Wherever is good and not too cold.

SB: It seems being a shaper that travels a lot you could settle anywhere, why Bristol?

Chris: I think the main issue with settling somewhere is visa issues and language barriers. I stayed with my girlfriend in Bristol after a long stretch in the States but had itchy feet so I've been moving around a lot since then.

SB: Your surfboard look amazing, I love the retro fish (and the artwork) on your Instagram. What is your favourite model to shape and surf?

Chris: Thank you. That's a tough one. I love shaping anything tbh. Fishes are real fun tho but I always keep the rails and bottom contours more modern. A friend told me when I first started surfing "right board for the right wave" so I've stuck with that.

SB: How much would you involve the client if you where shaping a board for them? Why is it so important?

Chris: I've had people give me their height,weight and ability and leave the rest up to me, or I've had guys spend over an hour with me adjusting their outline before I even started up the planer so it varies from person to person. I think it's important to get something personalised to your own wants and needs. That's always how I felt at least. Plus it's cool watching a blank get mowed into a finished board.

SB: How much would a custom set me back if I wanted all the bells and whistles? How long would it take?

Chris:  I guess that depends on size etc but say a fish with colour work and a gloss and polish you're looking around £600 incl fins. Depends on your bells and whistles. Time-wise it depends where I am, but I always try and get boards done within a decent time frame. I know how frustrating it is when you just want that thing so you can get in the water haha

SB: Travelling is an important part of your job, do you learn a lot from the shapers you visit and shape with?

Chris: Absolutely. If it wasn't for that I would be nowhere. I owe everything I've learned to the people I've been lucky enough to work with.

SB: Do you have anyone that inspires you in the shaping world?

Chris: Too many for many different reasons. Whether it's their super human eye to detail or their innovation and brain farts I can't even think... Timmy Patterson, Wayne Rich, Matt calvani, Paul Berton, Matt Biolos, Rich Pavel, Rumaner, uncle terry hah I could go on forever tbh. More full board builders too..learned from so many different amazing people.

SB: When did you know you wanted to be a surfboard shaper?

Chris : Prob about 3 boards in haha. I became obsessed from the get go and haven't looked back since

SB: Why have you not found a base, do you just enjoy the travel or is it the best way to learn more?

Chris: I guess I'm enjoying the freedom of floating around until I find a place that I fall in love with enough to put some roots down.

SB: We are massive fans of the hand made 100% . What advantages are there to this approach?

Chris: I'm not against cnc boards or anything but unless you're pumping out hundreds of boards a month I think learning the old school way and putting some soul into it is never a bad thing. I think to call yourself a shaper you should be able to hand shape a board and at least have some knowledge of the whole process from start to finish.

There's a lot of people popping up who can use computers and just rip off outlines straight from the Internet and call it their own. They're good at marketing. Not much soul in that.

SB: FULL DISCLOSUREI originally wrote a article on how shapers where coming into the 21st Century, using computers, pimping on social media and basically having to be publicity whores to survive. I wrote this piece all about it and sent it off to Chris with a bunch of questions who returned the questions with a sheepish comment admitting that he was not the world's best computer user on the best of days. He did however believe in shaping surfboards 100% by hand (which is a far better idea for an article anyway).

So double thanks to Chris for being tolerant and keep making boards the good way. With a little spinkle of soul.