Back in October of 2010 an unfortunate event occurred. The 5’11 WRV “Chronic” that had helped me weave through many tubes and maneuvers entered into the light. As I made my way to the boardwalk, broken board in hand, I was approached by a familiar face out in the water. He told me he was learning to shape boards and had invested in the whole nine yards. He offered to take my broken board, study it, and reproduce the shape for me. My only request was one more inch and a bit more mass, which he kindly agreed to.
Months passed by and I almost forgot about the entire exchange all together. Waves were minimal this winter for the East Coast and my feelings associated with the loss of my favorite performance board began to dwindle. Then one day in February I received an e-mail.
It was Dan, the man with the plan, informing me my board was completed and ready for glassing. I provided him with a logo and one week later he delivered, and for someone who just learned how to shape I would say he delivered big time. I’ve never shaped, but I’ve seen the results of some newbie shapers and most people succeed at the low end of the spectrum. This was not the case. We met up in a parking lot by the beach and low and behold, in the trunk of his car lay my board to spec. He even replicated the double concave. We both agreed it came out beautifully, but we also both agreed that I would pay nothing up front until I gave it a good ride, making sure I was happy with the results. Things can look good on the surface, but on the surface of the water they may not always feel good.
I was skeptical about the nuances of the shape, the transition of the rails, concave and so on. I decked out the board with a fresh Wave Tribe Kick Pad and Recycled Leash and set it in the corner of my room. Waves eventually rose from the sea, and I rose to greet them with my new and improved stick. I enjoyed the added float and found myself catching waves earlier, generating initial speed quicker and maneuvering with the same agility as the original. Screw the chronic, “this board is dank” I told myself.
I forgot to mention that he added his own branded logo to the board, “awn patro”, which I thought was pretty original and felt it carried some French/ European appeal. Dan later informed me that his company name was “Dawn Patrol”—at least he’s got the shaping part down.
Jacob, Wave Tribe Team Rider and Founder Overture
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