Promer Surfboards Custom Shape Quadfish - Shaping My Board

IMPORTANT: Turn on CC (Close Caption) during the shaping process. Hard to hear details since we are wearing masks. Apologies on the audio but I don't have mics yet.
Finally getting around to reviewing a local shaper's board. I chose Promer Surfboards since I know and have surfed with Ray Promer. A lot of my friends surf his boards. His shop is local and he has his own cnc which is awesome for cutting a board in minutes. He basically designed, cut, and shaped my entire board in a few hours. I waited 3 weeks for glassing and it was ready for pickup.
Ray told me that he would be more than happy to have any one of you sit through the process. The more input you have, likely the better and closer you will get to your dream board.
In the past, I have had other custom boards but the process was rather vague and somewhat scary. You put your dims and basic idea on paper, along with a deposit, and 6 to 8 weeks later, you hope you get something you really like. Buying off the rack has some benefits in that, you get to feel and see the boards you like. However, sometimes, and it is more often than not, you find yourself in between sizes. Buying a customized rack board feels a bit safer since the shaper knows some reference points.
Having said that, you have to buy a custom with Promer at least once in your life, or any other local shaper with a cnc. Be a part of the process from beginning to end. This was an amazing experience for me so I hope you get to experience it too. One thing though, regarding paint, sometimes its better to have the artist be the creative one. Paint is likely where a custom board becomes a dream board or a nightmare.
Surfer: 5'8" 145lbs | 172cm 66kg
Age: 54 and getting older :(
Surfboard: 5'4" x 19.65" x 2.35 " @28.6L
Construction: PU
Fins: NVS JL Large quads with 80/20 JL rears
Traction: cheap no name brand
Leash: FCS
Wetsuit: Volcom 4/3 Modulator
Upcoming board for 2024, in no particular order:
Album 5'4 Twinsman - NEXT
Lovemachine 6'9 FM twinzer - NEXT
Aloha 5'4 Black Panda - NEXT
Aloha 5'6 Jalapeno - NEXT
Mick Fanning 5'4 Little Marely Soft Top - NEXT
AIPA 5'7 Dark Horse
Lost 5'4 RNF Retro Revamp
HELM 6'8 Opener
Firewire 5'3 & 5'4 Revo
Firewire 5'8 Hydroshort
HI Moe Mini
HI Mid6 Mini (if I can get my hands on one)
Firewire Boss Up (if I can get my hands on one)
Firewire S-Boss (if I can get my hands on one)
Firewire New Releases (if any new ones come out)
*******************************************************
Firewire 5'2 Too Fish - DONE
Pyzel 5'3 White Tiger - DONE
CI 5'7 Dumpster Diver 2 - DONE
HELM Performance Fish - DONE
Firewire 5'7 GWT - DONE
Surftech AIPA Bone Fish - DONE
Firewire 5'2 Machadocado - DONE
Promer 5'4 Quadfish - DONE

[@alexj590]

This one really works for you / your style, and the conditions you surf day to day. Shaper nailed it.

[@Creature-surfboards]

Yes! Ray is one of the best shapers and glassers in the business! 🤙🏼

[@surfingtipsandtricks]

Ripping on that board🤙

[@TravisVarga]

‘Microwaves’ lol. You were shredding the new stick, and Day 2 started firing with all days after looking super fun. Looks like you and Promer succeeded in turning your dream to reality. That board shape is cool and I can see what you mean Seaside plus Mashup - maybe a sprinkle of Cado and even Mini Simmons in there. I haven’t gotten a custom in years (like you explained) but I did use to have a board sponsor who did awesome customs for me. Now I’m a Firewire fanboy lol but would love to get one of these one day. Thanks for another in depth and unique video mate.

[@csarquiweb]

Nice design discussion...and the board looks great under your feet. I'm a garage shaper myself and I often combine designs just like you did.

[@terenceingram7786]

Your surfing looked amazing on that board

[@fox.709]

That was a great idea and an awesome execution. Thanks for sharing, Thomye!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

thanks as always. I was stoked on the entire process. I am planning to get a few more shaped by some local shapers in the coming years.

[@ThePokersurfer]

Promer seems like a guy who eats and breathes surfing. That first fish on pick up day looked epic! Airbrush is cool. For me MOST custom airbrushes don't come out precise ...... kinda like going to a barber! Even showing a pic for both ventures! I once like you had my Tore custom do his own custom variation and it came out MENTAL ....... imagine a trilogy of swirls (neon pink, blue yellow). Tiny day I would've waited but you nailed it! I still always think Javier at XTR has the best value vs. Firewire and the epoxy options. Customs ARE a "crapshoot" aka depreciates the moment you take it out of the shop! Think you only fell off once! How's the airs ....... SICK. Board looks top 5 all time for you! Custom 100% ....... helps out the local economy! ❤️ I would've ordered a "San Diego" fish with keel glass ons! Speaking of which what kind of fins??? Seen you on that girl's KZbin channel!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Yeah I was surprised she was there. She came by my campsite along with some other friends and we had lunch together. Cool girl just needs to get out of her own head and just have fun. As far as fins, I used the NVS JL large

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Yeah, Promer surfs really well too. I think at some point he had to decide between surfing professionally or shaping and he chose the latter. His primary business is glassing which is why the resident look so good on that board. Shaping I think for him has always been a side thing and he mostly concentrated on performance boards. I'm going to work with him to make my mini Simmons.

[@ThePokersurfer]

@@ThomyeSurfs yeah, when I first read it, I thought it said proctor because I had one before actually a couple and they worked really well, the little rascal, I'm sure you heard of it, but yeah, when he said that he still gets amazed by watching the process, it reminded me of myself as A Painter, by trade, I feel the same way with my work. So you know?Yeah about passion within yourself

[@ThePokersurfer]

And I think it's very important that the shaper is a shredder, and in this prime one that can feel the nuances and relate, not taking away anything from the old school OG's .......

[@svensvrgen6336]

Man that you and that board are a great match!

[@joaquingalan4804]

I have three custom boards ordered from some of the well know shapers that you mentioned. I had a hard time catching waves with any of them. One day I bought a low cost foamy just to practice my paddle. It turned out to be the best board I have ever surfed. I catch more waves with the foamy than the rest of the guys in the lineup with fancy boards. It is a foamy from Mike Fanning

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Did you get the beastie or little Marley. Soft tops or foam boards are typically always going to be better at catching waves because of the volume difference.

[@joaquingalan4804]

@ Hi. It is called the Glider. Single fin 7.0 x 22x 2-3/4 44lts. Another interesting benefit of the foamy is that they hardly get a dent or ding and if they hit you it does not hurt. I have crashed in one of the columns of the Pier. My ego was more damaged than the board. Not a scratch

[@taradead]

Gorgeous resin tint and cool shape. I've tried several local pro shapers and have NEVER received the color(s)/design I asked for and/or just an effed up board, in general. I don't know why, but they just do whatever tf they want. The only custom that got everything right was a guy making boards out of his garage...and he had only shaped about 20 boards prior to mine!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Maybe it's the lost connection between the shaper and glasser. I remember a shaper that used a another shop to glass, there were so many in the process that to get an idea right was so difficult. Unless you had a pic, odds of getting the right color was slim to none. My worst was a custom when I was young, and back then, money mattered way more so getting it wrong would mean surfing it for 2 to 3 years. LOL I asked for bright red almost hot pink fade to white. I got blood red fade to pink. :( haha I was so happy that I told Promer to just pick a color and design he thought was cool. exceeded all my expectations.

[@bigben007ch]

Another positive thing about rack/off-the-shelf boards is that they went through many iterations and have been extensively tested by way more experienced surfers to react a certain way (unlike a one-shot custom), so you're guaranteed to have your expectations met. And what I personally discovered and did recently is that great shapers (lost/mayhem in my case) allow you to customize their standard shapes so that they keep their surfing characteristics and fit your expectations at the same time. Goes also for the paint job. So I managed to have a 'standard' board but with a volume that was not listed as stock 😊. Stoked about this new possibility.

[@ssjj9584]

Local shapers go through the same processes with hundreds of iterations of designs and tweaks of board models. The word custom doesn’t always mean brand new design. It just means tweaks of a proven design the shaper likes over the years to fit certain wave preferences and how you want the board to work with those tweaks in dimensions, dims, outline, rockers, concaves etc.

[@catinthehat8412]

looks good it has spark 🤙

[@alang253]

custom is the way to go 100% of the time if you're height & weight combination don't align with how dimensions are averaged. Shorter + heavier, or taller + lightweight for example. Never had stock dims come close to working for me. promer board looks sick, seen a lot of his fishy shapes around and they look fun.

[@ginjaturtles]

Hell yeah local shapers are rad. Also I had no idea you were in your 50s, you are still ripping. You are my goal when I'm in my 50s What has been your favorite board for your daily mushy waves? I'm in SD and mostly surf mushy reefs. Most days I'm on a twin pin mid length and if its actually good I'll ride a squash tail thruster. I've been thinking about getting a board in between those boards and a quad fish was my idea. I've tried twin fin fishes in the past but they felt very difficult/skatey to surf

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Likely the Seaside and/or the baked potato

[@ginjaturtles]

@@ThomyeSurfs awesome thanks! I was thinking about checking out the seaside/getting a quad fish locally shaped. Love your stuff, keep up the great vids!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

The quadfish is also good. Little better performance than seaside. The cool thing is, you can get it thicker without going longer which will keep the board more spry

[@shannonyoung3465]

GooDStuFF 🤙

[@adriankhaw7253]

Sounds like a younger version of Homer Simpson 😆

[@user-lo2sz9dt1n]

That’s the shop that Roger Hinds built and shaped out of.

[@surfininmy40s]

Awesome vlog as always. Would you say this custom board is cheaper than a seaside? Looks like a sick board. The only problem really on custom boards is they don’t re-sell great when you decide it’s time to move on. If you grab a custom you should get one with the intent on keeping it for life 😊

[@ThomyeSurfs]

That's a great point on resale. Which is why I think if you're going to do custom it should be kind of the dream boards. Regarding price I believe promar lists this board as $625 white PU. Resin tint is more expensive, understandably. Having said all that I still think everyone should try and go through that experience once at least. I'm going to build a mini Simmons with Promer and hopefully it'll be my model.

[@surfininmy40s]

@ look forward to the mini Simmons. Love that shape.

[@taradead]

Don't know if the re-sale is affected by having "Shaped for (your name)" on the bottom, so maybe ask the shaper not to write that on the board.

[@lilhard]

I would love to see you review the sharpeye disco cheater, if you can manage to find one, or custom order it!

[@charleshawk6668]

I had one years ago. I enjoyed it

[@bonsummers2657]

How about trying out and reviewing single fin high-performance surfboards in the short board category?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

do you know of a good one? I remember Josh Kerr used to do that a while back.

[@bonsummers2657]

@@ThomyeSurfs Rusty bali single, Xanadu da bolt, ….. here in the USA that is,… Australia has others. Btw, Gerlach apparently moved to Christenson, for the most part with his boards,…. and I heard Christenson say something potentially inferential about a long term shaper (not named) which wasn't complimentary, with all due respect though.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@bonsummers2657 Now I'm curious. I'll have to research this comment. As for the boards, I'll take a look. I have always been interested in a single that surfs like a performance board.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@bonsummers2657 quick question, on a single fin performance board, is it better to surf it bigger or smaller? Or do you size it similar to a regular board of like shape?

[@bonsummers2657]

@@ThomyeSurfs {figured to share a bunch, for the heck of it. I appreciate your studiousness} From what I've seen on the vids, generally choose normal length and volume for the size of waves intending to surf. Widths and thicknesses are within norms. Check out the Bali Single vids, and, Kelly Slater surfing the 2022 Maldives single fin contest. His style looked great, Dorian's also. Other guys looked like the boards were longer (Knox, Williams) ,… and doesn't look as good stylistically, imo. However, the quality of the shape is key. For example, Curren's 2012 or 2011 single fin performance at Maldives (on youtube) his style doesn't look good, even though it was a shorty length, but the shape wasn't happening. Ci doesn't offer the shape any more as a standard offering. Even Rusty doesn't really promote the Bali single, but the vid footage looks stylistically good. Slater appears to have a similar design in the 2022 Maldives, - wing swallow (looks very similar to the Rusty Twin, btw, which I'm also considering getting),… but, Firewire isn't promoting it, and they had no info on Slater's board when I inquired a couple days ago,… that single fin model isn't on their agenda,… that that board was apparently just a one-off for Slater so I was told by the rep over email. I enjoy the concept of the challenge of making an HPSB single fin board which enjoyably rips in whatever conditions. Also, Todd Proctor makes a supposedly HPSB single fin. Also Dave Parmenter. Btw, my favorite Curren era is 1982-1983, for the combo of his style and the board style. And,....btw, I'm considering getting a Rusty bali single, - if I do I'm figuring 6'1''x19.87''x 2.45'' to 2.5'', trying to get to 33.3L, which I think is a minimum safe bet for me (about 35L is my max such as on 6'2''s)(note: the stock 6'1'' is about 32.55L, which might be a little too low for me). My usual sizing is 6'1'' and 6'2'', and preferring to stay not more than 20''; 19.5'' to 20'' seems to be my sweet range with current era shapes. 6'1'' for scrappy beach break, 6'2'' for 'bigger water' such as Sunset Cliffs. I just surf in San Diego, I don't travel for surf. I rarely surf, but I surf, and I really appreciate boards for the art of the shape, logo art, and sometimes choice art add-ons, such as a lightning bolt graphic. Best regards.