Mehl Custom Boards - Santa Barbara California Custom Surboard Designs by Conner Mehl

As I’m writing this, it’s been about a month since I received a new surfboard that I had shaped by Conner Mehl. Since then, I’ve ridden it, showed it off, and fallen in love with it; and as an expression of my gratitude to Conner for his service, and to help anyone else who may be considering having a board shaped by him, I thought I’d write a little description of what my experience was like working with Conner.

Five months ago, or so, I came across Conner’s website and knew instantly that he and I shared a love for retro style surfboards. As soon as I saw the retro fish that he shaped, I wanted one. The problem was, I had just picked up a new board that very week (that, by the way, I wasn’t very happy with), and I didn’t exactly have the money to be buying another brand new board. But, I emailed Conner anyways, just to talk to him about his boards. As to not waste his time, I was open with Conner and told him that if I did end up having him shape me a board, it probably wouldn’t be for another six months or so.

I expected him to say “well, come back to me when you’re ready and we can talk about it then.” However, his reaction couldn’t have been more the opposite. For the next five months, we exchanged numerous lengthy emails and had several phone conversations about the board I wanted. With no money down of any kind, Conner talked to me all about the different shapes he made, what different variations of concave would do for a board and my surfing, different fin set ups, different styles of paint; the list goes on and on. Conner invested a lot of time in me, and he helped guide me to find the type of board that I wanted. Every time we talked, he told me how excited he was to get started on my new board. Conner taught me a lot about surfboards and he definitely stood by the statement on his website that says, “I love to talk about designs and concepts.”

In the end, the board he shaped turned out to be amazing. I wanted a retro fish that was a little bigger than what someone my size would normally ride. I wanted it to be a twin fin, yet I was hoping to be able to do the snappy bottom turns and back turns of a quad fin, without sliding out (impossible for a twin fin right?). Well, Conner made it happen! The board was shaped exactly to my specifications, the acid wash paint job looks amazing, and it rides exactly like I had hoped.

For anyone who has never had a board shaped by a local shaper, and even for some of you who have, I’ll tell you what an old time surfer once told me. And that is, you want to find a shaper that you can have a relationship with; one that takes the time to get to know you. You just can’t beat that feeling when getting a board shaped. Well, I’ve had several boards shaped by local shapers, and Conner Mehl is the first shaper that I’ve developed that relationship with. He is a true artist and explorer for the sport of surfing, and his passion for designing and shaping surfboards is inspiring. I hope you all get to enjoy the experience of shaping a board with Conner Mehl.

Mahalo Conner,

Chuck

This weekend my dad, Robert, and I took our 24 foot trimaran out to some of the best surf I’ve ridden in a long time. We spent three days on the boat and were reward with great surf on each one. This wave was on the first day and I and was the only one out, I was ridding my 5’0 kneeboard.

I took out the kneeboard because this was one of Greenough’s favorite spots and boy did I learn why. It was fast and the rides were long, probably around the same length as inside the cove at Rincon. It’s a creepy place when you’re by yourself and can’t see anyone for miles in either direction. This wave will really play head games with you and the strong current trying to suck you out to sea doesn’t make it any less gnarly.

The next day there were a few people out and the wind had backed off a little but so had the size. Still, there were some really great waves with excellent tube sections. The 5’0 met its match and ended up with a broken fin. My dad had scored one of the inside bowls when he got stuffed into the sand snapping off the fin, a small sacrifice for waves like these.
This day I was ridding the 7’0 diamond tail 2+1 and it couldn’t have been a better choice. It was able to punch through the wind chop and allowed me to sit a little further out to catch those beasts before they were fully pitched. The size also allowed for an easier paddle out and reduced the struggle with the current. Man did it fly through the sections and draw the sickest cut backs. After this session we set sail to the west, heading for the next spot.

Day three was a little different. We pulled up to the spot at seven and there were already four boats and eleven people in the water. We had been hoping to beat the Fourth of July crowd but apparently so had everyone else. It is also the most popular spot in the area.
We were instantly noticed being the only sail boat in the area. We dropped anchor and paddled over to the break. Some really good, clean glassy waves here and they were easier going then the gnarly stuff we had left to the west. Finally we had enough of the crowd and set sail for home. We tried one more little left but the kelp was way too dense. Our journey back was diffidently not boring though. We had a least seven foot swells running with twenty to thirty knot winds. Dressed in full foul weather gear we manned our lines and got drenched by every wave bashing over our bow.

Sunburn, wet, salty, tired and three hours later we finally pulled into the harbor. We started unloading the boat and trying to get our land legs back when the motor boats from the spot started pulling in. They were astonished that we were already back and unloading. When the winds are up we make good time, proving that sailboats aren’t always to slow. Next time maybe they’ll consider a trimaran.

-foul weather gear and lookin tired-