Custom board order etiquette, manufacturing errors

General Discussion
1

Hoping some shapers can give me some advice about custom board order etiquette (between small shapers and their customers) when something goes wrong (quite a serious defect). 

In twenty years of surfing this is the first custom I’ve ever ordered and was pretty hyped. The board took a couple of months to be ready, I went down, paid up, picked it up and was frothing to surf it. (It’s a small wave board in eps/epoxy with a strong glass, quad setup). A few days ago the shaper called me to tell me they’d accidentally installed two left rear fin boxes (FCS II). They blamed this on the supplier but mentioned it also affected one other customer (I’m no mathematician, but this could connected!). The FCSII’s obviously have the little orange ball that clicks into the fin on one side. the shaper seemed concerned and keen to rectify the problem, they suggested they could either:

a) mill an indentation on the appropriate FCS fin so it fits in (to avoid ripping out the fin box on the new board).

b) replacing the fin box (acknowledgeing this would likely add weight or reduce structural integrity of what is otherwise a perfect new board).

Neither of these options seems ideal to me.

I don’t feel happy paying for a brand new board with two left fin boxes (no swapping out different fins without milling little holes in them. I have neither the tools, knowhow nor desire to mill my own fins). In a couple of years if I fancy a change, I couldn’t sell on a board with this kind of defect. People would run a mile, two left fin boxes doesn’t inspire confidence in the board.

On the other hand if I get them to replace the fin box, “its no longer a new board!” as a trusted friend pointed out. A fin box replacement involves sanding off most of the glass on the tail area and laying new cloth on top and is unlikely to ever have the same flex and strength as the initial cloth and glass (right?). (The tint would also probably be screwed up). Said friend thinks the shaper should be offering to redo the board entirely, or if not, replace the fin box and provide a substantial discount due to the fact I’d be walking away with something of a Frankenstein custom.

I’ve told the shaper I don’t see either option as ideal due to the points mentioned above but they haven’t offered to redo the board or mentioned any discount, just that they could replace the box or mill my rear fin. I don’t really want to fall out with this local shaper. It’s a crowded line up and good relationships are valuable there! They are a newish and small outfit, just two guys and they offer many types of boards and constructions at a good price compared to stock boards from the big manufacturers. I was feeling good about supporting my local shaper(s) and hoping to maybe get another board in the future, I’d like to maintain good vibes but not really stoked with how things have turned out.

I’d appreciate suggestions from shapers about what they’d offer a customer in this circumstance. Redo the board? Mill the fin and a discount (how much as a % of the board?) reinstall the box correctly and a discount (how much of a discount?).

And how the hell do I suggest this to him without threatening to drag his name through the mud which I don’t really want to do?!

 

 

2

This happened due to human error, not “supplier error”.   I would opt for having them replace the box AND offer a lifetime repair on that install in the event it caused any problems later on.   And a discount on your next board: you pay for costs but not their labor.    

3

What he said.

4

In my humble opinion , the person who you paid to build you a new board should have first apologized and then have offered you a big discount or to build you a new board , what you were offered was BS .

5

Umm, I tend to agree, except I would expect a discount on this board, not some board in the future. After this, why would you want to get another one from them?

And after this, how certain is it that they will be around to honor their promises?

Small shapers are usually shoestring outfits. A few make it and last, most dry up and blow away in a very few years. Sad but true. And a few screwups like this one won’t help any.

You don’t have to mention this when you’re negotiating with them, of course

doc…

6

As gdaddy said;  if he is up to it, replace the box.  It’s really not as difficult as your friend makes it sound.  If done right there should be NO noticeable weight gain or change in performance.  The question is;  Do you think your shaper’s “two man” shop is up to it.  A good ding repair shop could cut it out and replace it without any noticeable difference.  If you don’t think he has the ability to the repair that good, then take the board to a quality ding repair shop who can.  But!  You want your shaper to pay for the repair.  If he isn’t willing to do that;  He has already written you off as a repeat customer.

7

Something simular happened to a friend after I highly recommended a local shaper.  

The shaper was selling his boards through a popular shop.  When my friend went to pick up his custom board the fins would fit into the boxes.  It turned out that the fin boxes were installed backwards.  The shop owner offered to repair them but my friend refused to pay the balance.  They settled on getting another board from a well established company.  See if you can get your money back or have him make you a new board.

8

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. I emailed them saying I wasn’t convinced by the solutions proposed and if it was a larger supplier you’d expect a replacement but I also said I’d be happy enough with replacing the fin box and a discount on the board or a future board (giving them various options). They said they’d prefer redo the board entirely (don’t want to be seen to make bad boards) they’re going to correct the fin box either way and if the repair comes out well give me the option to take it at a discount or they’ll do a new one. They’re response has restored my confidence in them and if all goes well I it won’t stop me ordering form them again and recommending them. (It’s a shame I had to advocate for myself before they admitted the error wasn’t really kosher).

If the repair comes out well and the discount fair I might just take it (it’s for small waves after all) but if they’re not offering to knock off much, I’ll take the offer of redoing it and take the opportunity to order it without the stringer. I wanted a slightier heavier glass for durability (6+4/6) and they had added a thicker (~1cm) stringer (without mentioning to me), which means it’s not as light as expected. The EPS+stringer construction was their recommendation for the “spring/pop” properties and they thought it was necessary to add a thicker stringer to maintain rigidity in the centre in relation to the the skin of the board, but I would have preferred to talk this over and would probably have reduced the glass or gone stringerless. I can imagine that thickness of stringer functioning on a longboard but in this board it seems it might be redundant. I’m not sure the force of my (lowish) weight and small waves is going to flex the board enough for that stringer to engage even if I were to jam a full rail carve into a 2 foot section as is my ultimate and guiding plan. I know many are of the opinion the main function of the stringer is to prevent snaps and therefore in a short small wave board you can easily get away with a stringerless construction and just rely on flex and rebound from the epoxy glass. Either a 6+4/4 or 4+4/4 glass and regular thin stringer or 6+4/6 glass and no stringer would seem to be better options for this board. Perhaps 4+4/4 stringerless in epoxy is more than enough for durability anyway and I’m just traumatized from seeing so many thinly glassed PU/PE boards fall apart over the years but I do think most non-professional surfers would be better served by slightly more durable constructions. Any opinions on optimum glassing and stringer/no-stringer on a small wave board under 5’5" welcome.

Surfboard construction is a complex set of simultaneous equations with many possible correct answers, fascinating and good fun. The orientation of FCS fin boxes on the other hand has only one correct answer!

 

 

 

 

 

9

They want to work with you on it, so that’s good.   

As for durability vs light, you basically have to pick one.   And for a daily driver probably most surfers are better off choosing a durability-biased build.   The main reason for prompting for light over durability will be because you’re doing aerials and you don’t mind burning through boards to do it.   What you’re describing in this build might have added 1# and maybe brought the board up to a weight similar to a performance PU/PE build.   In exchange for which you get a board that lasts twice as long under regular use.   

Put it this way, if you think this board is holding you back then that’s the reason you would want to go lighter next time.  In my experience most surfers don’t come anywhere near outsurfing their boards.  My opinion only.   

10

Maybe so, but it is also VERY accurate.