Head Shaper:

Ben Aipa

Behind the Brand: There are few aspects of surf culture that Ben Aipa hasn’t touched. At the peak of his physical talents during the 1960s and 1970s, Aipa was a ferocious competitor and powerful freesurf presence in every lineup he entered. Then, after establishing Aipa Surfboards in 1970, the Honolulu native also became one of the most innovative board designers in history. He is credited with the invention of both the swallowtail and stinger design variations, a series of tail-rail-fin breakthroughs that helped feed the dynamic performances of rising stars like Michael Ho, Larry Bertlemann, Buttons Kaluhiokalani, and Mark Liddell. In the wake of these innovations, Aipa quickly established a reputation as a go-to shaper for boards that could enhance the low-slung and aggressive style that soon became the vanguard of performance during that era. Afterward, he also contributed heavily to the development of the modern longboard. In the years since, Aipa has continued to compete—winning several Legends and Grandmasters championships at a national level—and has served as a trainer and mentor for surfers such as Brad Gerlach, Sunny Garcia, and Bruce and Andy Irons. He’s also continued to shape. Seven years ago Ben teamed up with Boardworks Surf to develop his line of molded epoxy sandwich surfboards. His models designed specifically for the  bigger guys have been very popular and have a loyal following. “It’s an advantageous material and design because of the lighter cores and stronger decks,” he says. “There’s better floatation and less swing weight at the nose and tail.”

About Aipa's Most Popular Models: “We’re sort of going full circle,” he says. “My retro Stinger is really popular right now, but so are my Modern Longboard Sting and my Core Sting. The shape just works in all types of waves. The boards surf better because they turn better.”

Shop Talk: “I’ve never imitated, I’ve never duplicated—I’ve only originated.”

What makes your label different from the other surfboards in the market? “My reputation. I’m still doing what I’ve always done. Plus, my heart and soul go into every one of my boards, which makes them come alive.”

How do you think surfboard manufacturing will change in the next decade? “Well, I consider any surfer in the world who loves my designs a team rider. And I always consider their feedback and it seems like they always reorder, so it’s a good relationship.”

What trend in the water, or the marketplace, would you like to see continue? “I think the materials we use will always dictate change. With things like epoxy and sandwich construction, you can see it happening already.”