Head Shaper:

Gary Hanel

Behind the Brand: Gary Hanel started shaping in his garage in North County San Diego, in 1974 and followed the typical backyard path, which meant he built the whole board—from start to finish—and gathered his clients from a local group of friends, students, and acquaintances. He eventually landed a part-time job sanding for Moonlight Glassing in 1978 and progressed to one of their stock shapers. From there, he transitioned to shaping house-boards for several other shops in the area and also worked with Rip Curl/Wayne Lynch. He cites Bill Shrosbree, Wayne Lynch, Dan VanZanten, and other shapers who were associated with Moonlight, as his earliest influences and today he’s known for his thoughtful, craftsman-like approach to the manufacturing process under his own label. “I like to take all the experience that I have and use what is current to create boards that combine old and new,” says Hanel. “Although I occasionally embrace radical change, I think slower, evolutionary change is much more lasting. A lot of radical change is change for change’s sake—here today, gone tomorrow. It just doesn’t seem to have longevity.”

About Hanel's Most Popular Models: “My most popular boards are either the Double-Wing Quad Fish—because they are so much fun and go so fast,” says Hanel, “or my standard tri-fin shortboard, because that’s where the best surfing is consistently being done.”

Shop Talk: “I’m most interested in how a board floats and its sensitivity. I’ve always used a lot of channels and concaves on the bottom, and riders’ feedback has been helpful with that aspect.”

When a new customer comes to you for a custom shape, what kind of questions do you ask to ensure you’ll make them what they’re looking for? “I like to know what they’ve been riding. I want to know what type of change this board is going to be. I listen as they talk and try to pick up on what they really have in mind. As you listen, you will hear some of the more important things that the person wants. They might mention over and over about how they want the board to be thin or thick or whether strength is a major factor. The most important items have a way of showing up over and over in the conversation.”

What’s the most important quality to have in your surfboard? “I think your own perception is the most important. If I can make you the board that you have in your mind, then that will be the best board for you. I don’t like to tell people what to ride. They should go out and dream and when they wake up with that dream-board in mind, they should go to their shaper and make it happen.”

Which project are you the most focused on at the moment? “We’ve been refining my Quad Fish design. I pulled in the nose for a sleeker look and added some bottom concaves to give that little speed boost. It’s fun to take a design and keep refining it to make it better. We push the limits little by little, then come back to the center when we go too far.”