by Reka Borcz and Lily Plume

surfboard shaper glasser california — Jon Mangiagli

second generation shaper & glasser from Hermosa beach

We sit down with Jon Mangiagli of California-based Mangiagli Surfboards after a day of surfing perfect peelers in the Bay to talk about his shaping process and why he chooses hand-shaping over a CNC machine.

Hey Jon, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into shaping?

I’m from Hermosa Beach, California, and I make surfboards for a living. Growing up, my dad was a surfboard glasser with his own surfboard factory and a couple of surf shops, so I spent my whole childhood at the factory watching him making surfboards. When I was in high school I started making boards for myself, just messing around, and then I kept doing it and it kind of just turned into a full-time job.

So your dad was a big influence on you?

Yeah exactly, I always thought it was so cool that he makes surfboards and I always wanted to do it, so yeah it’s nice to have the opportunity to do it.

Which other shapers inspire you?

In Hermosa, there’s a bunch of old shapers. Where I have my factory, there’s a rich history of surfboard manufacturing, and all the guys who used to make boards here in Hermosa have been a big inspiration. Hap Jacobs, Steve ‘Birdie’ Burdette, Rick Stoner, Dale Velzy… guys who have a long lineage of surfboard shaping.

What’s your inspiration when starting to create a new board?

I really like looking at old boards, I think a lot of them have really cool contours and shapes that are kind of different. Then I like to put my own twist on it, like taking an old board and thinking ‘This looks cool, that contour looks good, and this curl looks cool’, and then taking that and making it my own.

So when someone comes to you and asks for a board, what’s the process like?

Usually, when someone walks into the factory with an idea, they explain what they want and I get a blank and we go into the shaping bay. We put some templates together, drop an outline and talk about what they want, like different aspects of the board, what they’re looking for, what kind of conditions they want to include. Just really getting a good picture of what they have in their mind and trying to create that.

Do they usually come with a pretty clear vision or is it more of a collaborative process?

I feel like it’s clear for them but it’s hard to get into someone else’s head and really see what they’re feeling is a good idea. I just try to make an interpretation of what they give me and hope that it turns out close to what they were thinking!

Which elements of the shape are most important in determining the performance of a surfboard?

Everything kind of has its own micro importance. I think the foil of the surfboards, how the board goes from thick to thin, the rockers and bottom contours all play a big part.

What are the benefits of hand shaping a board compared to using a CNC machine?

I think the benefit of hand-shaping your boards is that it becomes more like a sculpture. Small things like little air holes or imperfections end up in a hand-shaped board that you don’t get in the CNC boards. I think it also sets people apart - anybody can get a board that’s been run through a CNC machine and finish it like “Oh yeah now I’m a surfboard shaper”, but they don’t really get how to actually make them. So I think it’s important to build something that works with your hands before you start using CNC shapes. That way you get your own personality in every board you make. The board which comes out from a design on the computer and a CNC machine is kind of like having IKEA furniture - something that is reasonably mass-produced and looks exactly the same as everything else.

Finally, how have you liked it in Imsouane?

I heard about this place from a friend, about how good the waves are around this area which was a big draw. It’s just as nice as I imagined it would be, all the different houses you guys have are all so different and unique, the staff has been really friendly and all the food has been excellent... it’s been a really nice stay!

Some quick fire questions...

Left or right?

Right!

Single or twin fin?

Twin fin!

Wetsuit or board shorts?

Board shorts!

Point break or beach break?

Point break!

We’re sorry to see you go so soon Jon, but thanks for leaving us five of your beautiful boards to add to the Olo Quiver! We hope to see you back in the Magic Bay soon.

Follow Jon at @mangiagli_surfboards and check out his work here.

Interview with Shaper Jon Mangiagli