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HOME  FEATURES Interviews EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Steve Boehne Infinity Surfboards (Part 1 of 2)
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Steve Boehne Infinity Surfboards (Part 1 of 2) |
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By: Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine
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Wednesday, 09 January 2008 |
We were absolutely fired up when we got word that Steve Boehne of Infinity Surfboards was going to share some of his wisdom with us. Steve was only 13 years old when he first took his hand to shaping. Several thousand boards later, he is applying his extensive knowledge of surfboard design to stand up paddle surfboards. Steve is one of the most easy going down to earth shapers I have every met, and he really knows his stuff. Thanks again Steve for sharing the stoke with us all.
SUPSURFMAG: What is Infinity Surfboards?
STEVE: Infinity is a company that loves surfboards. In our shop, the surfboards are out front while the clothes, accessories and wetsuits are hidden in the back
SUPSURFMAG: Where, when, and how did it all begin?
STEVE: After shaping for several shops in Huntington Beach, I decided in 1970 to start my own brand of boards. Most surfboard brands incorporate the name of the shaper or founder, but to me that just seemed to be too much of an ego trip. I chose instead a name that had meaning and a long recognized symbol, INFINITY. This was years before Infinity cars, stereo speakers, boats and everyone else who has copied it. I was the first to use Infinity as a name of a business or product. Thank goodness I have trademark protection for surfboards!
SUPSURFMAG: At what point did you decide to apply your knowledge and experience to shaping stand up paddle surfboards?
STEVE: I have always partaken in alternative ways to go surfing including tandem surfing and wave ski surfing. Since I have been shaping big tandem surfboards since 1968, it was just natural and easy for me to transfer that knowledge over to SUP boards.
I would also say that like everyone who has become immersed in SUP surfing; when I started, I felt the challenge to learn the techniques, and then as I got better, I wanted to do it more. Now, about 95% of my time in the surf is on my SUP. The same thing applies to shaping. For the last year and a half, I have 100% hand shaped at least 15 SUP boards per week. Shaping them now takes up 95% of my shaping time. I guess we all enjoy a new challenge and a change to our routine.
SUPSURFMAG: What is the theory behind the design of Infinity SUP surfboards?
STEVE: The theory is to recognize that a different shape is needed for the different size and shape of the waves you ride and for the different weight, age, ability, and style of surfing of each individual. I, for example weigh 180 lb. I ride an 11’ nose rider “Kuku Hoe” (“Stand Up Paddle” in Hawaiian) in the slow waves at San Onofre, but I like a 10’ quad fin for faster waves up to about head high and a 10’6” carving style board with a pulled in tail for bigger waves.
SUPSURFMAG: How is Infinity SUP board construction unique?
STEVE: For hand shaped and glassed EPS/epoxy, our technique is not unique, but our quality is. Our color work, laminating and shaping ranks with the best offered anywhere. But perhaps the most important thing is that we ship orders on time and stand behind our product. For example, before we discovered the need for an air vent in EPS boards, I had perhaps a dozen customer’s boards delaminate. I replaced their boards for a new one with an air vent. Then we published our recall and installed air vents in all our boards for free. Our Gortex membrane air vent is used by the Army for their computer boxes. I designed the carrier to enable us to use the vent with surfboards.
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SUPSURFMAG: What do you recommend for fins on a stand up boards and why?
STEVE: I don’t think that more than one fin will offer anything to a board over 10’6” long. Multiple fins, help you hook your bottom turn to surf in a more vertical - up and down style, but a board over 10’6” just isn’t going to go straight up the wave face. However, for a short SUP, four fins in a quad configuration will let you use a wider tail for more paddle stability and wave catching plus they will hook those turns and give you more projection.
SUPSURFMAG: What does Infinity offer to stand up paddlers that no one else can?
STEVE: There are some really talented shapers out there producing very nice boards. Like musicians, each shaper has his own style. You may like a song played by one musician by not when played by another. There are over 600 guys who love their Infinity Kuku Hoe’s and there must be a gazillian other guys who love the boards from other makers. I would say that I like to keep a balance between ease of paddling and performance. Personally, I don’t like to make a board so thin, narrow and tippy that it is a pain to paddle just so it will rip a little more. Heck, I can just ride my long board. Also, I love innovative design components like concaves, quad fins and curvy templates. I’m always improving my rockers and templates.
For more information visit www.infinitysurf.com
END PART 1 OF 2
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SUPSURFMAG: Welcome Dave, it certainly
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DAVE KALAMA: I was born in Newport Beach California.
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DAVE KALAMA: My first experience was in 95' when Laird and
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