Doc got his nickname from an original Huntington Beach California punk rocker in 1980. "Rex Collision" loved to give the punk nick names and Jeff was the recipient of "Doc Mad" because of the dust mask he'd wear that looked somewhat like a doctor's mask, as Jeff would emerge from the shaping room with his latest creation to the chorus of "There's Doctor Mad". Jeff made the mistake of complaining about the "Doc Mad" nick name, and well, the rest is history.

“Doc” started in a garage factory where he built Freedom Surfboards. In 1984 he got his first real factory and the Freedom Surfboards name just didn't seem to fit any more. He was "Doc" to everyone but his Mom and the cops so it was natural to name his surfboard company Surf Prescriptions by Jeff "Doc" Lausch.

To date he has been shaping boards for over 25 years. During this time he has focused mostly on high performance boards because, “It’s what keeps me excited about the sport and what I’m most comfortable with. I’ve been shaping since 1980 and still love it. It’s the best job in the world. Nothing is better than giving.”

Larry Mabile or "Larmo"...Doer of good deeds.....

Larry grew up in Pacific Beach, California and spent his early days bombing hills, surfing law street, the point, and working as a captain on a fishing boat. Learning to surf in 1973 led him to his first job in the surfboard industry for G&S in 1979. During his time at G&S, Larry shaped and worked with legendary surfer and shaper, Skip Fry.

He continued to hone his craft while at G&S through the 1990's. From 1990 through 2000, Larry worked for Xanadu and Third World Exotic. Additionally, he also worked for Kane Garden and was the primary architect/designer for their surfboard line including the famous Kane Garden Fish. Currently, Larry is dedicated full time to his own surfboard companies, Third World Exotic and Larry Mabile Surfboards.

Shaping as a business was a lot different when I started than it is now. It was rough physical labor and required years of experience just to get comfortable with the tools, mainly the Skil 100 planer. The quality of the boards you made was almost in direct proportion to your ability to use this tool. So it was that after 10 years of shaping (1978), I was ready for the second stage, that of designing. I took the job of manager for Dick Brewer Surfboards, and had the great fortune to shape alongside the most influential surfboard designer of the modern era, trading shortboard designs for big wave gun expertise. Carlsbad, where I lived in north San Diego county, had a couple of kids—Joey Buran and David Barr—who were pushing each other into becoming pro surfers with hopes of joining the world tour.

I started making David’s boards, a new style of twin-fin that I designed, and his career really took off. Then Joey wanted boards too, and in the early ‘80’s, most of the big contests in California were won on boards that I made. Brad Gerlach, Mike Lambresi, Chuy Reyna, Colin Smith, Taylor Knox and later, Todd Holland (who took it farthest, finishing 8th on the world tour), all rode my boards.

I never put quantity over quality and size anyway, so one wave per session is just fine by me. Success has much to do with adjusting your goals to suit your abilities. I now project five years at a time, and three years from now, at 60, I’ll plan another five.

Jim Phillips's experiences in becoming a shaper span both coasts of the United States. Through the years, his understanding of wood, foam and its properties makes him one of the few expert craftsman that can produce a work of art whose exceptional quality translates to performance in the water.

In 1993 Jim moved to the West Coast and started Jim Phillips Surfboards in Encinitas where he builds hand shaped boards of extraordinary quality. Jim is also often called upon to build vintage boards for movies. Recognized industry wide for his expert craftsmanship on both foam and wood boards, Jim is a non traditional shaper in that he is intimately involved with each step of the board building process. His wood designs, stringer work, handmade fins, and attention to detail translate into true rideable works of art.

A California shaping legend, Hank Warner started shaping in 1967 with his brother in law Billy Caster. He has traveled the world to surf and shape custom surfboards in Australia, New Zealand, England, Spain, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and most of coastal mainland USA.

He has also had the privilege of working with many of the sport’s most influential surfers and craftsman. With 40 plus years of surfing and well over 25,000 surfboards shaped, Hank is a true craftsman dedicated to meeting the custom surfboard needs each individual surfer. "My goal is to understand the needs of a surfer and then to create the means for them to realize their full potential in the water."

Longtime San Clemente shaper Cole Simler has been at the forefront of innovation and high-performance boards for nearly a decade. Following an in-town tutelage at the Hobie Surf Factory, Simler moved up the coast in search of waves and an education. “I moved to go to school at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,” Simler says. “It was tough to get boards up there, so I figured I would just make myself a few.”

"Over the years I have been fortunate enough to have shaped for and surfed with some of the most progressive and innovative surfers in the world. Surfe­rs that push the limits of performance have always been intriguing to me. Surfers like Bruce Irons, Andy Irons, Nathan Fletcher, Matt Archbold, and Chris Ward constantly bend and break the rules of what is possible and what is not. My goal is to make the imagination the only limit to what is possible in surfing, not the equipment."

Spanning a career in the surf industry of over 45 years, the legendary “Shros” is as prolific a shaper as they come. He has shaped for and with an incredible collection of surfing’s most notable names. Many would argue that he is one of the top “ghost” shapers of all time.

When asked what he enjoys most about shaping and why he has stuck with it all of these years, he just laughed and said, “It’s a real challenge to do as a living but I just enjoy creating nice boards and always improving …I love it!”

My 1st inspiration for shaping started in 1965 after surfing a 9’6” Dale Bewoodward. I cut the fin into a speed shape & realized I could redesign a board for maximum performance. In 1969 I started shaping & glassing boards in my parents garage for my own personal use & found that there was a market for my boards. I was selling a new board every week.

After moving to Oahu, I met shapers Rick Irons and Mike Diffenderfer. Both offered valuable insights on my designs. I returned to Encinitas in 1972 & started shaping for Hansen Surfboards. In 1974 I became the shaper/factory manager for Koast Surfboards. I continued to perfect my craft, but as a University senior, it was difficult keeping up with demand. I hired shapers Rusty Presindorfer, Bill Shrosbee, & Mike Slingerland to help out. After graduation & another stint at the North Shore, I moved back to Encinitas to open my own surfshop and to continue to shape. To date I have built over 20,000 boards & still love the craft.

With unique shaping tools and techniques, his focus has always been custom board building and pleasing his many customers. His following includes surfers from all ability levels…beginners to pros.

Mitsven is now a well known top shaper in Southern California and to a lesser extent elsewhere. A loyal following, “word of mouth”, and coverage on internet blogs and forums continue to fuel high demand for his expertise. Reserved, unassuming, and humble, Mitsven is simply a perfectionist custom surfboard builder drawing on his vast experience to make you the best board possible.

Cordell’s friends saw him ripping on his self-fashioned sticks, and they asked if they could try them, too. Newport standouts like Todd Miller and Matt Paterson tried his boards and came back raving about them. From there Cordell spent endless hours perfecting his board outlines and templates, and almost as much time testing them at his local surf breaks. His friends, who ranged from ASP world tour conquerors to underground local rippers, tested them for him, as well.”.

Cordell’s infatuation with shaping surfboards is equal to, if not greater, than his love for riding them. He can talk about board design for hours at a time. He is constantly riding his own boards and those made by other shapers trying to find the magic board. In his words, Cordell says that it all comes down to finding the right bottom curves and contours in a board. He is a firm believer that the rocker affects the way a board works above all else.

Barr credits early mentoring by Dick Brewer and Gary Linden plus seven years shaping for Rusty Preisendorfer as critical in his development as a top shaper. “Their guidance was invaluable and they provided a really solid base of knowledge to grow from”.

To date he has shaped over 20,000 boards including boards for Taylor Knox, Brad Gerlach, Dean Morrison, and many, many more. David still surfs almost daily and whenever it’s on is out paddling or towing into the massive waves of Todos Santos.

Tim Bessell loves his job. He combines lifelong surfing experience with expert craftsmanship to create some of the best custom surfboards in the world. From world class professionals to weekend warriors, ask anyone who knows him and they'll tell you the same thing: Tim is more than a shaper, he's an artist.

To date, Tim has produced over 43,000 surfboards. His boards have graced the covers of Surfer Magazine, Surfing Magazine, Beach Culture, and countless other surfing magazines. Many world class surfers have ridden Bessell Surfboards including: Peter King, Luke Egan, Jon Roseman, Glen Winton, Brad Gerlach, Vetea David, Ricky Irons, David MacAulay, Saxon Boucher, Debbie Melville Beacham, Ryder Mackey, Chris O'Rourke, Billy Choe, Simon Law, Juston Postin, David Eggers, Davie Miller, Richard Kenvin and more.

I love shaping every style of board under the sun, including retro fish, shortboards, guns, hybrids, longboards and experimenting with different quad configurations as well as hand shaping e.p.s. epoxies in all sizes and shapes.

I still believe in shaping by hand and surfing as much as possible!

For me, shaping surfboards was a natural progression of my passion for surfing. It seems obvious that a surfer would eventually take an interest in his own surfboard and how it works. That interest led me to try my hand at shaping: first my own boards, and then my friends’. The ability to tweak things here and there and then feel the effects on a board’s performance is truly a satisfying experience. To be able to work with other surfers and shape someone else’s magic board is even better.

I find that the entire process of hand shaping a board gives the shaper ultimate freedom. Whether it’s a high-performance shortboard or a funky, retro twin fin, each board deserves the full attention and focus of the shaper. I think it’s through that attention to detail that magic boards are born. My goal as a custom shaper is to provide individual surfers the surfboards that work best for them. Also to let them take part in the process, whether it’s through discussing design or simply choosing an airbrush. There’s something different about riding a board that was created specifically for you. In the end, surfing should be about feeling good and doing what you want, and your surfboard should reflect that.

Mike started shaping in 1996 and has already shaped thousands of boards under labels like Rusty, Sharp Eye, Xanadu, G & S, Kane Garden, Lightning Bolt, Rossin, Hynson, and his own label, Walker

"I have been fortunate enough to have shaped for some of the world’s most respected labels. I’ve used this past experience and have incorporated these vast design concepts into boards designed to meet the needs of surfers on all skill levels. Designs come and go like the tides. Amongst all the hype and cool ad campaigns, it can be hard to figure out what will work best for you and your surfing.

“The Speed Egg is my most requested board. I have been perfecting this shape since 1976 and by 1982 had incorporated tri and quad fins in to the design. Since 1982, my personal favorite has remained the Four Fin Speed Egg.” “I also designed the Travel Board in the late 1990 for surfers on vacation. This board is more versatile in different kinds of surf, saving the traveler the expense and inconvenience of carrying several boards.

The travel board is a narrow Speed Egg design that will hold its own on bigger waves but will also perform well on smaller waves”. The Big Guy Tri is designed for the mature surfer who does not want to give up performance or style. It’s a bit wider and thicker but not much longer.

After 47 years of surfing and 37 years of shaping, I continue to enjoy the art of building custom surfboards by hand from start to finish. I shape in excess of 1,200 boards per year and still dawn patrol 5 days a week.

“The Speed Egg is my most requested board. I have been perfecting this shape since 1976 and by 1982 had incorporated tri and quad fins in to the design. Since 1982, my personal favorite has remained the Four Fin Speed Egg.” “I also designed the Travel Board in the late 1990 for surfers on vacation. This board is more versatile in different kinds of surf, saving the traveler the expense and inconvenience of carrying several boards.

The travel board is a narrow Speed Egg design that will hold its own on bigger waves but will also perform well on smaller waves”. The Big Guy Tri is designed for the mature surfer who does not want to give up performance or style. It’s a bit wider and thicker but not much longer.

After 47 years of surfing and 37 years of shaping, I continue to enjoy the art of building custom surfboards by hand from start to finish. I shape in excess of 1,200 boards per year and still dawn patrol 5 days a week.

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