Why not order a custom Rusty Surfboard for yourself before coming to San Diego and have it waiting here for your arrival? Put the money you would spend bringing your board into ordering a brand new custom Rusty Surfboard instead...
Ordering is Simple:
Custom Rusty Surfboards can be ordered at Rusty Boardhouse, Rusty Del Mar, or any authorized Rusty Surfboard dealer across the Nation.
Rusty Boardhouse
Phone: (858)551-0262
Fax: (858)551-0229
Rusty Del Mar
Phone: (858)259-3200
Fax: (858)259-3286
As a young, frothing grom, I ordered my first custom board at the age of 14 and I spent countless hours dreaming the board up...
Where would I ride it? What dimensions would I order? Which shaper would I have shape it? What artwork would I add? I obsessed over minute details and waited in anticipation as my board made the rounds from the shaping bay to the sanding room and everywhere in between. What a rewarding feeling to get that board under my feet! Nothing beats a board that was shaped entirely custom for me...
I just ordered a new board last week (ten years after my first custom order) and, I must admit, the frothing grom has emerged once again! I have doodled on every piece of scratch paper I can get my hands on to come up with a creative airbrush and I have a hard time falling asleep at night because my new board to be is surfing through my mind.
If you want to conjure yourself up a custom new dream board there are several ways to place your order:
1) Order at your local surf shop - Custom Rusty Surfboards can be ordered at Rusty Board House, Rusty Del Mar, or any authorized Rusty Surfboard dealer across the Nation.
2) Call the factory- Our expert staff will help you pick out the perfect custom craft for your size, desires, abilities, and destinations.
3) Schedule an appointment with a shaper- call the factory to set up a time and come in to speak with one of our legendary shapers one on one.
4) Online - check out our board line up and download a PDF version of our catalog
Phone: (858)578-0414
Fax: (858)578-0603
Photo and Text: Brody
The Dwart was created to be the board for 90% of the waves we surf. It's been successfully surfed on aves from 1 - 10 ft and this thing rips! Its high volume design allows it to be ridden much shorter and it is fast, skatie, and highly maneuverable. Also, The Dwart is available with a 5 fin configuration that gives it even more range, being surfed as a quad or tri.
Recommended Sizes:
5'4" X 20" X 2.5"
5'6" X 20.25" X 2 5/6"
5'8" X 20.5" X 2 6/2"
5'10" X 20.75" X 2.7"
6'0" X 21.25" X 2 8/7"
6'2" X 21.5" X 2 8/7"
The DWART can be ordered with any dimensions
For more info head over to the boards page for more info!
As part of our Ask the Expert department, I recently had the chance to talk with the legendary shaper Rusty Preisendorfer about ordering a custom board. Mr. Preisendorfer, always an endless well of surfboard knowledge, left me with twice the amount of solid material that we had room to print in the magazine. Thankfully, we have the internet! So here's the extended version. Enjoy and order away.
Also, if you think of any more tips, post them in the comments section below.
How to Order a Custom Board:
1. Provide basic information: your weight, height, age, foot size (believe it or not this a real consideration), and your experience level (be honest and realistic)?
2. How often do you surf? Where do you surf? What is your style? Give your shaper some background on what you've been riding, your last few boards - things you liked and didn't like. Go back a few boards if you have the history.
3. Where do you want to take your surfing (figuratively)? Where do you want to take this board (literally)? Is this board for a trip? If so, it's always good if your shaper has first hand experience with your intended destination, or at least has some history with surfers that have taken his/her designs there and has had feedback to work of off.
4. If you're getting a board for a specific purpose, commit to it. I have people that come to me and say, "I'm going to Indo, or whatever, I want a board geared for those types of waves, but I'd really like to be able to ride it when I get back (to my cold, marginal, everyday surf at home)." Get a board that will maximize your travel experience and if financial considerations dictate, sell it when you get back.
5. Are you still growing? When ordering a new board I find a lot of times a younger surfer tends to err on the small side of things. If you are still growing, be open to your shaper's recommendations on length, width, and thickness. A slightly bigger board may take a little adjustment but more often than not I find the customer will grow into the board and get more enjoyment out of their surfing.
6. Ironically, some surfers that are hitting their late 20s/ early 30s still try to hang on to the past and tend to order under volume as well. If you are experiencing life changes such as work, metabolism shift, gaining a few pounds, etc., a slight bump in board length and volume will probably bump up your wave count with less effort. That alone will make it a lot more fun. You'll probably end up surfing more and those 10 pounds will melt away.
7. Talk to your shaper. If it's your first visit to "The Factory," be respectful of his time. 15 or 20 minutes should be enough to cover most of it. If you order a board through a shop it's important to convey as much information about you and your needs as possible. Put it in writing and ask that a hard copy or email make it to the shaper with the shop's order form so nothing is omitted or lost in translation. Put your personal contact info, email, phone, down on the order so if the shaper has questions they can reach you. I do this from time to time on shop orders. A 5 or 10-minute phone conversation can make a world of difference.
8. Don't go overboard. From time to time, I get customers that are very specific and have their next board mapped out in detail. While it's good to try and know your numbers, shaping still has an art element. Be flexible and trust your shaper to put the curves together based on his experience.
9. Don't ask for a deal. In fact, if you are working directly with someone, when you pick up your board, consider giving your shaper some additional token of your appreciation. People automatically tip a waiter/waitress they don't know and may never see again. Why not take care of the person capable of bringing you great surf happiness? This will go a long way towards expediting future boards.
10. Follow up with honest feedback and make any criticism constructive. Sometimes something as simple as changing your fins can make a significant improvement in performance. No matter how long a shaper has been doing his craft, a pat on the back always goes a long way. Sometimes the magic doesn't always happen on the first board. If the board didn't meet your expectations, most shapers would like the opportunity to try and make the next one closer to what you are after.
