Robert August WIR from Thailand?

[Z mann R2]

Hello...I just purchased a new 9'0 RA WIR model from a surf shop in Port Aransas, TX....I was told it was a poly board but when I got it home I noticed a small sticker on the bottom that says "Made in Thailand"......does this mean it is an epoxy board? Here is a picture of it:

[jaffa1949]

No they also make poly boards in Thailand and China. A semi useful rule of thumb if you can see the foam and and the stringer is not painted on and the colouring is in the glass is is most likely poly.

[Z mann R2]

Well see I was just looking at an epoxy McTavish the other day that I could see the foam and the stringer and it said epoxy right on the board. Honestly I couldn't tell the difference from a regular poly board. Are there any other ways to tell?

[Z mann R2]

Ok I got an answer from Robert august's shop in Cali. It is a poly and machine made. Kinda bummed cuz I wanted a hand shaped board but oh well. Hopefully I'll still be happy with it

[drowningbitbybit]

If you purchase a particular model of a surfboard these days, its very likely to have been machine shaped and then hand-finished.
Something like your board certainly won't have had Robert August anywhere near it.
To get a 'proper' handmade board, you have to go custom, speak to the shaper, and if possible go local rather than a high throughput manufacturer.

(Are you listening Al Merrick riders...? )

Still a nice board though. Forget about how it was made and tell us how it rides

[jaffa1949]

Ok I got an answer from Robert august's shop in Cali. It is a poly and machine made. Kinda bummed cuz I wanted a hand shaped board but oh well. Hopefully I'll still be happy with it

As Drowning said very few surfboards are shaped by the man, (whoever he is) The board machine shaped and hand finished by a ghost shaper can be OK.
Ghost shapers have been around in the industry forever, it was and is part of a shaper's apprenticeship until they get their own reputation. Most good shapers can give you their lineage , who they shaped for until they did their own thing.

This whole exercise points out one thing about buying a name board. ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARD BEFORE YOU LAY DOWN YOUR CASH, it's no good being bummed if you haven't, BTW the shop assistant doesn't necessarily know the answer, especially in a mall surf shop


The board looks OK from the picture

[Z mann R2]

Ok I got an answer from Robert august's shop in Cali. It is a poly and machine made. Kinda bummed cuz I wanted a hand shaped board but oh well. Hopefully I'll still be happy with it

As Drowning said very few surfboards are shaped by the man, (whoever he is) The board machine shaped and hand finished by a ghost shaper can be OK.
Ghost shapers have been around in the industry forever, it was and is part of a shaper's apprenticeship until they get their own reputation. Most good shapers can give you their lineage , who they shaped for until they did their own thing.

This whole exercise points out one thing about buying a name board. ASK ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARD BEFORE YOU LAY DOWN YOUR CASH, it's no good being bummed if you haven't, BTW the shop assistant doesn't necessarily know the answer, especially in a mall surf shop


The board looks OK from the picture

Oh I'm still excited about the board....I mean it's still Robert's design that he feels is the best all around board in his opinion so I will be giving a report on it very soon so keep an eye out for me within the next few weeks.....also I had talked to his shop in CA and they said all their boards made there are custom hand shaped with no machines/computers....she was even willing to throw in a laminate under the glass of roberts real signature on the board for about $900 or so but shipping was another $150 and I figured this board would suit me just fine while spending only $750