When starting a new surfboard company and you are considering shapers to approach where do you start? Well you start at the beginning of course, and who was there at the beginning? SAM EGAN...yes, the father of surfing legend Luke Egan. This master craftsman has been shaping boards for over forty years, which equates to more than 50,000 boards made with his own bare hands. He is so bloody good that hes been voted one of the top 5 surfboard shapers in Australia by his peers and hes also been voted as one of the Top 10 best shapers on the planet.

For SAM EGAN the shaping of surfboards is an extension of his love for riding the waves. He wants other people to get the same kick out of it that he does. He pursues the ideal surfboard the way others chase the perfect wave. His passion has not gone unnoticed, attracting plenty of surfers who faithfully stick by his shapes, and there are some high profile customers among them. At one stage, Sam was supplying boards to 14 OF THE TOP 44 WCT surfers, including four world champions.

Sam comes from Newcastle, Australia and has been influencing the shapes of boards since the late 1950s. In fact, many regard Sam as the Godfather of surfing in Newcastle. Its a role he fills with distinction. With that in mind lets consider for a moment all of the champions that have come out of Newcastle, Mark Richards, Mat Hoy, Luke Egan, Josh Ferris, Peter Cornish , Bob Lynch, Peter McCabe, Marty McMilan, Chad Edser, Roger Clements and Simon Law. Their emergence is proof that this city is home to an elite and world standard surfing community, one which demands the best surfing equipment. This is where Sam has helped to make a difference and not just with his own boards. Ask anyone involved in shaping in Newcastle who taught them how to shape, or who taught the person who taught them, and theyll say Sam Egan or more usually just "SAM".

Once again he is pioneering on your behalf and embarking on a journey that will bring him smack bang up to date with the current revolution in surfboards…..RESIN8.

Sam Egan - A traditional Shaper with a modern out look We once read an article where Sam said:- "I hate the materials we use. For all the care and skill that goes into making surfboards, we are sill talking about a junk product because we use junk materials. These are exactly the same materials we used 30 years ago. Id love to be involved in developing new products but with the margins the way they are there is no way the little guys can afford to. It should be the blank and materials manufacturers who are finding us better materials. But we are such a small industry…………. "

It must be a common feeling amongst shapers when they hand over a new board that they wish it well, but hope (in the nicest possible way) that they never see it again. Unfortunately, the likelihood is, HE WILL, and it certainly wont come back in the same condition he gave it away in!! With that in mind you can understand why some shapers have been yearning for a way to increase the durability and lifespan of their boards.

Sam puts a lot of love, hard work and craftsmanship into making his boards BUT the fact of the matter is, that even if it is the best board he has ever made it is still made of weak vulnerable materials. Imagine how disheartening this is for the poor shapers of the world. He knows that when you run off with your new board you could be knocking on his door needing repairs by sundown. Here is where the lifespan of a normal surfboard starts to dwindle.

We knew that Sam had already expressed an interest in wanting to be involved in the evolution of materials used, so how could we pass up this opportunity to get him in on the revolution. Sam has provided us with a selection of shapes to suit every surfer. RESIN8 has in turn immortalized his designs to provide you with the ultimate surfing experience.