Sel Surfboards

We met Oli of Sel Surfboards last year on one of our trips across the border into SW France.  He's been shaping for many years all over the world, and has settled in Hossegor - and we're stoked that he's now using Macho Fins in his boards. 

We sent Oli our Shaper Stories questions to find out a bit more about him and his boards...

Tell us where you’re from and where you’re based.

I’m Spanish, but I currently live and work in Hossegor, France.

What inspired your logo/brand name?

The triangle of my logo, the way it’s positioned, is a symbol of alchemy, which means water, and the word SEL is the French translation of salt – together they mean salt water.

Tell us a bit about how, when and why you got into shaping.

I started shaping wooden surfboards years ago, hollow boards.  This rather marked my life, and bit by bit I started to work in small workshops, until I made the decision to create Sel Surfboards.

What kind of boards do you mostly shape?

I’m passionate about shaping, I like giving form and shape to all types of boards, but perhaps my preferred boards are gliders due to the complexity of their shape.  Also, I’d have to say bonzers and round twins, just from a pure love of those types of board.

What’s your preferred fin set up to a) shape and b) surf? 

I’ve used all sorts of fin set ups both surfing and shaping, because it’s an important part of our work – trying out everything we shape.  But for me, I prefer twin fins, for how they work in the water, and for their visual beauty in the board.

Best tip for the budding shaper? 

The best piece of advice I could give would be don’t stop.  Work hard for yourself and for others, experience is what counts to get to the point of making quality surfboards.

What’s been the most memorable board you’ve ever shaped & why? 

I’ve got loads of favourite boards, some because of their stories, some because of where they’ve been shaped – Spain, Costa Rica, California, France, and some because of who’s surfed them and the feedback I’ve had on them.

What's the bonus of using Macho Fins in your boards?

For me the quality compared to other brands, their precision in terms of fitting in the box, and very good sizing.  They're the perfect match for my boards.

Thanks Oli!  And you can check out Sel Surfboards on Instagram, Facebook and on their website.

This interview has been translated from Spanish.