Exotic Designs by Ken Moore

Customer Name: Ken Moore

Brand name: Exotic Designs Surfboards

How was your initial experience at Foam E-Z? It was good, low keyed and friendly.

Why did you want to build your own board? I used to have HDX (cutting service) to do my boards for me, and I would always help at different stages and learn. As HDX grew and I learned more, I decided to tackle the craft on my own.

Shape of finished board? The one I’m showing is a swallow tail fish. My 4^th board, start to finish.

Size of finished board: 6 Foot; 14”Nose; 20.5”Wide;16.25” Tail; 2.5”Thick

What blank did you use? Just Foam 6-9

How was your board building experience? Enlightening.

Did you use videos, books, web, other? Yes.

What videos, books, web, other did you use? Just accumulated knowledge, verbal info from the Foam E-Z guys, Grant, Rob and Brad. Brendon from HDX and swaylocks.com

Do you recommend these resources? Yes definitely.

What do you wish you knew going into this project? How to make resin color swirls; when you squeegee it the colors blend into mud color (not good). You have to pour the entire surface before pulling off the excess resin. When masking a cut-lap on foam to press the tape down with a plastic card (colored cut-lap bled a little). What’s the best polishing technique.

What would you recommend to someone else for their first time? Prepare before executing.

What tools did you find most useful? Power planer, Surform, sand block, power sander.

Where did you run into trouble? Sanding the hot coat, sanded through in a few spots, but I fixed them.

What kind of fin system? Probox Fin Systems - quad fin box set up, twin keel fins installed.

Did you glass the board and what was that experience like? Yes I did. It was my first resin color job. I wasn’t sure what to do to achieve the effect that I was going for, but I got the bottom close and the deck mudded on me a little. All in all it came out good. The pin lines pulled it all together. The first guy who saw it, bought it!!!

What supplies were purchased from Foam E-Z? Resin, fiberglass, tints and pigments, UV catalyst, regular catalyst, leash plug, polish, blank, squeegee, sanding pad.