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For Immediate Release: February 22, 2006
Create Your Own Surfboard in Huntington Beach
First of Its Kind Custom Surfboard Design Studio Open to the Public
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. Forget about souvenir t-shirts, mugs and refrigerator magnets to commemorate your next trip. Now Huntington Beach visitors can make their own surfboard and take it home to ride, hang on a wall or give to a friend as the ultimate Surf City USA™ souvenir.
Pravda Surf recently launched what it claims is the first surfboard design studio open to the public, where even novices can design, shape and paint their own custom board. The spacious 1,000-square-foot studio contains state-of-the-art shaping and painting bays. Customers can get involved in every aspect of the process or get help from expert shapers who can supervise or complete the job.
"It's the ultimate in self-expression, which is what surfing is all about," said owner Valetin Shmidov, who has more than 11 years of surfing and shaping experience. "You learn a lot about the dynamics of surfing going through the process of creating your own board. Surfboards weren't meant to be bought off the rack, and there's an amazing stoke in surfing on a board you created for yourself."
The word "pravda" means "the truth" in Russian. Shmidov says his studio represents; a return to the true, authentic approach to surfing; to the time when surfers were intimately familiar with the dynamics of the ocean and the subtle design of the boards they rode.
Shmidov, a former investment banker who worked on Wall Street, in London and Zurich, decided he needed a change of pace. In December 2005, he invested his savings and open Pravda Surf in Huntington Beach. Since then, around 80 boards have been created by customers ranging from finance executives in Los Angeles, to a 12-year-old girl from Pasadena. Entire families, couples or groups of friends have come in to learn about wave dynamics and see how boards are made from huge blocks of foam called blanks. For company meeting planners, Pravda offers a unique team-building activity, where groups of people work together to create a surfboard, which can later be used for decoration, recreation or friendly company surfing competitions.
"We have all the materials and equipment you need to make your own surfboard, and the experienced shapers to help you do it," said Shmidov.
For creative inspiration, customers can pour over piles of surfing magazines and a library of designs, logos and artwork. From longboards and funboards for beginners/intermediates, to twin fins, thrusters and guns for experts, customers can make any type of surfboard they desire. The studio uses algorithms, which incorporate each customer's height, weight, ability and preferred surf break to create a customized board. It typically takes anywhere from two to three-and-a-half hours to create a board - depending on how long customers spend on their artwork. The cost ranges from $325 for a shortboard to about $550 for a longboard. For a preview of the process and options available, visit the Pravda studio Web site at www.pravdasurf.com.
The laid-back surfer attitude at Pravda is evident from the wording on its Web site, which reassures customers that its work bays are safe: "Both bays are equipped with ventilation and dust collection systems that exceed the recommended standards, even though you don't need that, cuz you're not a wuss and nobody said you were."
Even if you are somewhat timid or inexperienced when it comes to surfing, a visit to Pravda Surf offers a unique education, since Shmidov loves to talk about surfing - whether it's the difference between a beach break and a point break, or how to read the waves at the Huntington Beach Pier.
"I want people to leave here with more than a surfboard," said Shmidov. "I want them to leave here with a feeling of accomplishment and a Surf City USA state-of-mind."
Pravda Surf is located at 15559 Graham Street in Huntington Beach, California. For more information about Pravda Surf call (714) 369-8764 or email Truth@PravdaSurf.com.
To learn more about Huntington Beach, visit www.surfcityusa.com or call 800-729-6232 and request a free visitors guide. Surf City USA™ is a trademark of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. All rights reserved.