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If you were stuck on a desert island (with surf, of course) and could just ride three boards for the rest of your life, what would those be? 

Dan Mann: Firstly, I’d probably ride the S-Boss in Firewire’s Volcanic construction. It’s just the most versatile, high-performance shape with really forgiving transition through turns. And at the same time, it has a huge range of waves it goes good in. Then I’d go with a round-pin FRK. That board also goes so well in anything. And, then I’d round things out with an Allinone, which is a 9’6” touring board, which I can go paddle on as well as surf. It’s great for outer reefs, both for exercise and catching those waves. 

Epic. Do you look to certain artists or types of art for inspiration when you shape? 

Yeah, I think music is really key, especially from the early seeds of a design, as far as being loose and not really thinking about it. But I also love watching sculptors because the way they use ancient tools and techniques from so long ago—to create something modern—that’s fascinating to me. Watching someone that comfortable with their tools, it’s like they can make them dance, truly bringing what they’re building come to life. 

I love that. 

So, if a creative idea is expressible through the tools and the hands, and you’re really, really proficient and skilled at using your tools, then the creative idea can take on another form, so that it becomes exponential and a collaboration between your creative side and executable side. Then there’s no separation between the two, if that makes sense. Like, you can shut down the noise and the worry that is in your mind if the tools are great because then creativity can just do its thing. 

Like ‘quieting the mind’? 

Yes. Like, some of the guys that write rad songs, some say it only takes them 10 minutes, as if they’re channeling something there, you know? I read a rad interview with Rick Rubin who was working with Tom Petty and Rick described Tom shutting down his brain, picking up a guitar and writing a song beginning to end, melody, vocals, bridge—the whole thing—and he was done in five minutes, right in front of him. If you just quiet the mind, some magic can really get done.  

Agreed. Do you happen to shape with alternative, “greener” materials much? 

I have. I’ve shaped a bunch of different blanks made out of plant-based oils instead of petroleum oils. One was made out of mushrooms. There’s a lot of resins that are “eco-based” but I have a little issue with that because the resin will have, like, one additive that’s “green” and then they’ll call the whole thing green…which I think is green-washing and pretty bullshit.  

So, what I really believe is that we should make boards to last longer, which keeps them in circulation and gives them a higher resale value. It’ll keep people more excited about surfing too because they don’t have to worry about their board breaking. I’m often hesitant to back an “eco-friendly” board that isn’t strong and will break quicker because it normally won’t bio-degrade any quicker than what’s already out there. 

Right, makes sense.  

So, I think it’s more helpful to use better processes and materials than something that isn’t strong. That might be an unpopular point of view, because everyone wants to use “green” materials, but the truth is that those materials are not really green. But as far as experimentation, what I’ve been doing a lot lately, is I’ll find Costco boards that have broken and I’ll make boards with the foam inside of them—which is actually really good foam! It’s EPS without the caverns and nearly impenetrable. So, I’ll get that raw foam, cut it up, glue it together, and make boards out of trash. Then I’ll take carbon scraps leftover from my friend’s glass shop who uses carbon and you’ve got a board from completely reclaimed materials, and that’s like the greenest thing you can do in my book. 

Love it. What inspires you or makes you feel continually creative to Find Your Outerknown? 

I would say that as much as I try to find what’s outside of myself, if I can quiet my mind, and block out the external noise, and external inputs—then I can feel what really makes me happy and fulfilled. For me, getting outside and in the ocean and paddling is that for me. The more tired I get, the longer I can go and more quiet my mind becomes. It’s like my Outerknown is actually within me.