Brad Finley (Florence, OR) hand-shapes and glasses surfboards for surfers in Oregon and farther afield. Whether the board shape is a “fish” or an “egg,” Finley builds for the individual surfer, considering body type, surfing style, and local wave tendencies. On a given day, he might field calls about Florence surf conditions or compete in a “surf ride” car show. He especially relishes the shared culture of cold-water surfers on the central Oregon coast.
Bio
Brad Finley hand-shapes and glasses surfboards for surfers in Oregon and farther afield. Whether the board shape is a “fish” or an “egg,” Finley builds for the individual surfer, considering body type, surfing style, and local wave tendencies. This work takes considerable time to master, and each board is unique. “A hand-shaped board is still a handmade object,” Finley explains. “It’s made freehand by a human being. It’s just a lot of time looking at it, doing it, making the mistakes, and learning from that.” Finley started out making boards for his own use; getting out on the water remains one of his main motivators. On a typical morning, he walks 500 yards from his front door to an overlook where he can see “Chicken Point,” a favorite local surf spot on Oregon’s central coast. He gauges the swell, looking for waves that “peel” “like a zipper,” breaking in a gradual, regular form as they approach shore. If he likes what he sees, he’ll grab one of his homemade boards (branded Team Low Tech), a 5-millimeter-thick wetsuit, and head for the water. Finley also participates in a robust Central Coast surf culture when he’s out of the water. “Surfing is fifty percent riding waves and fifty percent people,” he says. On a given day, he might field calls about Florence surf conditions or compete in a “surf ride” car show. Despite Oregon surfers’ reputation as fiercely territorial, Brad Finley finds his peers to be a welcoming and caring group, who frequently serve as unofficial lifeguards on the local coast.
