LEGENDS / BEN AIPA (By Free Surf Magazine)
Legendary Hawaiian surfboard shaper, Ben Aipa
If I told you that the swallowtail surfboard design – yes, the same shape of board that you surf on regularly at Kewalos and Bowls – was inspired by the fluttering of a bird, would you believe me?
As it turns out, watching the turning ability of a swallowtail bird is exactly how Ben Aipa had the idea for the board design that would have a monumental impact on the sport. This is just one of Ben’s innovations, too.
By Cash Lambert