Ben Aipa was appreciative when his peers honored him for his innovative surfboard-shaping techniques and his dedication as a surfing coach.
He was positively stoked years ago when he was inducted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame, but it was only recently that Aipa received his greatest thrill, a quiet pleasure that any parent would envy.
Aipa has found a way to provide a living for his grown children while keeping them together as a family. It's an ohana on foam, the foam of the ocean and the foam of shaped surfboards, those fragile hand-crafted creations.
"Working with my dad is the coolest thing in the world," says professional surfer Akila Aipa, who shapes surfboards under his own Hawaiian Foamsmith logo.Ben Aipa is still out there surfing and coaching whenever the waves are any good and makes boards for core surfers in Hawaii and around the world.
You can order his logo T-shirts, tank tops, rash guards, board shorts and other cool surf wear at blueplanetsurf.com or go by the Blue Planet Surf Shop at 813 Kapahulu Ave. to find Ben Aipa logo surf wear.
For more information, call:
Blue Planet Surf ShopThe past and the future
Ben Aipa recently moved to a new location close to the entrance to Honolulu International Airport. It's not covered in pictures like his old shop, which was like walking through a surfing museum. Ben still has plenty of stories to tell and pictures to show even though he has kept his walls clean and free of picutres, so far. Ben does not like to use e-mail, so you will have to call him or just stop by and check his new digs. For a great story with pictures of Ben's new place, please visit:Available now: "Da Hook" thruster fin set
Features: Hand foiled fiberglass fin set with curved side fins designed by Ben Aipa- It hooks onto the wave for more speed and control. Available in 4 3/4" size in black, white, or red for FCS and Futures Fin system exclusively at Ben Aipa Surfboards and Blue Planet Surf Shop. Matching 4 3/4"Aipa fins for standards center fin boxes available also.
Price: $60 for three fin set (fcs or futures), $30 for center box fin, $6 flat rate shipping in the US. To order online, visit:
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