[Custom Longboard 9’0”] Water Flow Model for Surfer Girl. From Fear to the Joy of Surfing.
Shape
Nov 2, 2026
MEET THE RIDER
This 9’0” custom longboard was shaped for Dr. E, a petite surfer who works as a dentist.
Our connection began at T-REEF's 40th anniversary party. My childhood friend Riku brought his friend Mark to the celebration. Mark is Dr. E's husband, and through that connection, I eventually met her.
It was her first custom order from T-REEF.
Until now, she had been riding a heavier, classic-style single-fin longboard. But she often experienced pearling, when the nose of the board dives into the water, which had made surfing frightening at times.
Before designing her custom board, I wanted her to experience what a different board could feel like.
So I invited her to try a T-REEF trial board for about a month.
The board was a lightweight, high-performance longboard originally designed for female surfers.
9’0” × 22 1/2” × 2 3/4” / Squash Tail / EPS
The idea was to make catching waves easier, create a smooth sense of glide, and allow the surfer to control the board at her own pace.
After spending time with the board in the water, Dr. E shared her experience with me.
“Taking off became easier.”
“I stopped pearling.”
“I started to understand when to control the board.”
“The feeling of glide was really good.”
“Surfing became fun again.”
She had experienced the difference herself, in the ocean.
That experience led to her first custom order.
WHAT WE BUILT
Spec | Details |
|---|---|
Length | 9’0” |
Width | 22 1/2” |
Thickness | 2 5/8” |
Nose Width | 17 3/4” |
Tail Width | 14 3/4” |
Tail | Squash Tail |
Rail | Even Soft |
Fin Setup | Single Box + 2 Plugs |
Blank | EPS |
Finished Weight | 5.24 kg |
THE DESIGN STORY
Keeping the Feeling She Found in the Trial Board
For this custom board, I started with the trial board that she had enjoyed riding.
I made just one adjustment.
I reduced the thickness from 2 3/4” to 2 5/8” — a difference of only 1/8”.
All the other specifications remained the same.
She had spent about a month riding the trial board and discovering how it felt in different situations.
I wanted to preserve that feeling while making the board a little easier to handle for her smaller frame.
Custom shaping does not always mean changing everything.
Sometimes, the important thing is to keep what already works and adjust only what is needed.
That is also part of how I think about custom surfboard design.
Water Flow: Glide and Control, Working Together
The design concept for this board is Water Flow.
When I shape a surfboard, I think about how water moves around the board and how that movement can turn the energy of a wave into a natural glide. But glide alone is not enough.
The board also needs to respond when the surfer wants to move.
Glide → Control → Natural Motion
I wanted her to feel the board moving smoothly with the wave, while still being able to control it at her own timing.
Glide and control should work together.
During the trial period, she experienced that difference herself.
Taking off became easier.
She began to understand the timing of her movements.
And she could enjoy the feeling of the board gliding across the wave.
For me, that experience matters more than anything.
Lightweight and Easy to Handle: Designed for a Petite Surfer
For this 9’0”, I used an EPS blank.
The finished board weighs 5.24 kg.
Coming from a heavier, classic-style longboard, a lightweight board offered her a different way to experience surfing.
But a lighter board is not automatically a better board.
It still needs enough flotation and stability.
It needs to feel comfortable when paddling, taking off and turning.
For this custom board, I kept the design she had already tested and adjusted the thickness slightly to find a better balance for her smaller frame.
And for the finishing, we chose a soft pink.
A board shaped specifically for Dr. E.
FROM FEAR TO THE JOY OF SURFING
What made me happiest about this board was not simply seeing the finished shape.
It was something she told me.
“Surfing became fun again.”
She had been experiencing fear from repeated pearling.
But after spending time on a board that suited her, she began to feel the difference.
Catching waves became easier.
She started to understand when and how to control the board.
And the feeling of surfing began to change.
I believe a surfboard is more than just a piece of equipment.
Finding the right board can change the way you feel a wave.
And sometimes, it can change the way you feel about surfing itself.
This 9’0” Water Flow came from that experience.
More Glide. More Control. More Joy.
A smoother glide. Control at your own timing.
And more enjoyment every time you catch a wave.
As a shaper, there is nothing more rewarding than hearing that someone is enjoying surfing again.
Dr. E, thank you for trusting me with your first custom board.
— Tadao Tominaga
T-REEF Surfboard
WANT TO ORDER YOUR BOARD?
Every T-REEF Surfboard is fully hand-shaped.
Each board is designed from scratch around your:
✔️ Surfing style
✔️ Body type
✔️ The way you want to surf
