A Mano Surf
The client
A Mano is an independent surf brand from Byron Bay. They were using Instagram as their website and even taking orders through their DMs, but they knew they needed a website to grow their business.
The challenge
A Mano knew tone of voice was critical for establishing their brand. The founders were trying to finish off the website while also hand-shaping boards, finalising a movie and planning its launch so decision fatigue understandably hit before the site went live. I was able to help them out with some photography, solve all their copy challenges and guide them through some roadblocks to keep the website build progressing – the website launched soon after and has been performing really well. One of the key challenges to solve was hierarchy of information and working out the best way to present sometime quite technical information in an accessible and fun way.
The solution
I’ve been surfing ever since Dad pushed me into my first wave at Pines in Shoreham when I was about eleven. So I jumped at the chance to leverage years of passion and experience to perfectly articulate A Mano’s tone of voice – passionate, honest, fun and light. One of my favourite parts of this project was fulfilling my dream of writing surfboard product descriptions that actually offer an idea of how the board will perform rather than obtuse esoteric ramblings you find on so many sites.
Bringing the founders’ vision to life through the copy on the about page was super enjoyable. Taking their thoughts and find the right words is always a rewarding challenge – especially when the client encourages me to lean into some storytelling.
The brand story
Shaping your curiosity
Surfers are gifted with a completely pointless and wildly enjoyable escape from the seriousness of land life. We find happiness floating around in the ocean for hours on end waiting for the right wave to come along for a dance. We all surf for different reasons but a common goal unites us – we’re all chasing those feelings of joy unique to the ocean.
As the name suggests, A Mano surfboards are 100% hand shaped. We believe that something crafted by hand holds a unique value and beauty in a world full of mass production. Every detail in each board is shaped by a lifetime of passion and expertise to help you explore your curiosity in the sea.
Shaping your dream board is a collaborative process. We’ll chat about the sensations you’re chasing, the waves you’ll be riding and the experience you want in the water so we can translate them into design details. You’ll walk away with a hand crafted, one-of-a-kind surfboard made to stoke your curiosity and grow with you to keep you intrigued as you explore your surfing.
Contact us
A Mano pride themselves on their personal customer service, so this page was critical. They wanted to knock down the walls between customer and shaper and encourage them to reach out and ask any question about getting a new board without feeling like they’d be judged or dismissed.
Contact us.
Drop us a line to chat to our shaper, Simon. You can ask us anything – there are no stupid questions.
We’re here to make the best board for you, and the connection between you and the shaper is critical in doing that.
We’re happy to chat about any aspect of building you a surfboard.
The order form
We wanted to set clear expectations for the process of ordering a custom handmade surfboard so we included a drop down section, 5 steps to your dream surfboard.
Your Dream Surfboard
We understand that ordering your next dream board isn’t as simple as just a couple of clicks. Therefore, upon completion of the order form, we will contact you directly to explore the design details of your board. Alternatively, use this form to get a real-time quote or drop us a line to begin the communication directly with your shaper.
1. Order Form
There are no wrong answers here. Try to complete as many fields as you can. If you're not sure or if you can't find what you are after, try to explain as best you can what you’re searching for in a board. We’ll talk through this later and use it as the beginnings of your board. We need a deposit of $400 to get the ball rolling.
2. Ring Ring
We love a chat, so we’ll organise a time to talk through the vision for your board and how we’re going to translate that into your custom design
3. Shaping
Then we get to work. We’ll hand shape your board from quality blanks to a perfect finish.
4. Glassing
A critical phase in the board making process, this is where we wrap up your board and get it ready for its maiden voyage.
5. Delivery
You can pick up your board directly from the shaper or we can organise a courier to deliver to your home.
The product descriptions
Noserider
Features & Benefits
Our Noserider log is made for long nose rides on longer point break waves. A flat rocker and deep nose concave combine with a lifted tail to set you up for effortless nose rides. Step back to the tail to glide through graceful turns.
Great For
Beginner to advanced surfers. Anyone looking for a good time every day of the year. Trim along ankle biters or flow through point breaks with style. This board is also great for surfers who are starting their surfing journey and looking for something that’s super easy to paddle into lots of waves and stable to surf.
Surfs like
Small Waves
Longboards and small waves make for super fun days. The length and volume of our Noserider makes paddling into small waves effortless. Once you’re on your feet you’ll trim through sections with ease.
Solid Waves
We recommend our Classic Single or Twin Pin for solid waves. Unless you’re experienced and you’ve lent your Classic Single to a friend, we recommend you take your Noserider to a protected wave around the corner instead.
Crumbly Waves
Enjoy a super stable take off and lots of trimming speed through flatter sections. The volume and length will have you cross-stepping up and down the board and gliding through crumbly sections effortlessly.
Hollow Waves
Get in early, set your line and crowd the nose.
The tech specs
Size Range - 9'0-9'6
Fin Setup - Single Fin
Rocker - Low rocker with an accelerated flick off the tail for noseriding
Rails - Nice upturned traditional longboard rails for glide and flow
Paddle Power - You'll be everyones worst enemy while trimming into unbroken rollers from way out the back