What comes to mind when I say Connecticut? Let’s try; I say CT, you say … Lacrosse, maybe? Rich hedge fund managers living in Greenwich? Algonquins? No, maybe you’re thinking of its peculiar geographic location that has had a strange effect on some of its population; some are Boston sports fans and some New York sports fans. Hartford, perhaps? No, I hope you’re not thinking of Hartford. What if I told you that although there is a large landmass blocking any swell from hitting this mystical coastline — namely, Long Island — CT still has a rich surf culture and some great surfboard builders? You probably think I’m off my rocker, but it’s true (and we’ll talk about rocker a bit later).
Connecticut has 96 miles of coastline full of sandy beaches, rocky coves and majestic headlands. The body of water that makes this a coastline at all is called the Long Island Sound. Now the Sound (as us CT folk call it), in all of its glory, catches the flow of several rivers in Connecticut and converges with the Atlantic Ocean to the north near Block Island. It almost seems as if when the founders were drawing the territory lines back in ye olden days, they intentionally decided to make Connecticut a non-surfer refuge — Surfless in Shelton (would you watch that movie?). The waves end where Connecticut Starts. However, CT is a middle man between two East Coast surfing hotspots. New York, with its miles of beach breaks and Rhode Island, with its picturesque reefs and points. Waves are within short driving distance, you just have to decide: north or south.
While I’m sure you love learning about Connecticut and its geographical importance, you probably want to know what I’m getting at. Well, in southern CT, there is — despite some adversity (Long Island) and Poseidon’s lack of interest in the area — a city that has been able to inspire some great surf craftsmanship. The next time you are selfishly using CT and the Merrit Parkway as a means to get from New York to New England — or vice versa — stop off at exit 35. Here you will find “The city that works,” Stamford. (Nobody actually calls it that but there is a sign near the exit ramp that attempts to start the trend.) Anyway, I digress. Let’s turn our attention to a surfboard company located in a small red brick garage that’s situated in a peaceful neighborhood within the wooded depths of Stamford. A surfboard company in Stamford?
Ideal Surfboards
Ideal Surfboards is merely in its infant stages as a brand but thier boards are already under the feet of surfers in California, CT and Rhode Island. I myself have an Ideal surfboard and it’s been a focal point in my quiv for some time now. When I wax up my yellow, rasta-finned 5’11’’ Ideal fish named Lemon Jelly (or Limoncello when I’m feeling Italian), I often imagine myself as Ryan Burch in a psychedelic surf film; I’m grooving down the line with a flowing mane behind me as my board is radiating yellow and blinding onlookers on the beach. Woah, snap out of it Barn. Sorry. That fish has served me well for nearly 5 years and has outlasted a dozen boards built by some of the industries leading professionals. Trust me, these boards are built to last. Here are some words I would use to describe an Ideal surfboard: quality, durable, clean, art, siiiick, cruisy, fast, babe magnet, user-friendly.
OD sporting a handmade single fin that he reengineered from an old long board
The little shop is owned and operated by Owen DeMasi — a Stamford local and surf and surfboard connoisseur. He is a high school history teacher by day and stoke-inducing artisan by night. Owen (friends call him OD for short) is a one-man band: he shapes the blanks, vacuums and cleans the shop and then glasses the boards. His board building is a well-orchestrated dance that allows him to carve wave-ready sculptures out of foam. OD’s approach and style are a breath of fresh air in a surf world that is changing as rapidly as the real world. When it’s time to shape, he shapes. When it’s time to glass the board, that’s what he’ll do. There is no rush; there is no sense of pressure. Also, there are no ulterior motives. He is not trying to look cool on Instagram, It’s just what he loves to do.
In Hollywood’s depiction of surfing, there is always one main character who is trying to achieve a goal out in the water. Think Rick Kane from North Shore, or Jay from Chasing Mavericks, or even Keanu in Point Break. Although Hollywood surf films are mainly loathed by the surfing community and can be more cringey than my Apologize ringtone in eighth grade, they do have a common recipe that parallels real life in an obviously dramatic and absurd Hollywood way. That being the person in the movie who mentors and helps the main character achieve his goals. Matt Warshaw, the writer of the Encyclopedia of Surfing, describes this character as the film’s surf “guru.” He says the guru is “someone to direct our hero down the path of what the guru himself believes to be surfing righteousness.” OD is certainly the “guru” of Stamford surf culture without all of the destructive traits inherent in Hollywood characters. He has his interpretation of what surfing and surf culture are and nobody can change that — his boards are all the cooler because of it. The pursuit for a deeper understanding of the physical properties incorporated in a surfboard that result in fun and ease for the end user is no simple journey. It takes years of hyper-focus and attention to detail. Remember, board builders are taking many different variables into account before ever touching a piece of foam: your skill level, the wave you surf, your height, weight, style, preferences, etc. There is no product quite like a surfboard. These years of blood, sweat and tears poured into trying to crack the code are what makes board builders so interesting.
I first met OD in the earliest of my barn-brained days. I began to impose myself on the surfing community. It all started with me sending him a message on Instagram asking if he could help me shape a board. I was surprised and even a little confused to see that someone else in Stamford had an affinity for foam and fiberglass. I was even more surprised that he was willing to teach me. OD is a wealth of knowledge and is willing to share what he’s learned from each board built. We met up and talked about surfing — the addicting and frivolous activity that hoards our attention — and board building. He showed me all of his creations. Over the years, he has built handplanes, alaias, and a variety of different boards from different surf eras. His house was like stepping into a time machine — I was a 22-year-old grom in a candy store.
Fast forward: I now live in California (am I a sellout?) and OD still lives in Stamford and spends much of his out-of-the-classroom time in Rhode Island. When I go home in the summer, one of my favorite things to do is spend time at the Ideal shop. I gawk at the boards while OD works on his current project. (And most of the time, I interrupt him while he’s deep in concentration to ask a question I’ve already asked last year, oops.) Well, this past July I stopped in, as per usual, but this time I decided to bring my camera to take a couple of pics of the operation.
These illustrations show OD prepping and glassing a surfboard. This is how a typical day at the Ideal Surfboards shop plays out. I pull up in my Granny’s green Machine (a 92’ Honda Civic) and OD is usually opening up the garage to start preparing the area. We shoot the shit for a bit. I love picking his brain and I learn something new every time. It really is no wonder that he’s a high school history teacher. Within the first five minutes of meeting him at his house in those early days, I was able to see his passion for teaching. He also has an exceptional recall for minor details about surf history, surfboard designs and hydrodynamics. Anyway, usually within 20 or 30 minutes, the real magic takes place. OD will start mowing foam with his planer — a modified Bosch — and then proceeds to transform that garage into a full-on foam party. If the shaping is done (like it was in the pics above), we’ll put on our respirators, and he’ll mix a batch of resin and catalyst, channeling his inner mad scientist, and glass the board. As we wait for the resin to cure or take a break before shaping the rails, Nana — Owen’s wonderful grandma — will invite us in for a cup of Espresso and homemade Italian cookies. We usually smell like resin or have white foam particles covering our eyebrows but Nana doesn’t care. This is my favorite part of the day (sorry Owen)! How can we possibly work after getting comfortable, drinking coffee and having a nice conversation about our Italian relatives with Nana? It’s a slow and delicate process but we make it work. So this is the system that leads to the production of an Ideal surf craft and it is a sacred ritual. Nana mixes some potent Espresso because the boards always come out perfect. While OD does shape in a garage and does sand in the backyard — which would literally make him backyard shaper — the finished product paints a different picture. His boards are pro! Let’s take a look at two designs he has been perfecting over the years so that you can see for yourself!
Template: Modified Windansea Special
Overview: The Windasea is “a very versatile board.” As you begin to pick up speed and plane across the water you’ll cross step your way into the 60’s — surfings’ “golden age.” The board is a modern take on Bill Thrailkill’s Windansea Special from San Diego. Notice: the bottom board has has a different fin set up than a modern longboard. What you’re looking at is an early 60’s reverse fin that was hand-foiled by Ideal. This fin was first introduced by guru board builder and OG power surfer Phil Edwards. The reverse fin was thought to help stabilize the board and create and harness speed.
Template: Ideal Fish
Overview: Ideal’s fish is a take on another design conceived by a San Diego native, Steve Lis. The twin-fin fish first appeared in the late-60’s and briefly became popular for the speed it generated in smaller, mushier waves. In modern times, it is rare for a surfer not to have a fish in their garage ready for battle when the three-fin just ain’t cuttin’ it. Notice: Ideal sometimes glasses on their fins and leash loops making you the coolest surfer at the beach. Also, the board In the left and center photos is rockin’ Ideal-shaped wooden fins with red translucent beads of resin cut into the center. That’s rad.
While Ideal has a variety of models and boards, I decided to briefly talk about these two specifically so that you can really grasp the diversification of Ideal’s template library and of OD’s skill set. Plus, I’ll never pass on an opportunity to show off my freshly-baked Ideal fish (pictured top right).
The other day, I threw a series of random questions at OD in hopes that you can get to know the man behind Ideal Surboards just a little bit better. He kindly answered.
Why did you choose to name your brand Ideal Surfboards?
I build surfboards in my grandma’s 3rd garage bay which my grandfather originally added on to the house back in the day. He was a shoe repairman and his business was called Ideal Shoe Repair. When I first got the garage it was full of old shoe repair stuff from his old shop. I still have and use a lot of the tools that he had in that garage so I decided to pay homage to him and his business. My buddy Ryan Cutter (@concrete.beach on Insta) designed my logo for the brand so gotta give him a shout-out on that one!
When did you start surfing and where?
I started surfing in my teens in Kitty Hawk North Carolina. I was probably 14 or 15 years old when my parents rented me a board for a few days. We would go on vacation to NC every summer so from that point on I always surfed when we went.
Tell me about the first board that you built: was it Shredable?
The first board I built was a wood paipo (bodyboard) I made out of 2x4s I found in my grandfather’s old garage. I glued them together to make a blank and then shaped it up! Sealed it with marine spar varnish. Totally shreddable for a wood board!
My first foam board I built out of all home depot materials. I used rigid foam insulation and shaped a foam Alaia. Then glassed it with boat epoxy and sealed the spray paint artwork on it with an automotive clear coat. The thing definitely shreds as long as you are going straight!
If you were marooned on Block Island and the ferry was no longer running, and out of the distance you saw a surfboard floating toward shore, what board would you hope it would be? Sorry for the long scenario..
I would hope it was a Windansea special by Bill Thrailkill. He sent me a template for that board and it is my favorite longboard template. It is very versatile. I’ve ridden it in literally everything and it always works.
What type of surfboard would you put under the feet of a never-surfed-before barn and why?
A Wavestorm haha. But besides that, probably something in the 9-10 foot range depending on how big the barn is.
The Hippy!
What type of surfboard would you give to a progressing barn who has solid fundamentals and wants to progress even more?
I build a model called the Hippy which is a pin tail midlength that rips in most conditions as long as the wave has some push. It holds in the juice but can still cruise in thigh-waist high peelers.
What rail profile do you think best suits a beginner surfer and why?
I think beefy rails are the most forgiving and fun. 50/50 or 60/40
Come clean — are there really waves in Stamford, CT?
Waves are few and far between. But I can catch chop on my prone paddle and I’m convinced that if the conditions come together, there can be actual surfable waves.
What’s your favorite type of Music? Favorite band?
I love all kinds of music. Reggae, Jazz, Rock, etc… But some of my favorite bands are Jimi Hendrix Experience, Bob Marley and the Wailers, and The Beatles.
Is it true you enjoy a nice bath after your surf sesh?
It is very true!
Who are you building boards for at the moment and where do they surf?
I’m building a board for my buddy Bob who lives in RI. He actually shaped the board and I gave him some guidance on how to do it. So I am just glassing it for him now. He is my best customer since he has multiple of my boards haha. He rides all the spots in RI.
Glassed by Ideal Surfboards 
Shaped & Glassed by Ideal Surfboards
What do you do for a living?
I am a social studies teacher by day, Surfboard builder by night/summer.
What do you do when you’re not surfing, shaping or teaching?
I like to work out, listen to and play music, go fishing, hiking and I smoke cigars.
Who or what has had the biggest influence on your approach to board building?
My dad is my biggest influence. He was the one who taught me to build things for myself. If it can be built, he gave me the tools and resources to build it. That goes for everything, not just surfboards.
Same question with surfing and surf culture in general?
In terms of surf culture, Mark Butler, The Mayor of Matunuck (R.I.), is my biggest influence. He is the most stoked guy I have ever met. He’s always the first one in the water, and the last one out. Definitely a legend.
What do you think of Barns?
I love em!
If you could meet one icon of surf — anyone throughout history — who would it be and why?
Since I now have his autograph, I would have to say Dick Brewer. Thanks Barn!!! He is a genius. His guns are true works of art and I always loved the lines of his boards. So smooth.
If you would like to learn more about Ideal Surfboards, check out OD’s Instagram @ideal_owen or email us with some follow up questions and we’ll be sure to get back to you! I hope you’ve enjoyed, please make sure to subscribe to the blog so you can stay up to date on shapers, events, cringey stories and more!
– Barney Beadettte