Custom Creations with Aitken Surfboards

A passionate surfer and craftswoman, Lou Aitken has been building boards for nearly 10 years, culminating in the opening of her own Matakana-based factory.

Lou’s love for surfing began when she was just five years old, chasing her older brother through the waves at Sandy Bay, Northland. By the age of 20, she had completed her trade as a cabinet-maker and was ready to explore new avenues. Her journey into surfboard building began while she was on an overseas experience on the Gold Coast, leading Lou through different factories in both Australia and New Zealand where her skill-set flourished.

Having always enjoyed working with her hands, and with a cabinet-making background, surfboard crafting felt like a natural fit. What began as simply a means to fund her adventures evolved into a creative outlet for Lou as she fell in love with the process of building surfboards.

Honing her skills, Lou has worked alongside other talented shapers and board builders across the industry, including spending a year in Whangamata with Pete Anderson, sanding and finishing Anderson Surfboards. During this time, she also mastered the intricate process of ‘ding fixing,’ repairing damaged surfboards back to their original state and getting them back in the water, much like a panel beater works on cars.

Ding fixing also introduced Lou to the world of spray painting, a skill that has since become integral to her custom surfboards. Her signature brightly coloured resin work is one of the many features that set her apart from others in the industry, not to mention her unique perspective as a woman in a male- dominated field.

Now, with years of experience behind her, Lou has established her own small factory in Matakana. Each board she crafts is uniquely tailored to suit the surfer it’s made for, with Lou spending time understanding each client’s surfing style and preferences. She takes particular pride in designing the perfect board for wahine surfers, sharing in their growing presence in the surfing community. "There are now more women surfing than ever, which is a great thing to see," she notes.

Having mastered every step of the surfboard- building process - shaping, glassing, sanding, and finishing - Lou is collaborating with surf shops throughout the region, including Summer Sessions, offering a convenient pick-up and drop-off repair service. She is eager to continue building relationships with local surfers and playing a part in their journeys back to the water.

Lou is currently accepting custom surfboard orders and offers a range of repair services for surfboards, stand-up paddleboards, and surf club equipment. She looks forward to supporting future surf competitions in the area and growing her involvement in the local surfing community.

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