Tappy Transistor (Volan) (9.5)

True Ames is excited to partner with the legendary shaper Tappy Yoshikawa to offer his Transistor template in volan. The ramped leading edge and wide upright base transitions quickly into distinct rake. This design will provide plenty of drive off of the bottom, and hold when the front third of the board is weighted. The narrow flexible tip creates feel and sensitivity through turns, while giving you projection through your bottom turns. Takuya "Tappy" Yoshikawa is a passionate and innovative Japanese surfboard shaper who combines tradition and modernity to create unique and quality products. He started surfing at the age of 12 and shaped his first board at the age of 17. Along the way, he went to art school to study graphic art. After a ten-year break, he returned to making boards at the age of 30 and continues to do so today. Tappy Yoshikawa was influenced by San Diego shaping legend Skip Frye, whom he had the opportunity to watch work, which was a valuable experience for him. Our Volan fins are fine-tuned with precision foils as well as proper flex. Crafted with a labor of love at our factory in Santa Barbara, CA, these fins undergo the strictest quality control. Our Volan panels are meticulously hand-laid and templated ensuring optimal weave orientation and superior strength, with flex coming more from the body rather than just the tip. This enhances speed and projection off the bottom and through turns, making our Volan fins a pinnacle of the highest performance flex characteristics.