Hey Zac, find someone in your area who is still doing hand shapes (almost extinct...will probably be very old like me
)...offer to clean up after him on the proviso that he lets you watch him work....put on a set of earmuffs...some protective eyewear and a dust mask and stand in the corner behind him and do not move or speak till he is finished....be prepared to walk out of there looking like a human lamington...I have done this for a lot of kids over the years and I can tell you now not many hang in there when the planer starts screaming...the ones that do...I will help as much as I can...I learnt the same way...watch every move he makes...but not just once...do it until he kicks you out...after a few you will start to pick up the shapers technique...that's all it is...shadows and technique...combined with tool control...don't worry about the design aspects in the start, they will fall into place later....keep your eyes out for old cheep boards that are much bigger than what you want to shape for yourself and start collecting a supply...the sailboard idea is good but you will have far too much foam to hack out...a board that is bigger than you want to shape means you can make your template...mark it out onto the donor board then cut it out with the glass still on...you can then just get under the glass an lift it...it will just peel off leaving you with not so much mowing...my first half dozen or so boards were done like this...I have shaped thousands since...good luck
