If you can't find anyone down there to help then I'd say make some mdf templates of the rocker,plan and side profile and rails off a board you like and make one similar. It also gives the option of using one boards rocker with anothers rails and maybe your own outline. you'll probably find that most shapers are self taught. good luck with it
Yep that's a hard one!!!
As Mr No one says, the normal school is the trial and error variety.
If you're used to making things, can use an electric plane, surform, sander/sandpaper etc.
Then it's possible, but if you aren't fully competent with the above tools, you're only going to stuff the first boards up till you know what you're doing.
Think there are some guides on the net, have you tried google???
What sort of construction are you considering???
Shaping is only the first step, then you've got to get a skin of some sort on it.
yeah... i can use tools.. that's no prob.
and construction i haven't put much thought into..
it's hard to find out exactly how certain concaves, and all that sh1t effects the board.
how much do you guys think it would cost to make your own board.. for materials
personally curac i reckon build the first few with surfboard construction. use a little extra reinforcing around rails and straps and a beefed up stringer then just glass them up. call them protos and get ready for them to snap early in their life.
advantage however is that you can cheaply build lots of em to try out your shapes.
this software is excellent and (free) and comes with some existing designs.
www.shape3d.com/
Material costs would be the killer to your success, but i guess you could start with a big board 150 litre, if you stuff it, shape it down to a 130 litre and so on, you will prob end up with a few speed boards in your shed but you will learn to do it eventually.
Curac, I guess its depends on why you want to shape and make your own. If its to save money, forget it 
, there are so many 2nd hand gr8 cheap boards around, that would be a better option. If you want to make your own board because you love making things, or its a start of a new hobby, got for it 
I made my own board many years ago which was great, and it was very satisfying, but it is out performed by many others.
I want to shape boards so that i can go and rip on my own boards.
how sweet would that be. and try new ideas and not have to wait a year untill someone releases a production version
How many hours to make a board if you have all the necessary stuff and know what you're doing?
Hi Curac
Here is a great link on windsurfing construction...
www.ecboards.co.uk/
also for mast bases, fin boxes etc...
www.fiberglasssupply.com/
I only shaped one waveboard and used it for about 2 years, glass construction with two stringers, reinforcements around mast and fin boxes, and where you "walk around" on the board. That was in 2002, now the board is cracked under the front foot but i got a wicked design painted on it (sun and flames: old quatro goya style 
) so its a keeper for decoration, first board I ever made too so its nice to have it! Some mexican guys want to learn shaping as well (starting with surfboards) in cottesloe area, maybe you can help us make a hell of a mess in their backyard [}:)]!!!
after the first hundred you can feel that they are starting to turn out the way you first wanted them.
What I did was hang out with a shaper/repairer and see how it was done.
After a couple of months I decided I didn't have the skill, patience time or money required.
So if you're not ham fisted like me and have the time and money and not worried about dodgy chemicals go for it.
It is possible to just shape the board and then get someone else to finish off the construction.
Shaping a blank is easy to learn.
Constructing a complete board (bagged, painted etc.) is a bit more difficult.
polystyrene suppliers in yellow pages.
important hint
tell them you are a scoutleader and you are making rafts for a jamboree.
you will then get the discounted rate for charities.
(information supplied by dan engdahl in the 90's)
as haggar said theres a lot of cheep boards out there, you could try what i did ,get an old board with roughly the planshape you want and reshape the bottom and most of the work is done for you, this board was an old rrd wave 
yeah nah i don't want to mess with an old board. i want to be sailing on my own creation. also what i would like to acheive is to able to sail on the lastest concepts. and you can't do that with an old board
Curac, can I suggest for a 1st. board to make a high winded. There's a huge learning curve on the first and if it comes out a little heavy it won't matter as much. The second will be a much nicer stick so save this one for your favorite, your in for a treat
.
well ill back my old chopped rrd, with the wave profile and slalom bottom it jibes at full speed and planes early and is as quick as a falcon or a carbon art which i allready own, aswell as being carbon/kevlar sandwich, the only difference the new boards have is a tuttle box and thats going in this winter, i made my first board over 20 years ago i'm just trying to save you a lot of time ,money, and dissapointment
Gday Curac
Also there are some great surfboard shaping DVD's out there so that you can learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to mowing some foam. check out-http://www.shapers.com.au/category11_1.htm
(qld).
The epoxy 101 shows him hot wiring the EPS block, I learnt alot from that DVD.
I have used the Kinetix (by ATL composites, distributed by Shapers) UV stabilised epoxy - very easy to work with. if you are going to paint the board a good quality epoxy like FGI's R180 should do the job- you wont need an epoxy that is UV stabilised.
also
www.foamez.com/index.php
(USA).
I have bought from both companies, give them a call - they have been very helpful. be warned though that postage from the US can be pretty pricey.
In the DVD's they should show you how to make templates - very important!
I am currently making a rocker profile jig so that I can copy other boards rocker lines - this was because my first surfboard didnt have enough nose rocker. Surfing hollow waves on that board is scary cause the nose would bury on the take off, I have been over the falls so many times on that board!
(yeah blame the equipment...)
Good luck, well worth it for personal satisfaction!
