sHAPER Maxime Badets Of Socatoa Surfboards (English)
I met Maxime through our mutual friend Paul. Paul had just won the Foreign Division of the Taitung Surf Contest riding a 5'2" Fish and watching the footage of him surfing that board got my attention. Then one day Paul told me that his friend who shaped the board (Maxime Badets) was coming to Taiwan to surf, film and shape some boards.
Due to COVID-19 trying to order boards from back home in California was pretty much impossible or you could but would have to wait 1-2 years in order to get your board. (Since no one is working and seems like everyone took up surfing) So just in luck, Maxime came up to Taipei and we met at my friend’s shop who was looking to order some non hi-performance surfboards.
We talked and hung out and talked about his background and models and where his inspiration comes from and to be honest, even though he is still young (22 years old at this time of interview) it feels like he has a deep soul because a lot of his influences are surfers from the past (especially the 70s era) and surfers now who still get inspiration from that generation.
Thank you Maxime for the interview and stoked to get you out here because not that many shapers from abroad come to Taiwan to shape boards and sell in Taiwan so very lucky to have met you and let more people in Taiwan know about you.
1. Who are you and where are you right now?
Hi, I’m Maxime Badets from France, and I feel very lucky that I found a loophole to come to Taiwan. I’m currently living in Donghe, Taitung.
2. Tell us at what age did you start surfing and what was that feeling you get when you first stood up onto a board? Do you remember what was the first board that you stood up on?
I surfed for the first time at 11. During the summer holidays, A childhood friend give me the opportunity to come to the beach with his family. He bring to me a Yellow Soft board and I spend all the afternoon in the water! From this day surfing give me feeling of freedom and ability to escape.
3. Nowadays on any typical day you can see a lot of different variety of boards in the water. From single-fin logs to fishes to eggs and midlengths it’s the ride everything movement. Tell me about the scene in Hossegor when you were growing up?
At the time i was growing up, the diversity that you are talking about wasn’t really existing. In fact, everyone where riding traditional performance surfboards, following the trend of surfing competitions and businesses. Nowadays, free surfing seems even more popular than competition, videos and magazines features much more diversity in the board design and style becomes more important than performance. People are now more aware of all the benefits of riding different surfboards depending on the conditions, their mood and their own expectations.
4. How did you get into shaping surfboards? Do you still remember the first surfboard that you shaped and if so what was it?
When I was at my dad’s house, I didn’t have much to do and I was often bored. One day, at the age of 15, i found some tools and wood in the garage and start making Handplanes (for bodysurf). Few weeks after I get a blank after meeting Rob Vaughan (billabong shaper). I improvised a shaping room from an old shelter in the garden and start cutting the blank. The result was a weird 5’7 shortboard that wasn’t working at all but since this time I became hooked on shaping surfboards.
5. Can you tell us what your brand name SOCATOA means and why did you choose this name?
When I was 14 at school, the mathematics teacher show me how to use the Trigonometry with SohCahToa. From this day I knew that I will use SOCATOA (without H) for a brand project in the future.
6. What is a special model surfboard that you have created? Please tell us about the board and why it is so special to you.
The world of surfboards always been very creative and especially in the early years of surfing with guys like Greenough, McTavish, Liddle etc… It’s interesting to get inspiration from those legends to make “new things”. Lot of my shape are inspired by the 70’s surf culture. “Jazzmaster” is one of my favorite, it’s a log inspired by the early classic Pig. Mixing the old lines of the Pig but with a modern touch. Easy feeling, stable on the nose, Fit & work in tight pockets and quick turns. Many log riders approved the “Jazzmaster”.
Jazzmaster Model
7. You are currently in Taiwan shaping surfboards. What brought you out to Taiwan and how do the waves compare compared with back home in Hossegor? What type of board would you recommend for a daily Taiwan wave driver?
I came to visit my good friend Paul Laforge, who lives there since 2 years. He’s a talented free surfer, we used to work on some models together. With the world crises (Covid19), it’s difficult to travel abroad but we managed to plan the trip 10 days before my departure. Waves in Taiwan are really different from Hossegor. In fact, Hossegor is famous for really heavy beachbreaks only but Taiwan seems to have more diversity with point breaks, reefs as well as beachbreaks and rocky bottoms.
I feel so lucky, we got a beautiful swell after my quarantine. Taiwan is a little paradise that seems to have many different spots as well as beautiful landscapes. I planned to go around the island during my trip to visit as many places as possible. Concerning the type of board that I would recommend for Taiwan, I think that the twin “Tracker” with 4 deep channels would fit perfectly because it’s easy and fun to ride on every condition.
Twin Tracker Model
8. What do you expect to accomplish on this trip to Taiwan and if would you want to come back again?
At first, the main aim of my trip was just to discover a new culture and share waves with the local surf community. But while preparing with Paul, we realized we could give to this trip a deeper meaning. He introduced me to the local shaper Anthony as well as Apoo from Buoyancy Board Store that both share the same passion for surfing and beautiful surfboards. After discussing all together, we came out with an interesting project: Shaping surfboards, sharing know-hows about shape or workshop organization, and most importantly surf and exchange surfboards all together. We do have other ongoing creative projects that are still under development… Of course I’m already thinking about coming back to Taiwan but I also would love to welcome those guys in France one day.
9. Tell me in such a competitive surfboard industry what makes you stand out compared to the rest? What are some of your future goals for yourself and also SOCATOA?
The industry are here, driven by the consumer demands for surfboards. I feel that’s I’m doing the “same job” with the diffence that the customer & me having a the chance to talk around a common project. There is more freedom for him to ask any details for the custom, 100% handmade.
My dream will be to have my own international shaping trip. Passing through different countries like : Taiwan, Japon, Bali, Australia, USA, Stockholm...
To share my passion.
10. Can you tell us more about your experience shaping surfboards and where has it taken you around the world and who are some other shapers that you have worked with before?
I starded alone without any help. I learned & developed my skills by different meetings in the past years (Alex D, Pyzel Australia, Panther surfboards, PRZ, …).
This passion, bring me to Australia at the age of 17, as a sander. I’ve been a shaping teacher at the Shaper house in Biarritz. Last year, I worked for Stockholm Surfboard Club in Sweden, to develop surfboards and helping as a design assistant for the fashion part.
11. As a shaper, who are some people that you look up to and influence you and your shapes? If you could get a surfboard from any shaper, dead or alive who would it be from and why?
Many shapers are influenced me & my shapes : Greg Noll, Terry Fitzgeral, Mctavish, Skip Frye, Bing Copeland, Steve lis, Ryan Burch, CoreyMunn, ...
Currently I’m dreaming of a Plastic Machine from Mctavish, this extreme design of Vee bottom, represent an evolution of the modern surfboard in 1967.
12. Now for anyone who is interested in shaping surfboards what is your advice to them?
Touch, feel & try many boards as you can and follow your thoughts.
13. If you could choose any 3 surfers who would be on the top of your list and why?
I would say Alex Knost, Gerry Lopez & Ryan Burch because they are all amazing surfers & shapers that inspiring me a lot.
14. Why are you so passionate about surfing?
Surfing gives me a feeling of freedom and ability to escape. Surfboard building also gives me an intimate relationship with surfing.
15. Are there any last words you want to tell the readers?
Support your local surfshops and shapers !
Thanks for reading, stay passionate !
Thanks to Kevin, Paul, Amy, Anthony, Apoo, Renaud, Lucas, Baptiste..
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