"Inside an old garage bay just about a mile from the breaks in Newport, Neil Toracinta shapes surfboards that are designed with performance in mind. Rhode Island may be a small state but it boasts an incredible variety of waves. Neil's knowledge of the area's surf are channeled into each shape, and his attention to detail borders on obsession. While Neil won't give you a map to all the secret nooks and crannies, he will work with you to build boards that suit whatever waves you can find. Neil's journey as a shaper began when he built a surfboard for a high-school project. He was instantly drawn into the world of hydrodynamics and board design. Throughout his education at the University of Rhode Island, Neil continued to shape boards for himself and his friends, constantly refining his designs and techniques. After graduating from college, Neil spent a couple years working as a marketing specialist for a global brand in the action sports industry but ultimately left to follow his true passion. In just a few short years Neil has grown Tora Surfboards from it's humble beginnings inside his grandparent’s tiny garage, into a full on multi-bay shaping facility where he designs and builds boards under one roof with some of the best local talent around." words by Clancy