Downing Hawaii was established in 1949 when George Downing shaped his first redwood board in a garage in Waikiki with his close friend Wallace Froiseth, thus starting a waterman’s journey as a Beachboy, surfer, canoe paddler and shaper!

1964 George Downing Champion – Delux Model 11′ 0″

George Downing is in a class of legends reserved for only a very few people. Downing’s surfing and surfboard design accomplishments could fill volumes. He was one of the original designers of the Hotcurl, the granddad of today’s big wave guns. He went on to design and surf the first modern big wave guns in 1950.

George Downing was one of the first to surf some of the now famous breaks of the North Shore and Maui. Downing was also one of the first to understand how weather and bottom contours created … Read More »

People have been riding waves at Sunset Beach longer than at any other spot on Oahu’s North Shore. Names have come and gone, but through the years, one man created the benchmark by which all others are measured. Barry Kanaiaupuni rode unconventional equipment and became the first radical surfer at a time when others were still trying to merely survive. At arguably the most difficult wave in the world, there is little discrepancy over supremacy – Sunset belongs to BK.

KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)

Board Dimensions
Length: 7′ 7″
Width: 18″ 3/4
Thickness: 2″7/8

BK Inspired 1970’s hawaiian mini-gun.  Sleek red pigment top and bottom. Classic wood fiberglass brewer style fin. Note the positioning of this fin in relation to the tip … Read More »

KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)

Board Dimensions
Length: 7′ 6″
Width: 18″ 1/4
Thickness: 2″ 3/4
1970’s Inspirations Surfboards Gun 7’ 6”

Wow, this is a true classic representation of a 1970s gun with incredible original art signed by the artist Mathison. Truly a superb piece of art, one of the finest airbrushed boards we’ve ever seen. An extreme pulled in spear that is sexy, elegant and pleasing to the eye. A very attractive all original period piece that is still in terrific condition, sharp and bright.   I acquired this from Jim W., Usva Surf Auction.   His personal piece.  I paid a premium for it, but find another one.  I purchased it as Art, and as we all know when buying something we … Read More »

Surfing gave his life meaning and Huntington Beach became his home. He was on the scene, man. From the early 60’s to his death in 1980, Chuck was firmly at the core of the southern California surf scene.??Chuck was a visionary of surfing and shaping talent bringing together the likes of Billy Hamilton, Randy Lewis, Barry Kanaiaupuni, Steve Bigler and many other talented surfer/shapers to shape and ride for him. He felt that the relationship between surfboard, shaper, and surfer was the key to the surfing experience. An innovator in the image making and marketing of surfboards (just check out some of his classic magazine ads and articles), Chuck’s persona was infused with the style inspired by the music and the vibe of his time. He recognized what surfing was and could be. In many ways … Read More »

The greatest competitor of California’s Golden Age and surfing’s first real pro, five-time US Surfing Champion (1966-’70) Corky Carroll is also famous as a surf instructor, an author, a recording artist, a TV ad personality and a surfboard salesman. This animated, witty and talented rider was as famous for his mouth as he was for his huge surf knots. Throughout those years, Carroll was at the forefront of developments in surfing equipment. His Hobie Mini Model, introduced in 1967, was the first production shortboard in America, and his Deadly Flying Glove model furthered the evolution. He was one of the first to convert to twin fins in 1971 and was featured in a number of surf films in the ’60s and ’70s, including MacGillivray-Freeman’s Five Summer Stories. Today, he works a record number of part-time gigs, … Read More »

Bruce Jones Surfboards has built premium surfboards for three decades. The company, renowned worldwide for its products, was founded by Bruce in 1973 after he shaped for many years with some of the biggest names in the sport: Hobie, Gordie, and Brewer to name a few.

Bruce was there at Hobie’s, during the golden age of the mid 1960’s, when the best shaping talent in surfing history was gathered in one place: Phil Edwards, Dale Velzy, Terry Martin, John Gray and Ralph Parker, among others. Starting in the glueing department, Bruce worked his way into rough shaping and then into the actual shaping room and lost no time in getting help from everyone involved.

In the mid to late 60’s, Bruce moved to Huntington Beach, where he shaped for Vardeman Surfboards, doing all the Jackie Baxter Models, which … Read More »

A jack-of-all-trades if ever there was one, Encinitas-based Bill Bahne has had an influential hand in just about every Action Sports movement in the past 40 years. Getting his start in shaping in the ’50s before foam and fiberglass had entered the picture; by the early ’60s Bahne Surfboards was a thriving business.

As the popularity of surfing grew, Bill identified the need for a removable fin system, prompting him to start Fins Unlimited in 1964. Both the surfboard and fin business treated him well, but hardly one to rest on his laurels, by the start of the ’70s Bill teamed up with friend Mike Doyle and the two introduced the snow world to an early incarnate of the snowboard called the “monoski.” It was also about this time that Bill and his brother Bob started up … Read More »

A family tradition since 1956, Bennett Surfboards has been in the surfboard business longer than any other Australian manufacturer. Surf Life Saving introduced Racing Malibu’s to Australian Titles in paddle board races and iron man competitions in 1962 and with longboards, was incorporated into Bennett’s surfboard production. Bennett’s has always maintained its strong roots in the Surf Life Saving environment. And for the last 40 years, has supplied many paddle board and rescue boards to overseas and local clubs. The Bennett name is highly valued amongst the Surf Life Saving fraternity and many Australian and World Titles have been won on Bennett boards.

-taken from www.bennetsurfboards.com

KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)

Board Dimensions

Length: 7′ 5″

Width: 20

Thickness: 3″ 1/4I acquired this via EBay … Read More »