Tanaka
Tommy Tanaka, son of the late respected Hawaiian shaper Ernie Tanaka, grew up in Santa Monica, California but moved back to Hawaii to live with his dad during high school. He started off body boarding Waikiki and then progressed to surfing. Soon he was competing in summer contests and won Hawaii’s biggest longboard contest, China’s Uemura’s Annual Longboard Contest.
He studied and learned the art of surfboard shaping under the wings of his father Ernie and eventually worked full time for him. Tommy later got a full time shaping job for Town & Country Surfboards with the help of his father and in the five years that he was there shaped over 1,000 boards.
Ernie Tanaka passed away a few years after Tommy landed the T&C gig and after his father’s passing, decided that he wanted to start up the Tanaka Surfboards label once again. Tommy’s main philosophy was taught to him by his father Ernie which is: “stick to the basics”. Tommy specializes in shaping longboards and his philosophy on making a great longboard is to “shape each board as if it were my own”.
Tommy Tanaka recently signed with Town & Country Surfboards once again. You can find his T&C longboards at your nearest T&C shop.
KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)
Length: 7′ 9″
Width: 22″ 1/8
Thickness: 2″ 3/4
Great Transitional 1968 pintail example from long to short Team Rider. Unknown if this is a Ernie or Tommy Masterpiece. If anyone out there can help, greatly appreciated. Very clean, all original, also unknown who’s personal team rider board this was. Beautiful Resin Pin line and deck air brush work. Pintail Mike Acquisition. (o) 9
Surfing Art Expo Les Bour Daines Hossegor, France 2011 >> -
abs
-
jb
-
Buggs
-
Tommy Tanaka
-
Buggs
-
Lee Silby Jr
-
michael pultz
tommy was not born yet i’m pretty sure its a Ernie
on the tanaka team board. that board was in my collection for years here on the east coast. it was discovered at a yard sale in central jersey, i also noticed you have a few other that i had for awhile. morey pope and harbour with splash acid bottom. great collection
JB, Sweet!! Nice to get some history on the Board. Collection is coming together. Others to follow soon. Did you subscribe to the site ? Front page, just submit your email address and you will be emailed on all new additions. No Spam! – Buggs
The board is a Ernie from the 60′s. The team rider would have probally been the great Paul Strauch. Aloha T.T.
TT
Great Input! What you think of the site? Please Post, Show and Inspire!
Buggs
Tommy, I worked with your dad and gaylord at the Van Nuys store! Man my board was so awesome I could nose ride all day, I remmber one day at k38 in mexico I took off on a 10′ wave dropped into the curl and made the breake 1/4 down the beach and road 3/4 of a mile in the curl squaded hangging 5 the whole ride. the board was 7′ 8″ concave 24″ wide nose pin tail end with shark fin and truned on a dime the greatist board I ever owned and working at the shop was one of the best times I ever had! Lee 
i was on ernies team from 65 to 68 ernie was abig influence on my life he taught me many things he never talked shit about peoplehe was very generous with his time he was quiet and respectfull a real gentleman i saw him like a sensei knowing him opened many doors for me i hold him in high esteem
