Pat Rawson of Rawson Surfboards was born in Santa Monica, California, and has been shaping surfboards on Oahu’s North Shore since 1972. While shaping the majority of his boards out of Sunset Beach, Hawaii, Rawson has been designing innovative custom surfboards which can be found in 26 countries around the world including Central America, South America, Europe, Japan, and Australia.

Rawson began shaping surfboards in 1966 and worked for a variety of California shapers including Rick Surfboards, Wilken Surfboards, Blue Cheer Surfboards, Tom Overline Surfboards, and Doug Haut Surfboards. He later moved to the North Shore of Oahu in the 1970’s and worked for Lightning Bolt Surfboards, George Downing – Wave Crest Hawaii, and Local Motion.

The consistency in Rawson Surfboards comes from CADD software that he’s custom programmed himself which provide surfers with a consistent signature design over and over again.

His team riders have included such notables such as “Buttons” Kaluhiokalani, Mark Liddell, Larry Bertelmann, Mike and Derek Ho, Mark Richards, Tom Carroll, Gary Elkerton, Reno Abelleira, Ben Aipa, “Beaver” Steve Massefellar, and Brian Kellner. His son Ryan has also made a name for himself charging some of the World’s largest waves at the big wave spot Peahi, aka Jaws.

Dennis Pang has shaped 27,000 surfboards ranging from single fins, twin fins, shortboard, funboards, longboards, and paddle boards. He’s shaped surfboards for surfers in Hawaii, California, Australia, Brazil, Peru, and Japan. He’s also shaped for companies such as Surfline Hawaii, Lightining Bolt, Local Motion, and Town & Country. Besides offering a variety of surfboards, he also been shaping competitive paddle boards since 1990. While working with Gerry Lopez, he created an EPS Epoxy paddle board striving to make it the lightest and strongest paddle board around.

Dennis Pang Paddle Boards

Imperial Beach native Jeff Alexander of Alexander Surfboards is most known for his Gemini double-hulled surfboards. Alexander created the patented Gemini design in 1995 and put the boards to the test in Hawaii, Indonesia, Mexicio, Fiji, and his home of California. When Gemini surfboards first burst onto the surf scene, the majority of surfers were unwilling to embrace the radically new design. Featuring two noses blending into a double hull and 4 fin set-up, the Gemini claims to be the ultimate performance surfboard. Alexander also claims that a Gemini can be surfed in 2 foot slop to 8 foot heaving barrels which reduces the need for a surfer to buy a quiver. Tow versions of his Gemini designs have also had success in giant surf here in Hawaii and around the world.

Jeff Alexander has been shaping surfboards since 1974 and has shaped over 4,587 surfboards since then and his team includes Hawaii tow surfer Cully Kamisugi.

Sunset Point local Greg Griffin of Griffin Surfboards Hawaii has been called the “guru of multiple fin designs”. Greg Griffin was born in Palo Alto, California and began shaping in 1968 and learned the art from Santa Cruz shaper Doug Haut. He was influenced by Haut, Mike Croteau, and Dick Brewer and later started shaping for Town & Country Surfboards Hawaii during the 1980’s.

Griffin has shaped surfboards for some of Hawaii’s top professional surfers including former World Champions Sunny Garcia, Dino Miranda, Rusty Keaulana, and Martin Potter. Other Griffin team riders include Kaipo Jaquias, Dane Kealoha, Max Medeiros, Pocho Ahina, Johnny Boy Gomes, Zane Aikau, Joey Valentin, Dave Cantrell, and Shawn Monroe.

Greg Griffin’s shaping philosophy is to make surfboards as user friendly as possible and he plans on utilizing new materials and after market products to stay at the forefront of custom shaping.

George Downing established Downing Hawaii in 1949. He shaped his first redwood board with his close friend Wallace Froiseth in a Waikiki garage. George Downing’s ocean experience includes Beachboy, surfer, canoe paddler and surfboard shaper led to his position as Quiksilver Eddie Aikau event director. His son Keone, won the 1990 Eddie Invitational, beating hell-men Brock Little and Tony Moniz in giant surf at the North Shore’s world famous Waimea Bay.

Downing Hawaii offers a variety of classic shaped surfboards ranging from standard high performance shortboards, longboards, guns, and alternative riding boards like “Da Slippah”, a fast and responsive board which paddles like it’s six inches longer.

The success and history of Byrne Surfboards revolved around the close knit Bryne brothers. Phil, Dave, and Chris were highly successful surfers growing up in Australia and competitive surfing took them to the top surf spots in the world including Bali, Indonesia and the surf mecca of Hawaii.

Bryne Surfboards got its start at a time when professional surfing began to emerge. Dave Bryne had been working as a glasser while Phil had been shaping in Australia and Hawaii. Thus, the three brothers decided to start their own label and their surfing experiences in Hawaii influenced their surfboard designs and methods.

Their success in creating high performance boards attracted the attention of some of the top surfers in the world at the time including Shaun Tompson and Larry Bertleman. Tom Carroll began riding Phil Byrne’s shapes and ended up winning two pro titles on Bryne surfboards.

Phil Byrne’s designs are also offered in Surftech’s Tuflite epoxy line of shapes.

The company’s philosophy is to continue to improve surfboard designing through working to improve every surfer’s performance.

Glen Minami is one of Hawaii’s most well known and respected surfboard shapers. It is not uncommon to hear the majority of shapers from experienced  to up-and-coming stars who credit Glen Minami as a great teacher and instrumental influence.

Glen had been shaping under the old Blue Hawaii Surf label but due to a company dispute, he began a new label called Infamy Surfboards.

Minami has also worked with Surftech, who offers an epoxy version of his travel quiver.

Jeff Bushman started shaping surfboards in Ventura, California during the 1970’s. He shaped boards as a hobby and according to the Surftech website, claimed to have shaped 3,000 surfboards before he saw another person make one. In 1982 he took on the name Cyclone Surfboards and shaped surfboards where ever he traveled.

In 1988, Bushman moved to the North Shore of Oahu to put his surfing and shaping skills to the ultimate test. Bushman says, “The best surfers and the best shapers live in Hawaii and so I went there to see if I was up to it.” He has since shaped 31,000 surfboards to date and has shaped for big names including current team rider Pancho Sullivan, Shawn Briley, Tamayo Perry, Jack Johnson, Luke Egan, and Mick Lowe. Ross Clarke-Jones won the 2000 Eddie Aikau invitational at Waimea Bay on Bushman’s 10’0 Rocket Rails.

Bushman Surfboards are also available in a variety of Pancho Sullivan Surftech models including the Pancho TL2.

Darren Tatsuno shapes surfboards for Drift Surf Shop located in Honolulu, Hawaii. I’ve also found some of his surfboards on Japanese surf shop sites.

If anyone including Darren would like to add more information to this page, send us an email.

Update: I’ve been riding a slick 5’3 Kane Garden fish to try. Read the full review.

Kane Garden Surfboards is a San Diego based surfboard company who build fish type boards inspired by the wave rich area that encompasses their shop. They pride themselves on building unique, technical, and practical fishes with emphasis on strength and durability. They’re motto is: Speed, Maneuverability, and Versatility.

Kane Garden’s owner, shaper, and designer P.J. Johnson is dedicated to building quality surfboards inspired by Southern California’s hot rod culture and craftmanship and has been at the forefront of fish design since its exception.

According to Kane Garden, the fish is proven as one of the most versatile and popular designs in the world and originated in southern San Diego. Steve Lis, who hails from Point Loma and was one of the best surfers in his generation perfected the design over years of RD at Sunset Cliffs. He shaped a large split tail in a wide blank resembling a chopped in half longboard and put two keel fins on it leading to an ultra fast and highly maneuverable surfboard that seemed so futuristic back then.

His design was so futuristic that many fish variations seen today are still based off his original concepts. Almost every surfboard shaper has tweaked his fish design and has put modern concaves and design elements into their fish version. Fishes are some of the best boards for average surfers who ride less than perfect waves as it generates tremendous planing speed, turning ability, and forgiveness.

Kane Garden Fish Series

CLASSIC TWINZER
STINGRAY
CLASSIC TWIN KEEL
SEA VIPER
NAUTILUS
SHOVAL NOSE
ORCA
KINGFISH
MEGLADON

Website: www.KaneGarden.com