History/Brief Overveiw

There is probably no other individual athletic endeavor where the equipment is so crucial to the desired performance and enjoyment of the participant as modern day surfing.

The development of the modern surfboard has had a lengthy and storied past, with certain key individuals who have come up with innovations that have brought about drastic changes in design and performance.

Probably the greatest event was the development of the plastics technology and the huge growth of the plastics industry after World War II. Prior to the late 1950’s, all surfboards were made of wood and were quite heavy. Dave Sweet, a surfer from the Santa Monica and Malibu area, developed the first polyurethane

surfboard in 1956. This technological breakthrough has led to the modernlightweight surfboard and worldwide popularity. This development of polyurethane foam cores and polyester resin and fiberglass skins, led to quick design development because the foam board was so much quicker and easier to shape than wood. The individual craftsman could get his shape glassed and ready to ride much more economically than before. The majority of shapers were themselves surfers, and as the speed and maneuverability of the lighter foam boards increased, they made subtle design changes in outline, rails, rocker and thickness, which contributed to a ever growing catalog of surf design knowledge and advancement.

By the late 1960’s the short board revolution had changed the sport forever. Shorter, lighter and more maneuverable boards allowed surfers to go places on the wave they once could only dream of. The average board length of 9 ½ to 10 feet in the mid sixties gave way to 6 and 7 foot boards at one-third their weight. The longer and heavier boards were discarded almost overnight and over 50% of the surfing population quit surfing. The once popular surf culture of the early and mid 1960’s gave way to an almost underground contingent of hardcore surfers who were moving on to larger, faster and hollower waves to satisfy their newfound freedom.

Wood Boards in the 1930's & 1940's

Mid 60's maneuverability

Velzyland cut-back, 1975

Unlike many of the more popular professional sports that today have sadly succumbed to performance enhancing steroids and drugs, performance in surfing was directly related to advancement in surfboard design and the surfers desire to turn harder and ride deeper in the tube than ever before. That premise still rings true today. Whether a surfer wants to challenge the towering surf of Waimea bay or Mavericks, or enjoy the glide and noseride of a longboard at their local break, the equipment is the most crucial factor in their success and enjoyment of what many consider life’s most exciting ride.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Michel Junod has enjoyed surfing’s magical ride and rich history since 1962 when he began riding the varied waves of Santa Monica bay. Along with many other adventurous surfers, the desire to ride the best waves in southern California led to constant surf trips with his friends from San Diego to Rincon in the early to mid 60’s.

Meeting Carl "Tinker" West, owner of Surfboards by Challenger in San Diego in 1965, led to his first surf team experience. In the summer of 1966 Michel and some southern California friends, along with Butch Yamishita from Hawaii, visited Tinker in New Jersey where Tinker had just set up a full-blown surfboard factory to meet the growing East Coast surfboard demand. Tinker taught Michel the finer aspects of the art of surfboard design, shaping and craftsmanship. Tinker had an engineering degree form UCLA and a background as a master craftsman and fabricator.

The shortboard revolution of 1968 opened the door for incredible innovation, since no one had ever been there before. While many shops closed their doors for lack of business, other shops continued to produce boards that rapidly changed in length (Became shorter), while constant refinements were being made in template outline, bottom contours and rail design.

Seaside Heights New Jersey, 1966

Michel began making shortboards for friends in the Santa Monica area while going to college. He spent the summer of ’69 in Hawaii building boards with Butch Yamashita and Howard Yoshida in the basement of their apartment across the street from Punahou School in Honolulu. That relatively uncrowded summer on the South Shore rewarded them with various classic sessions at Ala Moana Park and Kewalo Basin testing out their new designs.

While attending college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he partnered with Bill Haytin and produced boards in Pismo Beach. But that was a short-lived endeavor as the Hawaiian surf beckoned Michel back to Oahu.

A job opportunity shaping for Overlin Surfboards in 1970 caused Michel to set down roots in Santa Cruz for 4 years. Chuck Strelitz, another friend from Santa Monica, also worked for Jim Overlin in the retail shop, but due to some growing instability at Overlin’s, Michel and Chuck decided to start their own factory and retail store, giving birth to West Cliff Surfboards.

P.O.P. Cove, Venice Beach, 1968

Victor Torres & Michel with shortboard single fins, 1969

The Slot at Steamer Lane, 1970

Once again thirsting for Island juice, Michel returned to Oahu’s North Shore. In the early 70’s the North Shore could still be considered "da coutnry". Professional surfing was still in its infancy and the rents were cheap, both for houses, garage style shaping rooms and glass shops.

Along its 7 miles of magic reefs and large winter swells were scattered a habitation of local Hawaiian and transplanted Californian surfers who charged the challenging waves and designed and built the boards that rode them. The North Shore lifestyle was developed around the surf conditions, so that surfing usually came first, and work later. Michel and former Venice High classmate John Orlando, a long time glasser for Jeff Ho, built a full-scale factory in their vacant back house at Sunset Beach.

Steve "Obo" Opolinsky & Michel at the Pipeline Pad, 1976

Michel at Backdoor Pipeline, 1976

While producing boards under his own label, Michel also shaped for the Lightning Bolt, Dick Brewer and Surfline Hawaii retail shops in Honolulu. These were simpler days, before traffic jams and overcrowded conditions, when almost everyone knew each other on the North Shore. Michel had a tight production team of exspert craftsmen including laminators John Orlando and Steve "Obo" Opolinsky, sander Ted Ketcham, glosser Pat Rawson, and polisher Greg Bonner.

With the growth of professional surfing in the mid and late 70’s, surfing's popularity began to grow internationally. Crowded conditions became more common, and the allure of empty waves and outer island isolation drew Michel and fellow surfer/board builder Mike Wellman to Kauai in 1978.

Orlando & Michel outside their backyard factory at Sunset Beach, 1977

Kauai is less than 80 miles from Oahu, but almost a world away in rural atmosphere and pace of life. Michel and Mike built boards together in Waimea on the West Side and often enjoyed surfing together on the empty waves. Those glory days of a few handfuls of surfers are probably gone forever.

Photo by: Barbour

Michel was a shaper for Dick Brewer Surfboards on the North Shore in the mid 70's

Waimea Bay, 1977 ( Michel is in the middle )

ENTERING THE 1980’S

While shortboards changed from single-fins to tri-fins, longboards experienced a rebirth as a few 60’s veterans began to shape and ride longboards on small days when most surfers weren’t interested. Michel first started shaping longboards again in 1976 while living on the North Shore. Clark Foam had one longboard blank in production at the time, a 10 foot plug leftover from the 60’s. He took a template off a 9’6" Jacobs Lance Carson model that belonged to "Terrible Ted", a lifeguard who worked with Butch Van Artsdalen at Ehukai Beach Park, and shaped an old school 60’s style noserider 25 years before the current retro craze that exists today.

While living on Kauai Michel met the woman of his dreams. They were married in 1984 and then spent 2 ½ years in Chile doing Christian missionary work. In 1990 they returned to the US and lived for a short season in San Clemente, where Michel shaped boards with Terry Martin in Laguna Beach. But production slowed and Michel thought it best to pack up his family of 4 and head up north to greener pastures, back to Santa Cruz.

Michel, Jodi & Jean-Paul at Mahalapu Beach, Kauai, 1986

9'6" longboard built in 1976

Photo by: Barbour

15 years later, Michel continues to live, surf and shape in Santa Cruz. The former days of uncrowded surf now only live in memories and stories told, since surfing is today more popular and crowded than ever before. An ever-growing number of excited wave-chasers have discovered that once you have started, you never want to quit. Surfers worldwide continue to reorient their schedules and make excuses to fulfill their continual desire to catch that next swell.

Surfing has always been the meeting of surfer and surfboard with the ever-changing sea. If you consider your equipment important, Michel Junod is always available to discuss the varied options in designing for you that perfect wave-riding vehicle.