Early longboards, called O-lo in Hawaiian, measured 18 to 24 feet in length and were reserved only for royalty. Longboards used by commoners measured only 12 to 18 feet. When surfing moved to the United State west coast mainland in the 1920s, longboards were standard. As surfboard fashion moved in the 1960s to shorter designs between 5 and 12 feet, longboards became museum pieces, but they became fashionable again in the 1980s with surfing purists. Today's longboard manufacturers recreate the historic boards of the past using modern materials and manufacturing techniques.
The Factory
The North Shore of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands features prime beaches for surfing, and several longboard makers operate from the area. The Factory, on Hawaii's North Shore, offers a number of stock longboards, including a 10-foot surfboard of approximately 23-inch width and 3-inch thickness. Custom shapers at The Factory include Mitsu Matsushita and Chronic. Shapers cut and physically shape the blank foam core into a surfboard design. Longboards over 9 feet long made by the company include boards shaped by Makamae and Makani McDonald.
Tore Surfboards
Surfing newbies frequently start on longboards to develop skills and techniques. Kent Senatore of Tore Surfboards, located on the North Shore of Oahu, recommends a longboard for new surfers who want to simply stand up and ride the surf after only a few hours of practice. Tore Surfboards offers custom hand-shaped boards, including the Standards and the Baby D. The Standard design features nose riding, paddling and wave catching. Length options vary from 9 feet to 9 feet 6 inches with a width of 21 3/4 to 23 inches. Its 2+1 fin configuration allows using a single or dual fin for different wave conditions. The Baby D offers nose riding features including a flipped tail for moving up on the board while surfing. Its tail fin configuration options include a 2+1 fin pattern. Lengths range from 9 feet to 9 feet 4 inches with widths between 21 3/4 and 3 1/2 inches.
Takayama Surfboards
The weight of the surfer is a consideration when selecting a longboard. Small surfers weighing between 50 to 100 lbs. use boards beginning in the 8-foot range. Medium-sized surfers weighing between 100 and 175 lbs. select longboards up to 8 feet 6 inches. Larger and extra-large surfers, weighing between 175 and over 250 lbs., use boards in the 9 feet to 9 feet 6 inches range. Donald Takayama, a top-ranked surfer and famous board shaper, shapes custom longboards in all lengths for Hawaiian Pro Designs. His models include Progressive Longboards, featuring DT1-4, Beach Break, In the Pink and the Stephen Slater, and the Retro Longboards, with the Model T, NR2, Classic Noserider and Double Ender designs.
Stewart Surfboards
Bill Stewart, considered "The Father of the Modern Longboard" by some surfers, operates a surfboard shop in San Clemente in Orange County, California. Stewart's original shop in Laguna Beach opened in 1978. Stewart's claim to making the best surfing longboards includes the invention of the 2+1 convertible fin configuration, five-fin double wing pin and innovations to the rail, or edges, of the board. The longboard models at Stewart Surfboard include the California Nose Rider, Regal, Traditionals and the Clydesdale. The California Nose Rider length begins at 9 feet and extends to 10 feet. The Regal model includes two boards, one at 9 feet and the other at 10 feet. The Traditionals longboards, based on classic 1960s designs, are available in three versions: 9 feet, 9-foot-2 and 9-foot-6. The Clydesdale model, designed for heavyweight surfers, comes in both 9 feet and 9-foot-6 lengths. The most popular Stewart longboard, the LSW, borrows design elements from classic boards of the 1980s.
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