Bob “Ole” Olson is still handshaping 5-10 longboards per week at the age of 83. He loves what he does and he’s seen the industry emerge and evolve into what it is today. Check out the profile piece we did on this very cool legend.
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Nice piece on Bob, I really enjoyed it. Oldest surviving production shaper. I’m currently restoring one of his from 1962-63, 1-1/2 balsa stringer, wood D fin, colored gloss resin panels. When he was here on the mainland, he used to be a shop teacher and the fin I have shows it (all different kinds of wood scraps). The original glassing was a single layer of 20 oz. volan. Bruce Jones has his old shop in Seal Beach today.
The Bruce Jones shop on PCH used to be Ole’s? That’s rad. Post some pics of the resto if you can. cool collage kayu, very nicely done.
Ole is 93 and would still be shaping today if the Maui fires didn’t destroy his home and Shop/shaping room. He is safe and smiling as usual.
Here is a video from a few years ago.
Had a 9’6 and a 10’ Ole “Super Bee” while I was on Maui. He used to have his boards glassed at Gott’s. I traded Kim Ball at Hi-Tech Surf Shop a 1959 or 60 Ole for the 9’6. Hi-Tech show cased Ole’s boards The old Ole had a logo that predated the Triangle logo. Kind of a vertical oval. He told me once that he sold his name to Hobie and that he worked for Hobie briefly. Some ridiculous per blank shaped price. $3 or $4 a blank. On Maui Les Potts was his CNC machine. Potts would rough them. Ole would finish and sign them. He had a nice old Chevy C10 pickup. Early 60’s. Probably bought it new. But as he got older he had to buy something with AC for those Maui summers. Couldn’t hardly believe it when I was told that at his age, he still smoked pot. Maybe that’s why he was always smiling.
