Just bought a early 70’s Hansen shortboard, a guy at a surfshop in Jax Beach told me it was a Joe Roland Model, was he a shaper and is there anyway to confirm this.
He’s in the book @ Pt. Dume, Ca.
I just sold one on Ebay. If you want to see it the ebay number is 3617139597. The lam on the bottom said Hansen by Roland.
I am pretty sure that Joe lives in the Jax Beach.Fla. area.Last I heard he was still an incredible surfer at the age of probably 50.He was East Cast Champion around 1969 or so and had a Model built by Hansen.I can still remember a day at K39 in Rhode Island with Joe and his brothers ripping the place.I was working for Jim Phillips way back then.If C.D.B. (CLay) is watching he could tell us more.I think that Joe Roland was one of the best surfers I ever have seen…east or west. R.B.
Joe Roland had to be the first person I ever saw utilizing the double pump turn. When he was going to get drafted and blown up in Nam, he went to Puerto Rico for the inductance exam, The night before he dropped acid, slept in the bushes, had a Hendrix fro with sticks and straw stuck in it and wore the same pair of underware for a month straight, he was rejected, thank God.
Ahhh, stories from the genious…gotta love 'em!
“Last I heard he was still an incredible surfer at the age of probably 50” Ahem! “Was still…”? You think 50’s that old?
Joe came to Shark Pit one day in about 1970 fresh from the World Championships in Aus. In attendence was Fletcher Sharp, Mike Tabling, Gary Propper, DCB, Jeff Crawford, Roger Kincaid and many other of the eastern elite. 4-5 foot offshore extremely clean. Joe put all to shame that day… RIPPED!!! You should have seen it. Yes, he still rips today. He lives a Christian life in the family business in Jax and is about 53. He is also a very deserving member of the Eastern Surfing Hall of Fame.
Joe is still around and still ripping and he still rides shortbds only -very active in the ministry and surfs everyday there is a ripple -he is headed to Costa Rica in a week or so for some ministry work but for sure planning on ridding a few waves (I just shaped him two bds for the trip) This guy can give you more pure insight on how a board works and how to make it better than any 20 team riders and he has absolutely no ego about any of it. The Hansen for sure is kind of a collectors item but he also had a model out by Rick after the Hansen deal. You can probably contact him thru EPIC Ministies if you like.
cdb… Is that you Clay?
hey cdb, could you provide some information about the boards that you shaped for joe roland? i know that he was into fish designs about twenty or so years back and absolutely ripped on them!
Yep, Greg its me-started using the initials when I first got on a computor and just stuck with it --been reading some good stuff that you’ve been posting Joe is riding real basic stuff (most guys would hate it ) round hyper eggs, medium length 6’4" and 6’6" flat,flat,flat bottoms with continual rocker with no exagerations at either end, thin,boxy rails with hardly no bottom edge tuck and razor edges and flat decks to mantain the meat (what little there is they are thin 2 1/8) . He surfs the same stands in one place and pumps and flies -I tell everyone he is the best over 50 surfer I have ever seen!!!