I had a chance to visit Josh Hall’s little factory next to the Sports Aroma in SD yesterday. Josh apprenticed with Skip Frye over the last 10+ years and it shows. From 12-foot cross-country cruisers to sub 6-foot mutant fish, the guy is doing the most ecclectic work I’ve ever seen from a guy so young. I was especially impressed with his mid-length hulls and stubbies. He marries pinched rails with single to deep double concaves that he and Skip call “Simmons Bottoms”.
Most of all, I left feeling happy that, at least in central San Diego, there is at least one young shaper that is following the rough but worn path of hand-made, custom board making. Josh has all the chops. I hope he stays with it…
Singles and twins. His hulls don’t carry much curve to the stringer except in the back third and he uses a traditional foil with a thin tail. I left him my Point Breaker to try for a while…he was stoked! He showed me an old Liddle that he had, late 70’s? Flat deck, rounded pin but big wide nose. Tear drop outline. Round bottom from tip to tail. We couldn’t find Greg’s signature or dimensions anywhere. Small “Liddle” logo on the nose deck. He had a stiff fin like the trailer on a Bonzer in it. I told him to try the L-flex in the Point Breaker or a Frye on it and it might work better.
Yes he has. I’m picking up a couple of more boards from him this weekend I hope. First I got a 9’ 6" longboard, flat pointed nose absolute trimmer. I’ve got a 9’ longboard and a 7’ 8" egg coming. A fish will probably be next! Just picking up the boards and feeling the rails you just say, “oh yea”!
Yes… Josh is a cool cat. I learned to shape fish by watching Skip do it in his shop. Same with my longer boards. Skip is the man, and I know he kinda took Josh under his wing (no pun intended) early on when Josh needed a father figure like Skip. If you watch him surf, you can definitely see who he developed his style from. Get to know him. He is a really neat person. He is extremely talented in the water and in the shaping bay. I’m glad to see his hard work is paying off. Chris Christenson is another Frye Protege worth referenceing.
wow, hey guys. Lee, just wanted to say thanks for coming by and passing on your board, i can’t wait to ride that thing with some cleaner surf, i will for sure let you know how it goes. and just wnated to say thanks for all the hubba from everybody, this is hopefully just the beginning of some great things to come. don’t forget about the show on march 23rd where the two hulls will be on display, i was extremely foturnate to hook up with joel tudor glasser westcoast and they are going to be able to get those two board dailed in for me, so we’ll see em at the show i suppose!
I’ve only seen his ‘Skosh’ model for Swift, but it’s a beauty. One of those, mid 7 foot range, quad- I could find a use for it! He’s a nice kid who shapes well and deserves all the recognition he can get.