Year: 2025

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Canyon Surfboards Fish #3805 Returns to San Diego

It was the morning of my The Holistic Approach to Strategic SEO BrightonSEO presentation, 7:56 AM, my Fellas Club friend Dino texts me of a listing for an early 80’s Canyon Surfboards fish model, shaped by Rusty Preisendorfer, and air brush artwork by Scat, the Bob Dylan of Point Loma.

Dino says, I’ve messaged the seller that I’m the buyer. So began another California surf odyssey.

Since this September day, I’ve published my marketing strategy talk into a book that’s available on Amazon, sharing methodologies, playbooks, and case studies for growth. Here the book contents and real life experience weave together–like a snake eating itself (which is a metaphor for two related event horizons feeding each other).

Canyon Surfboards #3805
#3805

Steve Lis created in the 1960’s a historic San Diego surfboard that the world has paid keen surfing attention to—The Fish.

John Holly shaped for Canyon Surfboards, who lived next door to Canyon founder John Durwood. The fish that Steve apparently created, was born out of a John Holly longboard shape.

Craigslist documents a Canyon Surfboards Fish shaped by Stevie.

So when San Diego shaper Rusty Preisendorfer began creating Canyons in the back half of the 1970s, he was steeped in deep surf fish heritage.

Risty Preisendorfer Signature
Rusty’s Signature

Canyon Surfboards #3805 6’4 2+1 Star Fin

Born in the shaping and spray bays of the Canyon Surfboards factory on Sante Fe Street, in the heart of Rose Canyon, #3805 bears Rusty’s signature on the bottom deck, John Durant’s caligrographic serial number, and expectedly sanding by Orca, artwork by Scat, and finish by Karl Eiberhardt.

Red G&S Star Fin
Red Star Fin

There are two glassed in twin fins, and a red star fin that was created by Gordon & Smith.

Today, star fins are so rare it is said that only King Neptune and Bird have them.

The red star fin harkens back to the Mike Hynson skunkworks champion model from G&S.

On the wall of the Canyon Surfboards factory, showed a sign: Best Surfboards—In the West.

From the Maui F-53 Surf Shop & Islands of Paradise stickers, it look like this Canyon spend time surfing in the Hawaiian Islands.

Back story was this eighties surfboard was carried across California too atop a Baja Bug.

This cursive surfboard lam in particular was called the Can You by certain Canyon employees.

Can You?

You Can

Canyon

Chakra Surfboard Artwork Explained

The root chakra Muladara is found in the G&S star, red is the center of power

There is a narrowing focus of Orange Sacral that rises from the tail to meet a point of anahata heart charka that levitates up the color pallet to the blue throat Vishuddha. Ajna, the third eye blue intonates the over the top Can You lam, and Sahasrara intonates the lower crown chakra below.

Purple Canyon Logo
Bubble Print Canyon Surfboards

Black Beach Surfing Injury

Two days before the day of my surf trip, Blacks was absolutely throwing barrels from multiple strong wavelength swells. The detonations were exceptionally loud as the waves literally broke up. So I’m swimming up from a swollen lip pitch off a wave, to find my bat tail surfboard smashing into my nose as I came to the surface. Another surfer paddling out grimaces at my visage and my sleve confirms I’m bleeding. On the beach, I wrap up my face with my rash guard and head over the my primary health providor—the lifeguard.

“Excuse me as I remove this tourniquet rash guard, but I was hoping to get your opinion on my just walking of this bleeding injury.” The helpful lifeguards conclude I was only bleeding from the nose and that it was clotting.” We left laughing about these injuries being better than Stingray incidents.

Two Days Later, I Leave to Surf From San Diego to the Bay Area

First stop in the dawning light was Trestles, I love surfing here in the fall, for us goofy footed surfers, the left at Lowers is less surfed and fun. My bat tailed Canyon and I are back for 9 waves and a two way skate to one of California’s notorious performance surfing waves.

Next it’s 12 more waves on the top Chakra Canyon Egg, between first and second point in Malibu. Here’s it’s an idyllic 2-3 foot, crests swollen for speed over shallowing cobble stones on soul arching anchored rails.

A few skate parks later and I’m in San Francisco holding Canyon Surfboards #3805 in my hands. It’s tail wings are symmetrically opposite that of my bait tail.

I get more waves in Pacific and Capitola, and have a great conversation with a retired firefighter who is now an arson investigator in a skate park.

Unfortunately Dino takes a board to the face as well at Pleasure Point.

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A Reunion of San Diego Surfing Legants: Canyon Surfboards Employees at Joe Roper’s 50th Celebration Pary

John Durant & Karl Eiberhard

On Sunday, June 22th, amidst the vibrant celebration of Joe Roper’s 50th anniversary – a true milestone in San Diego’s surf history – we had the distinct pleasure of reconnecting with some of the original architects of Canyon Surfboards. It was a day filled with camaraderie, shared memories, and a tangible connection to the deep roots of our brand’s heritage.

Among the familiar faces, it was a particular honor to spend time with John Durant and Karl Eiberhardt, two individuals whose contributions were absolutely foundational to Canyon Surfboards’ early success.

John Durant & Karl Eiberhard
Canyon Surfboards Employees

John Durant: The First Collaborator and Employee #1

Many know John Durant as a celebrated surf photographer and author, capturing iconic moments in surfing history with his lens and words. What some may not realize, however, is that John was also Canyon Surfboards’ very first employee.

Back in the nascent stages of Canyon Surfboards, our original founder and principal, John Durwood, actively collaborated with John Durant to secure initial funding for his ambitious new surfboard brand. Though the specific deal Durwood hoped for didn’t materialize immediately, Durant’s talent was undeniable. As a skilled backyard glasser from Sunset Cliffs who had even worked briefly at Gordon & Smith, John Durant was quickly brought on board as a highly competent surfboard fabricator. His expertise was crucial in satisfying orders from East Coast surf shops after early ads ran in national surfing magazines, solidifying Canyon’s nascent production capabilities.

Karl Eiberhardt: The Manager, The Shaper, and The Misidentified Surfer

It was also fantastic to catch up with Karl Eiberhardt, another early Canyon Surfboards employee who predates even the legendary Rusty Preisendorfer. Karl was a true renaissance man of surfboard fabrication – a backyard shaper, glosser, laminator, and polisher. His dedication and talent, coupled with his college degree, saw him quickly rise through the ranks to become a trusted manager of the Canyon Surfboards shop on Abbott Street in Ocean Beach.

Karl regaled us with a hilarious, yet frustrating, anecdote from his time managing the OB shop. He recounted a day surfing near the OB Pier when he was ticketed by a lifeguard for allegedly being too close to the swim-only area. In court, Karl attempted to clear his name by noting the lifeguard’s report stated he was wearing a black wetsuit, when in fact, he was wearing a brown one. Much to his dismay, the judge, a self-professed swimmer who often encountered surfers near the pier, immediately ruled against Karl, proving some battles are unwinnable, even with clear evidence!

Echoes of Early Collaborations

The celebration also brought to mind other key figures from Canyon’s beginnings:

  • John Holly: John, who lived next door to John Durant, played a unique role. He would shape boards and simply hand them over the fence to Durant for glassing. It’s a fascinating bit of lore that the original longboard shaped by John Holly eventually became the foundation for Steve Lis’s iconic fish shape – a testament to the interconnectedness of surf innovation in those early days.
  • Sam Cody: An early Canyon Surfboards employee and renowned color expert, Sam Cody was legendary for his upsell prowess. He could effortlessly transform a simple request for a $30 pinline into a $175 custom surfboard enhancement, demonstrating an innate understanding of aesthetics and customer desire.

Connecting with these luminaries at Joe Roper’s 50th was a powerful reminder of the passion, ingenuity, and vibrant personalities that shaped Canyon Surfboards in its formative years. Their stories are a vital part of our ongoing legacy, inspiring us to continue pushing the boundaries of surfboard design and craftsmanship. We’re proud to stand on the shoulders of these giants.