Founder:

Al Merrick

Behind the Brand: Almost every shaper has a similar story, but sometimes it can be hard to believe that the institution Al Merrick built at Channel Islands came from such humble beginnings. “I borrowed $50 to get a barrel of resin and a bolt of cloth in the late-’60s,” says Merrick. “The rest is history.” And what an unparalleled back-story that has been. During the decades since Merrick launched CI in 1969, the label has gone from a well-respected regional operation in Santa Barbara to a global powerhouse. Influenced by the likes of Dick Brewer and John Price of Surfboards Hawaii (as well as the prominent surfer-shapers of the shortboard revolution era, like Bob McTavish), Merrick steadily and quietly honed his understanding of the intimacies of board construction during his first decade in operation. He was then carried to global fame during the late-’70s and ’80s, when Shaun Tomson, Kim Mearig, and later Tom Curren all rode Channel Island boards to ASP World Titles. What followed was a continual world title blitz, with Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, and Sofia Mulanovich also riding Merrick’s designs into the record books. Currently, Channel Islands’ riders have secured more than 20 world titles between them, and judging from the next generation of surfers that Merrick has already begun to work with—including Dane Reynolds, Yadin Nicol, and Dusty Payne—there’s a good chance CI will continue that trend. “Our mission is to make the best boards using the feedback from the best surfers in the world to lead us into the future,” says Merrick. “I feel extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to have had this level of success at that, and to have had the opportunities to work with people like Tom, Kelly, Rob, Dane, and the rest of our team.” The Channel Islands brand continues to push design experimentation and is committed to incorporating next-generation materials into the boards they produce.

About Channel Islands' Most Popular Models: “Over the whole spectrum,” says Merrick, “The Flyer is the most consistently ridden model for all our team riders. But currently, the Dumpster Diver has the spotlight on it since Dane made his first finals on it at Trestles. Both boards are easy to surf in small to medium waves, which is what the majority of the waves we surf are.”

Shop Talk: “Listening to your customer is very important. Of course, performance is a given, but quality and consistency seem to be the main ingredients to keeping your customers happy. Especially when money is tight. People don’t get to get a new board every season, so they want that board to work. They want to get a re-make of the last magic board they had and to be confident it will feel the same.”

What separates Channel Islands from the rest of the labels in the industry? “We’re tried and true. We’ve been building the highest quality boards at the best price for over 40 years. Building surfboards is the center of our gravity. It has been that way since the beginning. It’s all about hard work and a love for the sport of kings.”

What’s the most important quality to look for in a surfboard? “The correct volume is the most important quality to have in your board. Whether you’re 10 years old, or 60 years old, it’s the key to catching waves.”