Surf star shaping surfers

Dave Brooks

Starring in surf film “Endless Summer” gave Robert August a chance to

shape his own destiny.

Now the 1960s surfing star wants to give others that chance, even

if it’s just to catch a few waves on the south side of the Pier.

August and Fallbrook businessman Bill Wade have teamed up to

create Surfboards By You, a new concept-company that allows surfers

to spend the day with a surf legend shaping their own dream board.

“People are a little star-struck when they first meet August,”

said Wade, who runs a wine-of-the-month club out of San Diego County.

“‘Endless Summer’ is such a classic movie with such a special place

in surf history.”

Surfboards By You is operated out of August’s board shop Spanners

on Sampson Lane in Huntington Beach, specializing in custom long

boards.

Many people don’t know what to expect when they show up at

August’s nondescript office -- often a spouse or loved-one sets the

experience for them and many arrive surprised, and sometimes awed, to

learn that they’re going to spend the day with August.

“It’s very much like a normal work day,” said August. “They show

up a 9 a.m. and we spend the next hours together.”

After going over the basics of board-shaping, August helps the

client determine what size and shape board he wants. August next

introduces the tools to board-shaping and supervises as the surfers

go to work on their dream boards.

“They go so slow that we can usually catch them before they mess

up,” August said. “It typically takes them about eight hours to do

what a professional shaper could do in an hour-and-a-half.”

When the shaping of the board is finally completed, August’s

professional team handles the sanding, lamination and airbrush

design. The entire day costs $1,500 and includes a gourmet lunch, a

video of the day and an autographed “Endless Summer” poster.

Sometimes Wade and August throw in a few beers at the end and a

little bull session about surfing.

“Plus, you get to walk away with your own custom board, designed

for your home break,” Wade said.

August said he was skeptical at first about the venture and did a

test run with Sam Flannery, son of Former San Diego Padres star Tim

Flannery.

“I could barely sleep the night before,” he said. “I was worried

that it wasn’t going to go well. That it would be boring.”

Instead the day was a hit and August and Wade have organized

dozens of other shaping workshops, with surfers from all over the

country flying into shape their boards.

For August, Surfboards By You is a chance to share his love for

the waves with other surfers. August was born in 1945 to legendary

beach personality Blackie August and was surfing by age 6.

August was class president at Huntington Beach High School and

developed a reputation as a top-notch long boarder. In 1966, he set

out with filmmaker Bruce Brown for an around-the-globe tour of exotic

locales, paddling into waves that had never before been surfed.

When August returned, he landed a job shaping boards at Jacob’s

Surf Shop in Hermosa Beach, before starting his own line eight years

later.

“Surfing has always been a chance for me to pursue my dreams,” he

said. “It hasn’t made me rich, but it’s given me a chance to spend my

life doing something I love.”

* DAVE BROOKS covers City Hall. He can be reached at (714)

966-4609 or by e-mail at [email protected].