Gordie Duane, Surfboard Legend

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Gordie Duane dies at 80; surfboard maker
Gordie Duane, whose boards were prized for their craftsmanship and design, helped turn Huntington Beach into a surfing capital.

August 4, 2011
Pioneering surfboard maker Gordie Duane was helping to transform Huntington Beach into a surfing capital when he received the city's first ticket "” for surfing illegally.

The surfboard shop he opened at the foot of the town's pier in 1956 also served as a hangout for local kids who skipped school to catch waves. Huntington Beach took aim at the behavior by banning surfing after 10 a.m., then made a statement by singling out Duane as the first official scofflaw, he later recalled.

"Back in 1956, they didn't want surfing in this town--Man, that was a bad element, Duane once confided.

When Duane opened Gordie Surfboards, dozens of other surfers were making and selling boards, but only his good friends Dale Velzy and Hobie Alter had similar storefront retail operations in Southern California, Warshaw said.

As balsa wood gave way to polyurethane foam-core surfboards, Duane was among the first manufacturers to strengthen them in 1958 by incorporating a thin strip of wood "” called a stringer "” down the center from nose to tail. The look endured.

The surfing community nicknamed him the Compton Cabinet Maker, a nod to his beginnings. Regarded as a talented surfboard shaper, he originally honed his skill with wood while working at his uncle's cabinet shop.

After a 1958 fire destroyed Duane's shop, he reopened nearby on Pacific Coast Highway and remained in business until 1988.

Gordon Patrick Duane was born Feb. 2, 1931, in Los Angeles and learned to surf in his early 20s while serving in the Navy at Pearl Harbor.

He made his first surfboard out of surplus balsa wood from Navy rafts.

Upon leaving the military, he moved to Compton and started making commercial surfboards in his parents' Lynwood garage.

As a surfer, he was a member of the Hole in the Wall Gang, a Huntington Beach group that was the hottest team in amateur surfing in 1977. At the time, members ranged in age from 23 to 54 and had won about 20 Western Surfing Assn. contests in a row.

The "rowdy bunch" first surfed together in the 1950s and had reunited for a "last hurrah," according to the article. The group's godfather was Duane, whose surf shop doubled as team headquarters.

The Hole in the Wall Gang is scheduled to be inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame on Thursday.

The pioneer surfer and master surfboard craftsman died July 27, 2011

Duane, who received the city's first ticket for illegal surfing in 1956, is known for his membership in the 1970s Hole in the Wall Gang, a group of amateur surfers. The group was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame Thursday. Duane was inducted into the walk as a Local Hero in 1997.

At the Surfing Walk of Fame on Thursday, much was said about Duane " who owned Huntington Beach's first surf shop.

"He was so proud to help create Surf City, USA," said his granddaughter, Cristen Hurley.

Peter "PT" Townend called Gordie the "spiritual leader" of the Hole in the Wall Gang.

After a stint in the Navy at Pearl Harbor, Duane stayed in Honolulu and learned to shape boards from Hawaii's best. He then came to Huntington Beach and shaped balsa wood boards.

When polyurethane foam-core surfboards were introduced, Duane was one of the first manufacturers to strengthen them with redwood stringers down the center.

Duane opened his surfboard shop in 1956 at the foot of the Huntington Beach Pier, and it quickly became a hangout for the beach crowd.

At the time, city leaders saw surfers as a bad element and an ordinance was passed that banned surfing after 10 a.m.

Duane got the city's first ticket for illegal surfing. He was among a lofty group of 1950s board shapers that included Renny Yater, Hobie Alter, Hap Jacobs, Johnny Rice and Greg Noll.


Bruce Jones, owner of Bruce Jones Surfboards in Sunset Beach, worked in Duane's shop for short period in the mid-60s. Duane used to stop a 21-year-old Jones as he shaped a board and correct his technique. The pay was $10 a board and Gordie's Surfboards was one of the few shops around that cared about quality, Jones said.

Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti said the Hole in the Wall Gang was created after Gordie "the Godfather" decided to make a team in 1959. Across from the shop, there was a hole in the wall - hence the name "Hole in the Wall" gang.

Duane helped Lewis along in surfing in the 1970s, even making him a surfboard. During the time, the classic longboards were going out of fashion.

One by one, however, the old members of the Hole in the Wall Gang came back to Duane and wanted to start surfing again. Into his 40s, Duane was surfing in his division and earning points for his team during competitions.

To some a testament to his type of personality, Duane used to hang a rope across the front of his shop during business hours.

Since the shop doubled as his factory, Duane used the rope as a way to protect the incomplete surfboards from fingerprints, dust, and visitors banging into them.


Gordie Duane belongs to a group of talented shapers in the 50's such as Greg Noll, Hobie Alter, Hap Jacobs, Renny Yate, Johnny Rice and his good friend Dale Velzy. Gordie started out by learning to work with wood as cabinet maker at his uncle's cabinet shop where he learned the appreciation of quality and craftsmanship.

At age 20, in 1950 Gordie joined the Navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor Hawaii. Soon he began to learn to surf at Waikiki and Queens reef where he met the Duke and his brothers, Rabbit Kakai and Able Gomes. Able helped Gordie make his first surfboard from surplus Balsa wood from Navy life rafts. Gordie sliced and laminated the balsa wood into a blank with 3 redwood stringers. With his woodworking knowledge and the help of Able, his first creation was near perfect and rode great. This was the beginning of his love for surfing and surfboard shaping.


After his Navy days, Gordie eventually relocated to Huntington Beach, California where he continued to shape balsa wood boards in his parents garage. At one time, he had a shop near the well know custom car creator George Barris, where Gordie gained inspiration. Later he rented 4 rooms under the pier where he set up his first surfboard shop. It became a hang out spot during the day and a party atmosphere at night. Many of the locals would ditch school and would go surfing and then hang out at the Gordie Shop afterwards. The city passed a "no surfing" after 10am ordinance to try to detour the kids from ditching classes. Gordie became the first person for breaking the ordinance and was arrested.

Gordie glued, shaped and glassed over 6,000 balsa wood surfboards. Once the urethane blanks were introduced, Gordie had the problem of having the blank bow while trying to shape it. So he took a blank, cut it in half and re-glued it together and put a wood stringer down the center and used inner tube bands to hold it together until the glue dried. This method became the norm for producing surfboard blanks.

The Gordie first logo was created by Don Tiece who at the time was an art director for Knott's Berry Farm. The logo was made up of circles similar to the Michelin Man, which was dubbed "circle man". In around 1958 the logo evolved to what became the famous Gordie shield logo featuring a free spirited man inside a wave with the tag line, "The Only Way to Travel". This logo was considered very avant garde for the 50's.

Sheree, Gordies daughter

The surf was always much bigger at the Huntington Beach Pier and a lot of balsa boards broke in half which kept Gordie busy. In 1952, Gordie developed the first fin box which the fin would release when it had enough pressure on it such as catching it on the pier pilings or riding it up to the shoreline.

In 1959 Gordie was out of town visiting his good friend Rennie Yater. During his leave, a fire erupted under the pier and Gordie lost over 100 surfboards. This lead to the lost of his lease under the pier. Long time friend and team rider John "Frog" Van Oeffelen found an old oil well welding shop for rent at Pacific Coast Highway and 13th Street. The new shop was typical of surf shops at this time. You could only buy surfboards and maybe a t-shirt, not like today's surf shops.

Gordie built around 46,000 boards between 1956 and 1980. Gordie wore all the hats; CEO, advertising director, shaper, salesman, custodian, packer and shipper. But his product was always showed his superior craftsmanship even when he had several shapers working for him. His surfboard shapes were unique always with style and smooth flowing lines. His boards were designed for good experienced surfers, not beginners. He had several premium shapers, Mike Oday, Larry Felker, Del Cannon, Don Stuart, Bruce Jones, Steve Boehne, Jim Fuller and Randy Lewis.

Hole in the Wall Gang billboard

The 70's was fun time for Gordie and The Hole in the Wall Gang. The members paid for their own team expenses, but Gordie let the team hang out at the shop. The teams name was created from the drainage hole in the retaining wall hold the sea cliff across the street from the shop. The team was a group of seasoned Huntington Beach surfers who didn't enter the regular contest circuit. But the group surf hot and partied hard and followed the Gordie tradition of non conformity.

In 1980 Gordie lost his lease at PCH and 13th Street when the estate sold the the property to developers. This ended an era but Gordie's shapers continue create and are licensed to make Gordie Surfboards with his brand.

PHILOSOPHY: Gordie believe in three things for creating a surfboard. First it should be stylish and look good. Second it should function exceptional in the water. And finally it should be the highest quality possible. Gordie was know for his unique surfboard shapes and as a superb craftsmanship.

Some of Gordie surfboard models are:

1965- Mark V
1966- Nose Rider
1967- Lizard
1968- Assassin
1968- Middle Weight


Gordie Surfboards shows off it's creations. Surf-O-Rama was for surfboard manufacturers and others in the surfing industry to show off their latest products. The surfing craze hadn't really hit the country, yet, although surfing was getting to be a big sport in Southern California. Filmmakers Bud Browne and Bruce Brown were there showing their movies, and there were bands like Dick Dale and the Deltones playing surf music.

Gordie Duane, early years. Courtesy Gordie Archive.
Gordie passed away on July 27th, 2011, just a few days before he was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame for Honor Roll with the Hole in the Wall Gang.

Gordie Surfboard Shop on PCH and 13th Street. Gordie's prize possession was a BMW