Christian Beamish

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Looking back to move forward 

Surfboards California has single fin roots. I started shaping in Santa Cruz in 1995 because the wafer-thin shortboards of the day weren’t working for me. I’d come across an old 1970s Brother’s Neilson single fin on a surf trip in the Philippines, and while the board had limited performance capabilities, its inherent glide and flow were refreshing in an era of over-amped surfing.

My first boards were “performance single fins” and wider/flatter three-fin models, all in the interest of what I think of as “power-flow” surfing. Once I began the shaping journey, I made it a part of my surfing practice, just shaping new boards for myself and select friends for decades. I’ve been shaping full time since 2020, and these more-recent years have solidified not only the designs I make, but most importantly, the precision and balance I bring to the craft. 

I would say that yes, definitely, Surfboards California are old-school designs. That said, I am not interested in being “retro.” Rather, I seek designs that incorporate the glide and flow I experienced on that Brothers Neilson single fin, with updated thickness flows, bottom contours, and rocker considerations—these are high-performance surfboards for a particular approach to wave riding.

In my opinion, positioning and momentum on a wave are the keys to good surfing, whether on the most bladed-out shortboard or on an 8’3” single fin. The boards I shape provide good paddling, and a quality of “fluid-drive” for dynamic, well-rounded surfing. I offer models from high-performance twins, quads, and 2 + 1s, to mid-range boards (also twin, quad or 2 +1) geared either for exotic tubes, or more everyday surfing. I also make excellent big wave boards and gliders. 

Sticking with the hand-shaping ethos keeps my production at a human scale, and I very much enjoy the process of talking with surfers about the boards they’re currently riding and what they might like to try next. It’s an ongoing process of refinement and discovery, and I’m finding that simplicity (even in complex designs) makes for the best surfing. Feel free to call, and we’ll set up a time to talk it all through. Or, have a look at the models and make an order on the site here, and I’ll get right to it.

Best regards, and happy surfing!
Christian Beamish
(949) 547-3162
c.f.beamish@gmail.com

Order

Turnaround time on custom orders is four- to six-weeks. A 50% deposit is required on each model base price listed on the website (clear, sand finish, fin boxes/no fins). Prices for color on custom orders vary from single-side airspray (approximately $85) to resin tint/cut-laps/inlays (approximately $140-$200 depending on board size and color-design complexity). Shaping happens at 500 Maple, Carpinteria, CA, 93013. Glassing and color work is by Golden State Glassing in Costa Mesa, CA. Golden State does pick up and delivery of finished boards weekly and handles shipping as well. Stock boards will be shipped within one week of ordering (packing and shipping fees vary based on destination and surfboard size). I am happy to communicate by phone to go over details of boards, or handle orders with notes on the order form.