About Polyester Pig
It all began in 1978, when I was just 14 years old. Black wetsuits, clear boards, and completely ignoring the existence of leashes was the norm. After watching Palos Verdes local legend Brian Nash shape my first board—a 7'3" single fin diamond tail—in his parents' garage, I realized I wanted to be a board builder too.
From there, I was on a mission, cranking out all sorts of shortboards: single fins, twin fins, tri-fins, and the occasional quad while working at Mike Dempsey’s “Magic Glass” glassing shop. Eventually, I focused on 1970s style longboards. Why chase trends when you can ride something that was already deemed "outdated"? It was like being the hipster of surfboards—too cool for the latest craze!
My buddies and I shaped everything from 7'3 mini longboards to 12'3 floating sidewalks. We proudly strolled down to our local Rat Beach with our boards, which were so obnoxiously acid-splashed they could’ve doubled as modern art pieces. Love it or hate it, we were here to stay. I think we were subconsciously competing to see who could create the ugliest board—turns out, the beachgoers were more than happy to buy them! We sold our creations at or just above cost, not because we were savvy entrepreneurs, but because we were hopelessly addicted to board building.
From there, I was on a mission, cranking out all sorts of shortboards: single fins, twin fins, tri-fins, and the occasional quad while working at Mike Dempsey’s “Magic Glass” glassing shop. Eventually, I focused on 1970s style longboards. Why chase trends when you can ride something that was already deemed "outdated"? It was like being the hipster of surfboards—too cool for the latest craze!
My buddies and I shaped everything from 7'3 mini longboards to 12'3 floating sidewalks. We proudly strolled down to our local Rat Beach with our boards, which were so obnoxiously acid-splashed they could’ve doubled as modern art pieces. Love it or hate it, we were here to stay. I think we were subconsciously competing to see who could create the ugliest board—turns out, the beachgoers were more than happy to buy them! We sold our creations at or just above cost, not because we were savvy entrepreneurs, but because we were hopelessly addicted to board building.
So here’s a toast to all those generous board builders who were secure enough to share their secrets and wisdom! And remember: some of the best board builders in the world are still doing it out of their garages—because all you need is a passion and a planer for turning foam into someone’s favorite ride.
Cheers!
- John Francisco