Since then, the company has grown into one of the largest-grossing businesses in surfing. Having helped design T-shirts back at Canyon, he did the same with his new company and launched a full line of clothing in 1987. Ridden by more than half the world's Top 16 surfers at the time, he was the most in-demand shaper anywhere. In 1985, he left Canyon and started Rusty surfboards. The late '70s proved a pivotal time, as Rusty shaped for a growing San Diego-based manufacturer called Canyon Surfboards and accrued a reputable stable of riders including David Barr, Randy and Wes Laine, Peter Townend, Shaun Tomson and Ian Cairns.īy the mid-'80s, buoyed by the additions of Dave Parmenter a radical young Australian named Mark Occhilupo, the trademark Rusty logo had achieved a life of its own. Starting to gain a solid reputation in the business, he launched his own company the same year - Music Surfboards. Exploring Australia in 1974, he garnered his first serious exposure when Rabbit Bartholomew purchased one of his 8-foot guns. While attending the University of California at San Diego, Rusty spent his initial stint shaping for Gordon and Smith. Having turned a love for creation into an unrivaled name in shaping, and transmitting that into one of the largest apparel lines in the industry, he is recognized the world over by a single letter - R.Ĭoming into shaping during a tumultuous, groundbreaking era, Rusty's influences included Dick Brewer, Mike Hynson and Skip Frye. Tens of thousands of boards later, he still is. "I was fascinated with building things," remembers Preisendorfer. The interesting thing is, he hadn't even started surfing. If you consider the passion that surfers have for the sport, it comes as no surprise to see that Rusty Surfboards has not been left behind and has pages on Face Book, Twitter and MySpace where surfing fans can keep abreast of current events and products.Back in junior high school, Rusty Preisendorfer perused garage sales and picked up a beat-up old log for 10 bucks just so he could practice fixing dings. Apart from its footprint in North America, today, the company has spread its reach to Australia, Europe, Japan, Latin America and even parts of South America.Īny business today that has a considerable proportion of its target market consisting of young people must find a way of utilizing the online social networking sites to market its product. In 2008, Rusty Preisendorfer was declared Shaper of the year by the sports leading publication, Surfing Magazine. This became extremely popular and encouraged other shapers to think outside the box. Rusty Preisendorfer Rusty Del Mar was opened 25 years ago, Legendary shaper Rusty Preisendorfer found the location driving from La Jolla to Del Mar in the late 80’s looking for surf, 'Fifteenth Street was usually my first. To continue pushing the limits of what is possible in surfboard shaping and design, Rusty developed many design contest including the C-5 Challenge and Anything But 3 contest. Rusty Surfboards Master Craftsmen, Rusty Preisendorfer I’ve always loved the cool, small-town vibe of Del Mar. This is the Tuflite technology we know today, launched in 1992 and labeled Surftech. This turned out to be a great decision as the two took their epoxy sandwiched prototypes to heights that no one could image at the time. It did not take long before the ‘R-dot’ moved into apparel as the brand became more established and recognized in the world of surfing.īut Preisendorfer wasn’t going to just shape regular surfboards, he was more innovative than that! Rusty knew the opportunities epoxy offered surfboard design joining with shaper Randy French to work with him on new surfboard design ideas. This was referred to simply as the ‘R-dot’. ![]() It was time for this master of surfboard shaping to take the plunge on his own, breaking away from Canyon in 1985, and starting his own shaping line called Rusty, using a large R with a dot as his logo. This heralded the birth of the Rusty models being ridden by over half of pro surfers in the Top 16 including Australia’s Mark Occhilupo and Californian Dave Parmenter.Īs a rivalry developed in the 80’s between Occy and California’s Tom Curren, with Occy riding Rusty models and Tom ridding Al Merrick / Channel Islands surfboards, the publicity throws Preisendorfer into the surfboard shaping spotlight. In the 1980s, Preisendorfer decides to brand his shapes under Canyon surfboards with his own logo. His profile grew as boards he had shaped became the choice of the champions earning ads and editorials in Surfer and Surfing magazine. It was not long before he started shaping surfboards for major brands such as Canyon and Gordon and Smith. Rusty Surfboards is the brainchild of Rusty Preisendorfer.īorn in 1953, Rusty began designing surfboards by the age of sixteen. Through the years, Rusty has moved to take its place among the best surfboard manufacturers not only in North America but also with recognition by surfers the world over. Mention Rusty Surfboards and anyone that is a fan of surfing is bound to recognize this brand.
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