About the Author

Overview:
I started surfing at age 9, while growing up in San Diego, California. I became a team rider for Gordon & Smith Surfboards at age 16. Surfed competitively through out the 70's and 80's. I have worked in the Surf Industry for over 30 years, starting with G & S and now presently work for Rusty Surfboards. This blog is a way for me to share my experiences and knowledge of the surfing industry. Both in lifestyle and surfboard construction. Also it keeps me from getting too bored during recovery from my recent heart attack. Emails to TMAzing@gmail.comm

Michael V Anderson’s (M. Azing) Resume:

Custom Surfboards by Gordon and Smith, owner Larry Gordon
-This being the first job on my resume definitely requires a bit more attention than the rest. From the Late Seventies to the mid Eighties Gordon & Smith is where I cut my teeth learning the trade. Paul Bordieri, Skip Frye, Mike Eaton, Hoy Runnels, Sam Cody, Hank Warner, G3, TSG, TC, Robin Prodonivich, Glen Vitalis and the Boeche brothers became my first guides through the dust and fume filled factory.
-Boards Glassed= G&S, Mark Richards, Eaton, Barnfield and some of the Windsurfer brands were other types of boards we built there during that time frame.
-Jobs= I started as a laborer and worked up to assistant manager for Star Systems, which was our house fin system at the time. Then finished up as power sander when the end of an era came and this great factory closed its doors.
-Memory= Mike Anderson, team rider 1969, shaper Skip Frye.

Steve Seabold’s, owner Steve Seabold
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Byrne, Shroft, Aloha, Murphy and Seabold surfboards
-Memory= Steve’s bathroom was a working commode sitting directly in the middle of his laminating room.

Island Scene, Louis or Lucho
-Job= power sander
-Boards glassed= Angulo Sailboards, Island Scene and Rusty
-Memories= Sub standard dust collection unit and something about cattle drives

San Diego Surf Shop 1975, owner Glen Horn
-Job= salesman
-Boards sold= Matrix Surfboards
-Memories= Joe Roper, borrowing cups of ice from the food stand to cool down his hot batches. -Practicing Bulls eyes with Glen


Surf Shop 1987
Wind an Sea beach & Surf, owners Eric (Bird) Huffman and Ernie Higgins
-Job= salesman
-Boards sold= Rusty, Frye, Hynson and Channel Islands Surfboards
-Memories= During that time I had just finished a little book , the So. California Beach and Surf Discriptionary it was my humorous attempt at letting tourists know how us surfer types got to communicating like we did. I self published and promoted it. The Discriptionary was carried in Walden Books, B Dalton, and Upstart Crow to name a few places. Other than I learned a lot, it turned out to be a total disaster, Bummer man.

Gordon and Smith Inc., owner Larry Gordon
-Jobs= shipping & receiving, quality control supervisor
-Boards shaped= G&S, Hi Tech sailboards
-Memories= instead of giving me a raise, Brad Woods gave me a title

Nectar Factory, owner Bobby Larson
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, Nectar and G&S surfboards.
-Memory= The wide eyed night crew.

Pacific Surf Glass, owner Harlan Patterson
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Minard, Frye, G&S, South Coast, Rusty, and Murphy.
-Memories= sanding the Endless Summer II poster boards

Pacific Sailboards, owner Bobby Larson
-Jobs= sanding, routing & plugging, QC
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, Choice, Brewer, Weber, Fish Sticks and Zanadu Surfboards
-Memories= Lance, changing the polarity on Hoys vacuum collection unit.

North Pacific Composites, owner Jeff Hammer
-Jobs= sanding, routing & plugging and rub out.
-Boards Glassed= Hi Tech Sailboards, North Pacific Surfboards, Northwest Surfboards, Local Motion, Gerry Lopez Surfboards and some assorted composite sailboards.
Memory= G III’s smoked steelhead

Waterlines Unlimited, owner Ernie Higgins
-Job= sander
-Boards Glassed= Murphy, G&S, Rusty, Hamilton, Velzey, Tudor, Swift Movement, Iron Cross and assorted beer boards
-Memory= Hearing the story about the sander I replaced, pissing in PK’s boots

Kane Garden, owners Stu Kenson and Harlan Patterson
-Job= production manager
-Boards Glassed= SK, KG, Third World Exotic and Rawson surfboards
-Memory= Larmo from Hair mo sticking it out till the bitter end.

Rusty Surfboards, owner Rusty Priesendorfer
-Job= sander
-Board Glassed= R dots