Yes, that’s Josh Hall, who San Diego surfer, surfboard shaper, and legend Skip Frye at the Surfing Hall of Fame four years ago called out as the only person to acquire the skills and talent to shape the infamous slide and glide longboard that Frye is famous for originating.
But let’s start at the beginning.
An amalgamation of events plus pure drive and talent got Hall to where he is today. First, as a young surfer, Hall met his surf idol, the maestro of board shaping, Frye. Years later during college studying Spanish literature at San Diego State University, Hall fortuitously ordered a board from Frye. They reconnected about surfing on so many levels leading to a beyond rare invite to learn shaping alongside Frye. Hall took it.
Focusing on Frye’s key concepts, “be sharp,” and “keep it clean,” Hall learned well from the master. Years later he went on to start his own company, Josh Hall Surfboards.
Not only is Hall known nationally, but worldwide, in particular, in Europe, and Japan where he is the “Subarashii” or “excellent” board maker. Visits by him there are rock star status, but Hall’s refreshing humbleness won’t let you go there. He immediately defers to his team as the core reason for the accolades.
His team ‘on board’ members are specifically Paul Kelly, glosser polisher with 50 years of board building, Wade Largent, sander, 42 years of board building, John Anderson, hot coat/fin guy, with 35 years of board building, Dave Washkowiach, eight years board building, and Micah Buetz, 15 years board building. Combined with Hall, that’s a couple of hundred years of expertise.
But it’s not all about surfboard making. It’s the extra heart of giving that further sets Hall apart. Connectivity. When this year’s Maui fire devastation set in, Hall and his father-in-law Fred Borrelli immediately stepped in with a huge Costco run to get much-needed supplies, organized donations from friends, and amassed huge palettes of aloha-spirited supplies for Maui residents.
Borrelli is a powerfully smart businessman, among them the owner of the renowned Scorpion Bay Hotel, and a philanthropist. Of many charitable involvements, Borrelli was at the founding of the Luau & Legends of Surfing Invitational benefiting the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health.
Along the 30-year history of the event, Borrelli has surfed in it, been a major donor, hosted (with his wife Nancy) multiple times the Legend’s party, and chaired it twice. This year is special, as father-in-law to Hall, it was an easy ask to get Hall to donate a special 11-foot Cali pintail, classic but modern, with homage to a Frye template, made to ride two to 20-foot waves.
The 2023 Luau chairs Jay Hagan and John Dobak, M.D., are exemplars of smarts, both are UC San Diego grads with a long history in biotech. DermTech (non-invasive pre-screening for melanoma), and Amgen among their brilliance in its colon cancer KRAS blocking drug Lumakras) as highlights, and they are surfers to boot. Both are thrilled to have Hall “on board.” As Dobak says, “A wonderful aspect about the Luau is that it allows us to showcase unique individuals, like Josh, that enable the surf culture of San Diego to flourish.”
Hall’s board went for $9,500 to help eradicate cancer. Life has come full circle. An event Hall went to as a kid meeting heroes like Rabbit Kekai, Wingnut, and Greg Noll, he returns with family, wife Torie, son Cardõn, and happy news, baby on the way. When asked, yes, he is already planning his children’s first boards.
