Channel Islands
Since 1969, Channel Islands Surfboards has been dedicated to performance and quality through hard work, innovation, and originality. Over the last 50 years, Channel Islands has grown from a local grass-roots operation to a cutting edge organization, catering to the best surfers in the world. It started with hard-core surfing and quality in mind and these guidelines have brought us through four decades of constant change in the surf industry. Channel Islands will shape the new millennium with innovative design and quality as our main focus.
“The driving force behind CI Surfboards is the demand on design created by the world’s greatest surfers, allowing for the highest performance surfing possible. To provide the most dedicated surfers with the most advanced, performance designs is my passion” - Al Merrick, Designer/Shaper
CI is a privately held organization focused on rider-driven product and manufacturing the best possible equipment available. Located in a state-of-the-art facility just blocks from Rincon Del Mar, the CI HQ represents a foundation for developing, testing, and building boards while providing jobs in Santa Barbara for many years to come.
Channel Islands Surfboards was created by Al and Terry Merrick in 1969. From his birth, Britt spent his days in the factory by the beach in Santa Barbara, from toddling around blanks to sweeping out shaping rooms. Eventually he started shaping alongside his father Al in 1990. He is now the lead shaper and designer for CI and carries on the family tradition of developing high performance board designs collaborating with the world’s greatest surfers. From Tom Curren, to Dane Reynolds, Channel Islands continues to evolve with the highest standard of surfing.
Torq-surfboards
Launched in 2012, torq surfboards created a new standard in the epoxy surfboard market, offering an unmatched combination of strength and performance. This year sees the innovation step up a gear, with new shapes, new graphics and new technologies. The torq range now offers 4 types of boards for all levels of surfer.
Torq TEC; Torq Epoxy Composite offers our user friendly performance shapes in our most advanced epoxy lay-up to date. Using a mix of Biaxial, plain weave fibres and Carbon, these boards offer the best strength to weight ratio on the market.
Torq X-Lite is a brand new Epoxy technology developed specifically for performance boards. This is stronger and more Eco than a traditional PU/Polyester board. This new innovative technology is used exclusively on the Channel Islands model, the POD MOD
Torq Epoxy Technology or TET represents a revolution in Epoxy surfboard technology. Built using the latest in EPS/Epoxy materials; the Torq Epoxy Technology combines a lightweight EPS core with Biaxial fibreglass cloth, Epoxy resin and our unique Shield Skin.
Our Soft Deck board uses an additional PE deck skin over a full laminated core to offer a safe first time learning option in this durable easy surfing range.