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Jul 31st '17

Owl Chapman Surfboards

Visiting

Long time life guard Rick Williams and waterman Andy St. Onge have spent the better part of their adulthoods patroling the waters of Oahu’s North Shore. When it comes to chasing big waves, their allegiance lies with boards shaped by one man: Owl Chapman.

Photographs by Joseph Trisolini

Owl Chapman was a pioneer in shaping surfboards to match the speed and power of Oahu’s winter-time waves. He’s widely credited as the father of the shortboard revolution and—in the minds of many—is the most influential surfboard shaper to come out of Hawaii. Here, North Shore veterans—and legends in their own right—Rick Williams and Andy St. Onge share their collections of storied Owl Chapman surfboards.


Rick holds a triple stringer gun shaped byOwl in his yard on the North Shore

Rick holds a triple stringer gun shaped by
Owl in his yard on the North Shore



Rick Williams examining the undersideof a repaired owl board

Rick Williams examining the underside
of a repaired owl board



Rick Williams showing some of the ephemera he's collectedthroughout his career on the North Shore

Rick Williams showing some of the ephemera he’s collected
throughout his career on the North Shore



Rick Williams holding a rare colored Owl Chapman design

Rick Williams holding a rare colored Owl Chapman design





An old fin design sketched for Rick

An old fin design sketched for Rick





A few of Andy's guns at home

A few of Andy’s guns at home



Andy St. Onge carrying an Owl Chapman gunat his North Shore home

Andy St. Onge carrying an Owl Chapman gun
at his North Shore home


Joseph Trisolini is a New York City-based photographer who covers fashion, surfing and travel. Find more of his work at www.josephtrisolini.com.

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