Michael Miller

I started working around surfboards in 1998 at Joe Roper Surfboard Repairs. There, I learned all of the basics of surfboard construction from start to finish. I worked for Joe for five years doing repairs and glassing new shapes from other shapers for Joe. It was a good experience working for Joe. Being able to fix your mistakes is a huge asset to me even today. After Joe’sI worked for Chris Christenson of Chistenson Surfboards for five years laminating and shaping. At Christenson's I was able tune in my shaping and glassing skills to a higher level. I was fortunate enough to be able to become friends with and learn from Skip Frye who was a next door neighbor of Christenson. I feel like my two biggest influences on my board design have been Chris and Skip. I owe them everything. Skip is still my next door neighbor after 21 years working at this location and has been a great source of surfboard information, surf history and how to be a good person. After working for Chris, I took over his old factory in the Bay Park/Linda Vista area when he decided to move to San Marcos next to the iconic Moonlight Glassing in 2008. I have been working in the same location since then shaping and glassing all of my own boards.  Recently I have had to start using other glassing factories to help with the demand. I still do quality control on boards I get glassed at other factories. From the first time I shaped a board in 1999 I wanted to know how to build surfboards from start to finish. I thought all shapers knew how to do this so I felt like I needed to learn how to make a showroom quality shape and glass job.  This limited production but helped me control quality which is what matters to me. I like to shape all kinds of boards from hi performance shortboards to 12' gliders, something that I was inspired by while working with Chris. I am not a big talker and prefer my work to do the talking.