Greg Griffin RIP

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
8,981
113
Central California
I'm going to miss Greg. He was a big presence here. Although I never met him in person, it felt like we were friends since the design forum is its own tiny universe.

I'll miss poking fun at his age. I'll miss his red wine with ice posts. I'll miss his beautiful board pics and I'll miss when he would get agitated and tell someone they would never feel what he has experienced. You knew he had enough with that line. :roflmao:

I respected his design theory. Even more so, I respected the conviction he had in his own design theory. My deepest admiration will be for his attention to detail in every facet of board building. His boards and fins always looked impeccable and that is a true testament to how much he cared about the craft, his reputation as a builder, and making his customers happy.

My big regret is not ordering a board from him. I always told him I would and time got away from me.

I hope his family knows how much we appreciate him here.
 

Clamsmasher

Michael Peterson status
Apr 22, 2013
1,855
926
113
Nar
Oh man this is terrible news. My heart goes out to his family.

I talked to him quite a bit over the years and had a couple of twins. ….with plans for more soon. I didn’t want to weigh in on all the forum bs for the most part, but I did feel his boards had something special…and I learned from him.

I’ll go fondle my last set of G10 twins in the fin bag….
 

oneula

Miki Dora status
Jun 3, 2004
4,363
2,711
113
people always associate him with his unusual design stuff
but most didn't realize he made a damn good thruster and longboard
He told me once when I was queuing up my next order and asking for a suggestion up at his waialua shop
he said " you know I make a damn good thruster, let me make you one"
and he was right that f..ckr was fast
but then like always I got too fat for it and had to sell it

he could make anything, but he was trying to create his own unique niche brand
to find someone that would help him "blow it up big time" as he would say
He tried it with firewire but mass producing his fins were always a problem
Maybe it would have been different with NVS and their G10 mass market offerings
way too much of a perfectionist for this fake underground economy wannaby industry
the kind of crap he went through would make a great spike jonze documentary for vice one day

he always wanted you to go stand under the banyan tree with your new board to take a photo for his collection
Aside from biking, photography was another of his hobbies

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bluengreen

Michael Peterson status
Oct 22, 2018
1,763
4,641
113
SF x Encinitas
I really admired Greg's unique point of view and conviction about surfboard design. Sounds like he made no compromises. I can sympathize with his bitterness, which seemed to arise from the fact that he remained a niche shaper while less original and experienced shapers created huge brands. Still, he created a legacy that will not be forgotten. Shred in peace, Greg.
 

surfwhere

Gerry Lopez status
Aug 5, 2008
1,300
460
83
Norf Cackalacka
Visit site
Having a lark by confusing while informing. It took a long time to figure out each separated sentence was a response to a different person or post. The way they were tied together so craftly caused me frustration and offense. I learned to read back to see who or what of mine he was talking to. And I'd try to read between the lines. I learned how to respond to confuse him with his own formula. He'd usually figure it out but the times he didn't probably gave me a similar joy that he got from messing around with so many of us. On the phone or in a direct message it was like we were long friends and where the lines were filled in. In those cryptic posts or the stories of his life that he shared, he helped teach me the respect and thanks that board builders deserve for giving surfers so much joy and happiness. We all will miss him.
 

teeroi

Miki Dora status
Oct 21, 2007
5,107
9,269
113
eastside oahu
I posted a fast RIP Greg on the first page of this thread after Jeannie Chesser texted me Griffin passed. She used to spray some of his boars when he used the glass shop she worked at. She told me the shop owner Ron Maise did a perfect imitation of Greg.

Much like Bonzer5 I had a complicated relationship with Greg on this forum. Years ago I posted my first boar review of a Tokoro here and it set Greg off, like another Hawaii shaper was invading his turf. He replied all kinds of weird. I started surfing in the mid-70’s and was brought up thinking shapers were mystical guru type higher beings. Then I worked in a surf shop during the mid to late 80’s and found out shapers can also be lying, cheating ego maniacs. So Greg’s replies and back forths with me confused then angered me.

I never met Greg in person but we know a ton of the same people. So I asked about him. I’m not good at hiding my irritation so they’d tell me things about Greg that they may have thought I’d like to hear. Despite any good things they’d say about him I’d only focus on any negative no matter how slight. A few years ago I’d ask with a much more open mind and it was all positive.

Greg would post replies that just triggered me. He would post how a swallow tail is more effective than a pintail right after I posted a picture of my brand new pintail for winter. I remember getting shot out of a barrel and instead of being happy my first thought was f*ck you Greg Griffin take that. Haha.

It got so toxic in my head that I finally told him off and quit the forums. He posted I’d be back and after a couple years I was. I set rules for myself. Keep it surf related and fun/funny. And if I heckle keep it funny don’t just be mean. I took a couple of breaks cause of the election and Covid when I found myself reading all kinds of angry sh*t here. Neal started a thread with pictures of my shorts an d it brought me back cause it was fun and surf related.

The last few years I grew to appreciate Griffin. Reading or hearing about him making someone a magic boar really made me happy( I refuse to misspell stoked). When I read about him making fins for some of you to save a sh*tty boar he didn’t even shape I thought what a f*cking hero.

I realized reading a bunch of Greg’s post over the last 15 plus years have had an influence on the way I look at boars. I always ask for a clean rail line, no bumps and rarely get a wing. I knew why all the guys riding twins needed that trailer. So when I joined the fad and ordered one I asked Kerry how far back he set the fins cause I was only getting 2 plugs. Kerry already knew. There’s a joke about needing a decoder ring to decipher Greg’s posts, I disagree. He’s been rock steady about his philosophy on boar design.

RIP Griffin.
 

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
3,071
4,555
113
WOW! That is wild news.
Now who am I going to argue with about surf designs?

Sincerest condolences to his family. Very tragic news. :cry: