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RIP: Mike Eaton

U

ULUSURFER

Gerry Lopez status
Jan 2, 2007
1,200
661
113
Australia
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Sad news.... we lost another paddling, shaper, surfer, Southbay legend ....Mike Eaton passed away last night with his family by his side after suffering another major stroke. He was an example of positivism up to the very end. Amazing guy! He is already missed.

Post bny my good friend Iron philScreen Shot 2021-03-05 at 9.12.34 am.png

Screen Shot 2021-03-05 at 9.10.19 am.png
 
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Autoprax

Autoprax

Duke status
Jan 24, 2011
68,683
23,338
113
62
Vagina Point
I emailed Eaton about a paddle board years ago.

He was super nice.

When people are nice to strangers like that I always think, I need to be like that.

It's just hard when you have.a black devil heart like mine.
 
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One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,236
10,436
113
33.8N - 118.4W
RIP, although I thought of him more as a San Diego guy than a South Bay guy. Definitely did a lot to promote prone paddling...
 
Mr Doof

Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
24,938
7,856
113
San Francisco, CA
1 Met him (and Skip Fry) when they dropped off some boards at Wise's shop (when Wise was on Vicente). We shook hands, I said thanks for the great boards, then went surfing.

2 Had a custom board from him, the UEO model. One day, the leash broke, board washed in, and it died the death of 1000 rocks dings. :cry:

3 RIP Mr. Eaton.:waving:
 
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mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
37,312
16,360
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Autoprax said:
I emailed Eaton about a paddle board years ago.

He was super nice.

When people are nice to strangers like that I always think, I need to be like that.

It's just hard when you have.a black devil heart like mine.
Click to expand...
To me thats the number one sign of good character, being nice to people you dont know and can do nothing for you.
 
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Surfdog

Duke status
Apr 22, 2001
21,768
1,988
113
South coast OR
Double whammy hit to the So Cal shaper legends.

Phil Becker last week, now Eaton.

I've had boards shaped, some custom, by both. One of my fave's in the 70's was a Eaton swallowtail.

Had a cool keel fin rocket fish that Becker shaped only a few of. Thing work in 2 to 20 foot faces.

RIP Mike and Phil.
 
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?

_____

Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
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Mr Doof said:
1 Met him (not long after meeting Dale Velzy) when I ordered a custom 18' paddleboard at his shop in SD. We shook hands, he said some nice things about Velzy and that they were old friends, and my new custom would be better than my 18' Velzy (it was).

2 Sold that custom board from him to an interesting guy from Petaluma who "I think(?)" owned a surf shop and said he was going to paddle it at some lake up there. One day, I found a picture of it online in a high vault ceiling, full on grandma style living room standing up against the wall. It was so out of place and really weird and really cool at the same time.

3 RIP Mr. Eaton.:waving:
Click to expand...
 
sdsurfrat

sdsurfrat

Michael Peterson status
Jun 2, 2008
2,586
765
113
Man this news really sucks...

OK, it was about 2004 or so I'm guessing and i bought a used 9' Eaton Bonzer Longboard on craigslist.
The Bonzer was a 3 fin and some genius had cut the runners down in half, so only half as long, kinda weak.
I called Eaton's shop, Mike agreed the board would be much better with the proper original runners, and he was happy to do the work.
I asked Mike how much something like that would cost? He replied he would do it for FREE! I told him i bought it used etc, but he insisted i email him a pic so he could see what the work would entail. Anyhow, i lagged and never brought the board down to his shop. About a month later i get an email from Mike saying, "Hey, bring that board down so i can fix it, I'm leaving for Hawaii soon." I lagged and eventually just sold the board.

Rest In Peace Mike Eaton.

LEGEND!!!!!!!!!
 
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Bayview

Bayview

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 21, 2009
1,694
1,128
113
NJ
Rest Easy, Mike.

around a fifteen years ago, I was looking for a prone paddleboard on the east coast, anywhere mid Atlantic. Mike was stocked to help. A single board shipped east was cost prohibitive for me at the time but he kept an ear out. About 4 months after we last chatted, he calls up out of the blue about an used unlimited in the area that would work for me and what I wanted to do. I think he was more pumped about it than I was. Alotta great experiences on that board. Thank you, Mike.
 
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afoaf

afoaf

Duke status
Jun 25, 2008
49,631
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Bayview said:
Rest Easy, Mike.

around a fifteen years ago, I was looking for a prone paddleboard on the east coast, anywhere mid Atlantic. Mike was stocked to help. A single board shipped east was cost prohibitive for me at the time but he kept an ear out. About 4 months after we last chatted, he calls up out of the blue about an used unlimited in the area that would work for me and what I wanted to do. I think he was more pumped about it than I was. Alotta great experiences on that board. Thank you, Mike.
Click to expand...
Eaton's paddleboard marketplace got a ton of people in the water over the years
 
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