Steve Boehne started surfing at the age of twelve, when the kids up the street were around sixteen years old and Steve and his dad were making boards in the garage. Young Steve was lucky enough to make his first surfboards the summer he first learned how to surf, and he continued to make them throughout his high school career, selling them at school. Those original boards were branded “Boards by Steve”. They are vintage collector’s items now.
In 1968, Steve began to work at Gordie Surfboards in Huntington Beach, CA. In 1970, Infinity Surfboards was created and Steve hasn’t looked back since.
Standup Journal celebrates the Boehne success story, “50 Years of Shred” in a tribute to Steve Boehne’s fifty years in the business of making surfboards, skateboards, SUPs, tandem and now foil boards.
His key to success? “Persistence. I really like working and making surfboards.”
Part II: Interview with Steve Boehne, Owner/Founder - 02/06/2020
You’re one of the earliest shapers of SUP. How have designs changed over the years?
“I have made tandem surfboards since 1968, big, wide, thick boards. My wife Barrie and I competed on the pro tandem surfing circuit together so I was familiar with tandem surfboards.
Those first SUPs were big 12 foot by 28 inch wide boards which were very similar to the tandems; I found it easy for me to make the progression. Back in the 70’s, photographers in Waikiki had cameras around their necks that they couldn’t afford to get wet. As a result, many of them started paddling to take photos of the tourists. Those first SUP boards were long and fairly stable, but they were heavy. We soon realized they didn’t have to be that long.
It was in Surfing Magazine (I think, 2006 or so) where I saw the first picture of Laird Hamilton stand up paddling. (Steve laughs) So, I grabbed my tandem board and cut the top off a kayak paddle, just sawed the blade off one end and glued on a tee handle. Then, I ran right down to Surfing Magazine to place the first ad for SUP.
Just last week, I shaped a board by hand for a friend. The board will be done in about a week. He asked me, “What’s the volume?” I said, “I have no idea, I shaped it by hand.” One of the things about computers is that you can now shape and design anything online. It used to be that you had to be a pretty good craftsman to make a board by hand, you had to be able to handle a saw and sand it. And you needed to be a pretty good surfer in order to understand how to design one. Today, anybody with computer skills can design a board even if they don’t know how to surf.”
In business, Steve attributes his success to sticking with it, honing his craft and making good boards. Throughout Infinity Surf’s reign, the brand’s dedication has been to make happy customers so that they come back again and again. Steve says, “You have to do a lot of things right in order to last.”
What makes Infinity Surf stand out? “Integrity. Our boards have been created by hand for 50 years. We’ve moved on to computer design, but we’re still using our old-school crafting knowledge to create. Most shops don’t have the same heritage as we do.”
What is your proudest moment / accomplishment?
“My wife Barrie and I were longtime competitors on the tandem surfing circuit. We’ve surfed together around the world and even appeared on the Wide World of Sports. I guess I’m most proud of those days and the surfing career with my wife. You can carry that champion hat throughout your life.”
What’s this about a statue that’s being built in your honor?
“It’s such an honor,it’s really unbelievable. Other people who have statues in their honor include legends such as Bruce Brown, Hobie Alter and Phil Edwards.
The legislators at Dana Point recently decided to honor Steve & Barrie for their long term contributions to society. In 1974 there was a pretty big skateboard boom and Infinity started making skateboards. Each board was assembled by hand. At the time, Steve & Barrie were deep into tandem surfing so Steve decided to make a tandem skateboard. One Friday, the duo were gliding down a hill together on the tandem skateboard and they made their first homemade movie. Their niece - 20 years later - put it up on YouTube. Somehow the YouTube video made it to the city council as they began assessing the next statue.
Steve says he looks at that video now (found on Standup Journal’s website under “Fifty Years of Shred”) and thinks “OMG I’m so lucky I didn’t kill my wife on that thing!”
Infinity SUP has sponsored two recent world title winners: Shae Foudy & Izzi Gomez. What does that do for the brand?
“Oh, we’re very happy for them! What's really important is that we get feedback from these women on what’s working and what’s not working with their boards. It all comes down to performance with our product. It’s great to see women who have that drive for competition.”
Does Infinity have a big goal?
“I don’t know if there’s ever been one. Infinity’s growth has been pretty organic. Once the next cool thing appears, we move that way. Today, it’s foiling. Right now we have 15-20 foil boards in the shop display room.”
Tandem Surfing & Steve Boehne
“What I’m really into today is the background in tandem surfing. I would always take my wife’s girlfriends and friends out on surfboards. Now we have this tandem SUP. In 30 minutes, with a stable board like that, you can have peeps doing a pretty good SUP racing stroke. We use this 4-person tandem SUP board year round. It’s really fun to take the 4-person board out to teach newbies the sport.
One year at the Hanohano Huki Ocean Challenge, Infinity team riders Mel Wygel & Shae Foudy competed on the tandem SUP together and came in 4th overall out of 200 paddlers! There are probably only twenty people in the world right now who tandem surf. Athletes always want to do something by themselves. I was never like that. My life was about tandem surfing.”
About Dave Boehne:
“With David, my son, what you see is what you get. It’s just the way it is. He’s not one of those get-in-your-face kind of people. When he competes he's the quiet guy out in the water ripping and shredding. He’s also the only APP World Tour announcer who competes.
Overall, the main thing about Infinity is that we are just so organically surfboard makers. That's what we do all day long. After I get off the phone, I’m going to be down in the dust making surfboards. I love it. That’s what it’s all about, making boards.”
He says, “David, my son, is the whole brain behind what’s happening at Infinity today. I’m the guy who comes in and shapes a few boards throughout the day then goes home for a few beers. If it wasn’t for David, we wouldn’t be doing this anymore. So many times fathers and sons can’t manage to work together and share a business. With us, it’s worked out pretty well.”
Part III: Graphic Design icon & former Pro Surfer DAVE CARSON rehashes the good times as an Infinity Team Rider:
“Steve Boehne was never cool. Which is, of course, what made him cool as shit. Steve never bought into the whole ‘surfing will make you a star’ hype. Nope. Steve Boehne is the real deal. What you see is what you get, and then some. Steve was always unimpressed with any kind of surf related media stardom or attention. He always had his own vibe that included good, positive energy. And he’s usually smiling.
What’s cool about Boehne is that he was as comfortable in big Huntington Beach Pier surf as he is on small San Onofre tandem waves, as well as everything in between. And did you know that before SUP Steve was big on sailing, mostly catamarans?
Steve is, and has always been, a master fun player. He’s invariably done what he’s enjoyed most and stayed active in the watersports community: shaping, surfing, camping, camp fires, travel and all watersports. He is an old school legend. His laughter and animated storytelling, especially around campfires, is mythic. I remember his parents were often included in most of his activities. which was cool.
Years ago, I talked him into opening a small surf shop for Infinity in South Mission Beach in San Diego. It wasn't easy back in those days to break into the caster only surfboards mindset of South Mission Beach, but we did it. When a much bigger house opened up across the street we moved the shop into it. A year later we again moved the shop to a much better location and larger building on Mission Boulevard. Steve drove down and attached a Prindle catamaran hull and a 12ft. surfboard to the outside of the building. All of a sudden, I was a Prindle catamaran dealer as well as learning to give demos, rides and more. It was pretty epic.
Steve is legendary for his convoys to Baja, driving a van fully loaded with all the toys including catamarans, tandem boards, short boards, motorcycles, boogie boards and camping gear. Those trips were similar to day trips to San Onofre full of family, friends, fun, surf, tequila, beer, bonfires & stories. He was a water man before it had a name. He was that way long before it was hip or there was a hip magazine for every kind of water activity. He’s the real deal.
After high school, I decided to go to Barbados for three months. Steve shaped me a 6’ rounded pin with green rails. To this day, it’s still one of my all-time favorite surf boards. Later, when I was working for him in South Mission, he shaped my own model surfboard for Infinity since I’d had some success in those West coast contests and was invited to the Smirnoff ProAm at Sunset Beach along with fellow Infinity team rider Dan Flecky. We were lucky. We were two of the eighteen amatuer riders from around the world who were invited.
Mostly, what I remember about Steve is his enthusiasm and energy for seemingly everything. I was also impressed by his disinterest in any kind of media surf star vibe or stardom. He never involved himself in any of that. He was too busy having fun.
In one famous vintage Infinity ad, you can see me sitting next to Steve - in front of my death defying Pinto - with some of the original Infinity crew that included his sister who I had a crush on. In the ad, the sign reads, "The perfect surfboard for you". Only Steve would dare to put that up. Every other surf shop was way too cool in Huntington to say something that bold. Steve never cared about that. He just wanted to shape more boards.
Steve always had a bit of a rebellious, mischievous spirit. Check out his early ads where he says: “No dealer inquiries invited. Infinity is a California exclusive”. ALL surfboard ads in those days said “Dealer inquiries invited” on them. Steve liked to do his own thing.
I haven't seen Steve in a while, although I still follow everything that’s going on with Infinity online. More than once I’ve had the thought that it's time for another magic board from Steve. Or maybe one shaped by his son, Dave.
I imagine Steve is the same as always: smiling, enthusiastic, and never too cool for school. I’ll bet he’s still active, laughing and mischievous. And like the rest of us, he has a few memories best left untold.
By David Carson
