Channel Islands Surfboards was created by Al and Terry Merrick in 1969. From his birth, Britt spent his days in the factory by the beach in Santa Barbara, from toddling around blanks to sweeping out shaping rooms. Eventually he started shaping alongside his father Al in 1990. He is now the lead shaper and designer for CI and carries on the family tradition of developing high performance board designs collaborating with the world’s greatest surfers. From Tom Curren, to Dane Reynolds, Channel Islands continues to evolve with the highest standard of surfing.
Channel Islands boards in stock
Channel Islands Surfboards
“The driving force behind Channel Islands Surfboards is the demand on design created by the world’s greatest surfers, allowing for the highest performance surfing possible. To provide the most dedicated surfers with the most advanced, performance designs is my passion” - Al Merrick, Designer/Shaper
First Heading
From a small family shaping bay in California to one of the most influential names in modern surfing.
For more than half a century, Channel Islands Surfboards has been at the forefront of surfboard design. What began as a small family business on California's rugged coastline has grown into one of the most respected and recognisable surfboard brands in the world. From World Champions to weekend surfers, Channel Islands has earned a reputation for producing beautifully refined boards that blend speed, control and performance across an enormous range of conditions.
Founded in 1969 by master shaper Al Merrick, Channel Islands was built on a simple philosophy: create the best possible surfboards by listening to the surfers riding them. Rather than following design trends, Merrick constantly refined his shapes through close collaboration with some of the world's best surfers. That willingness to evolve, combined with an obsessive attention to detail, helped transform Channel Islands from a local Californian shaping bay into a benchmark for high-performance surfboard design.
Throughout the 1970s and '80s, Channel Islands became synonymous with progression. Legendary surfers like Tom Curren helped establish the brand's reputation, while later collaborations with Kelly Slater, Dane Reynolds, Lakey Peterson, Mikey February, Jordy Smith and a new generation of elite surfers ensured the brand continued to evolve alongside modern surfing.
Today, the company remains based in Carpinteria, California, where Britt Merrick has continued his father's legacy by blending decades of shaping knowledge with modern design techniques. Every board is the result of constant refinement rather than dramatic reinvention, which is one of the reasons Channel Islands continues to appeal to surfers of every generation. Whether you're chasing maximum performance, an everyday shortboard or something with a little more glide, there's a strong chance Channel Islands has already developed a model specifically for the way you want to surf.