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Don Hansen, a pioneering surfer and shaper who helped define Southern California’s surf culture, is being remembered across San Diego County after his passing at the age of 88.
Hansen was the founder of Hansen Surfboards, an iconic brand that began in the early 1960s and remains a staple in Encinitas today. Known for his craftsmanship and forward-thinking designs, Hansen played a key role in the evolution of modern surfboards and the culture surrounding them.
Inside Bird's Surf Shed in San Diego, owner Eric “Bird” Huffman says Hansen’s influence can still be felt, lined across the walls of his shop in the form of decades-old boards.
“When I pull these off the wall, it brings me right back in time,” Huffman said as he displayed several Hansen boards from his collection.
Each board represents a chapter in Hansen’s career, from early “belly boards” to more refined, high-performance designs that helped push the sport forward.
“Don was a man of great integrity, and he was always forward-thinking,” Huffman said. “He was more about the quality of boards he built all the way from the top to the bottom.”
But those who knew Hansen say his legacy extends far beyond surfboard shaping.
“To the community, he was a stalwart… a guy you could depend upon,” Huffman said. “Smiley guy, happy guy, honest guy.”
In Encinitas, Hansen’s original surf shop still stands along Coast Highway, just steps from the waves at Swami’s Beach. Now run by his son, the shop continues to draw steady crowds, serving as a living tribute to Hansen’s enduring impact.
Hansen was also a respected surfer in his own right, appearing on the cover of Surfer Magazine in 1962, one of the sport’s highest honors at the time, and was later inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame.
For Huffman and others in the surf community, Hansen’s passing marks the loss of a true original.
“I’m going to miss that grin. I’m going to miss his authenticity to surfing,” he said. “He’s an honest-to-goodness true surfing legend, and the whole surfing community will be missing him.”
Hansen’s legacy, shaped through decades of innovation and community, continues to ride on in the boards he built and the culture he helped create.
Continue reading...
Hansen was the founder of Hansen Surfboards, an iconic brand that began in the early 1960s and remains a staple in Encinitas today. Known for his craftsmanship and forward-thinking designs, Hansen played a key role in the evolution of modern surfboards and the culture surrounding them.
Inside Bird's Surf Shed in San Diego, owner Eric “Bird” Huffman says Hansen’s influence can still be felt, lined across the walls of his shop in the form of decades-old boards.
“When I pull these off the wall, it brings me right back in time,” Huffman said as he displayed several Hansen boards from his collection.
Each board represents a chapter in Hansen’s career, from early “belly boards” to more refined, high-performance designs that helped push the sport forward.
“Don was a man of great integrity, and he was always forward-thinking,” Huffman said. “He was more about the quality of boards he built all the way from the top to the bottom.”
But those who knew Hansen say his legacy extends far beyond surfboard shaping.
“To the community, he was a stalwart… a guy you could depend upon,” Huffman said. “Smiley guy, happy guy, honest guy.”
In Encinitas, Hansen’s original surf shop still stands along Coast Highway, just steps from the waves at Swami’s Beach. Now run by his son, the shop continues to draw steady crowds, serving as a living tribute to Hansen’s enduring impact.
Hansen was also a respected surfer in his own right, appearing on the cover of Surfer Magazine in 1962, one of the sport’s highest honors at the time, and was later inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame.
For Huffman and others in the surf community, Hansen’s passing marks the loss of a true original.
“I’m going to miss that grin. I’m going to miss his authenticity to surfing,” he said. “He’s an honest-to-goodness true surfing legend, and the whole surfing community will be missing him.”
Hansen’s legacy, shaped through decades of innovation and community, continues to ride on in the boards he built and the culture he helped create.
Continue reading...
