International Surfboard Builders Hall Of Fame Inductee Details

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Inductee Name Bill Frierson

Event Year 2019

Inductee Location

Inductee Contact bill@friersondesigns.com

Inductee Brand

Inductee Boardshop Frierson Designs

Boardshop Link http://friersondesigns.com/next.html

Inductee Bio Bill Frierson Autobiography Born the fortunate son of a Navy family (Dad was a captain) that was stationed for three tours in Coronado, California, my surfing baptism occurred in 1961. My first ride was a borrowed 9'10" Hobie. I had the advantage of surfing points north to Swamis and south to K38's, a crash course in surfing to be sure. Fast forward to Virginia Beach, Virginia, 1965 where the Boyz at the Steel Pier took me in and introduced me to Pete Smith and Bob Holland (Smith and Holland) where I surfed for their Hobie Team '65 -'67. In 1967 I was doing ding work for Bob White at which time Bob asked me if I wanted to shape for the newly created Bob White Wave Riding Vehicles. I took him up on the offer. After trips to Hawaii in '68 and after spending '69 into the winter of '70 there, I relocated with my wife and newborn little girl to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina from '70-'74. During that time I continued to shape for my own brand and for WRV and wintered in Indialantic, Florida doing piece work for the newly formed Sunshine House. In 1974, surfing was at a low ebb and Wave Riding Vehicles (WRV) came up for grabs. I was still doing piece work for WRV and so I was right there when the business, lock stock and half full resin barrels, became available. My partners, Les Shaw and my life partner Grace Frierson anted up and we became the new owners. From '74-'97 we built the business that it is today. Two showrooms and a ground up factory that was building nearly 3,000 boards a year with some 70 dealers, as well as distributing Clark Foam to the mid-Atlantic. After selling our half of the business in '97 to Shaw, Grace and I set up the facility that we work out of to this day. I am "old school" and shape all of my boards by hand, one custom and a small compliment of stocks at a time. I've tried to make this long story shorter, I have been building boards nonstop from '67 to the present, some 52 years. I am honored to represent my shaping brothers here on the East Coast and the International Shaper's Guild Thank all of you for your support, Bill Frierson

For the complete biography, go to:

Thanks to: Bill for the photo

Links Distinction Magazine - Bill Frierson - YouTube Distinction Magazine - Bill Frierson on Vimeo Made In Virginia 2013 Frierson Designs Surfboards, Virginia Beach - VirginiaLiving.com surf shaper on Vimeo Surfboard craftsman added luster to Virginia Beach Outdoors pilotonline.com