This story was originally published by The Inertia.
On Sunday, July 11, Rich Harbour passed away at 77 years old surrounded by family and friends in his Seal Beach home. The surf shop he opened on Main Street in 1962 still stands today in its original location, making it the longest running surf shop of its kind, according to Harbour Surfboards.
Of all the stories the surf world can tell of its most memorable shapers, Rich Harbour's is as iconic as they come. The longtime Seal Beach surfboard shaper and shop owner got his start at just 16. His own board was stolen and he had no other option left to get back in the water but to make one. It was "terrible," he once said. But surfboard number two wasn't, and soon after, friends started asking Rich to make them boards, too.
That was the spark for a teenage Rich Harbour to use his father's name in order to secure a $15 business license and get Harbour Surfboards off the ground. Harbour had famously marked that first board with a "1" and made sure to add a number to each board he built since then. According to the Orange County Register, the last board Harbour handcrafted himself got the number 32,680 in 2019.
Harbour's legacy as a shaper and businessman runs deeper than his six-decades-old shop. The Harbour Surf Team was legendary, and Harbour himself will be remembered mostly as a mentor to countless people who went on to shape the sport's history. Dick Brewer, Robert August, and Tim Stamps were just a few names who were part of the Harbour staff at one point before stepping out on their own.
"It was truly the shaping ‘Dream Team,'" he said about building out shaping stalls and recruiting members to his shaping team during the 1960s. "This was the golden age of surfboard making."
"I think he would say he lived a complete life with no regrets and (he was) happy he accomplished everything he could," longtime business partner Robert Howson told the OC Register. Howson bought and now operates the Harbour Surf Shop retail operation.
The community is still working on plans for a paddle-out celebration to honor the legend. Harbour is survived by his wife, Helen Harbour, daughters Melissa Harbour-Hennessy and Carrie Harbour-Nolan, son Paul Lawler and five grandchildren.
This story was originally published by The Inertia.
Rich Harbour, Iconic Seal Beach Shaper, Dies at 77
Juan Hernandez
This story was originally published by The Inertia.
On Sunday, July 11, Rich Harbour passed away at 77 years old surrounded by family and friends in his Seal Beach home. The surf shop he opened on Main Street in 1962 still stands today in its original location, making it the longest running surf shop of its kind, according to Harbour Surfboards.
Of all the stories the surf world can tell of its most memorable shapers, Rich Harbour's is as iconic as they come. The longtime Seal Beach surfboard shaper and shop owner got his start at just 16. His own board was stolen and he had no other option left to get back in the water but to make one. It was "terrible," he once said. But surfboard number two wasn't, and soon after, friends started asking Rich to make them boards, too.
That was the spark for a teenage Rich Harbour to use his father's name in order to secure a $15 business license and get Harbour Surfboards off the ground. Harbour had famously marked that first board with a "1" and made sure to add a number to each board he built since then. According to the Orange County Register, the last board Harbour handcrafted himself got the number 32,680 in 2019.
Harbour's legacy as a shaper and businessman runs deeper than his six-decades-old shop. The Harbour Surf Team was legendary, and Harbour himself will be remembered mostly as a mentor to countless people who went on to shape the sport's history. Dick Brewer, Robert August, and Tim Stamps were just a few names who were part of the Harbour staff at one point before stepping out on their own.
"It was truly the shaping ‘Dream Team,'" he said about building out shaping stalls and recruiting members to his shaping team during the 1960s. "This was the golden age of surfboard making."
"I think he would say he lived a complete life with no regrets and (he was) happy he accomplished everything he could," longtime business partner Robert Howson told the OC Register. Howson bought and now operates the Harbour Surf Shop retail operation.
The community is still working on plans for a paddle-out celebration to honor the legend. Harbour is survived by his wife, Helen Harbour, daughters Melissa Harbour-Hennessy and Carrie Harbour-Nolan, son Paul Lawler and five grandchildren.
This story was originally published by The Inertia.
News
Does it get any better to crown event victors on the Gold Coast? We'll wait.
A dream start to the 2024 Challenger Series finished with Erin Brooks and Mikey McDonagh conquering pumping conditions at Snapper Rocks and
Lennox Head's own Mikey McDonagh smashed his way through a formidable Finals Day with the entirety of the Gold Coast erupting every
Picking up right where she left off in 2023 after her first Challenger Series win, Erin Brooks wasn't to be stopped on Finals Day and
The 16-year-old Challenger Series threat started her Semifinal clash with a perfect 10 against former CTer Isabella Nichols. This marks her