Skip Engblom

Skip Engblom ( born January 4, 1948 in Hollywood, California) is an American entrepreneur and founder of the legendary Zephyr team.

Biography

From a very young age Engblom was standing on the surfboard and thus developed a strong affinity for the sport, which was rather considered at the time as an underdog or hippie sport. In one part of Santa Monica, the run-down neighborhood called Dogtown (The name was invented by Skip and Craig ), he and Craig Stecyk and Jeff Ho 1972 Jeff Ho and Zephyr Surfboard Productions. Reason for this was mainly the common surf sessions at the Pacific Ocean Park Pier, which was originally an amusement park, which had to close at the end of the 60's due to lack of attendance. The aim of the business was to produce surfboards, which reflected the attitudes and perceptions of the environment surfers.

At the age of 24 Engblom was the head of the Zephyr surf shops, which in the middle of Dogtown had his office. Jeff Ho and Craig Stecyk designed the boards painted these with the designs, which were influenced by the life and subcultures of the city. The business soon became known for his unusual boards was flagship of the underground movements in the sport of surfing and formed a contrast to the conventional surf cultures at that time.

Soon after, Engblom formed with other surfers together the Zephy surf team, which consisted mainly of young surfers, who also lived in Dogtown. To be included in the team, the candidates were forced to the Pacific Ocean Park Pier keep clear of foreign surfers, because the area was occupied exclusively by the Zephyr team. Those young surfer so needed to ensure that this was also guaranteed in the long term. Skip Engblom took care of that new generation, which mostly came from broken homes and provided the children with the Zephyr shop among other things, a collection point in order to move away from their broken foundations.

At the same time discovered Frank Naceworthy polyurethanes for use for casters ( wheels) and busy with Cadillac Wheels Skateboard the sport again. Skip Engblom saw the potential in this invention and wanted to give employment to the new generation, so he formed in 1975, the Zephyr skate team and the young people with boards and clothing supplied to the announced State Championships in Del Mar participate.

The appearance of the Zephyr Skate Team in Del Mar was preparing Skip first small success in selling his products, but he could not get the increasingly popular young skaters the same offer as large companies such as Bahne Skateboards or G & S, which took more and more of its drivers under contract. To those aspiring skaters included, among others, Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva, Shogo Kubo, Jay Adams and Wentzle Ruml.

1976 had the Zephyr Surf Shop to close due to falling sales Skip Engblom. Two years later he founded with two partners, Santa Monica Airlines, which in addition to Alva Skateboards Dogtown Skateboards and is today one of the first companies in that region, which is still producing skateboards and corresponding accessories.

Skip Engblom talks about his time with the Zephyr Team in the 2001 published documentation Dogtown & Z -Boys, and also has a small cameo in the Hollywood version Lords Of Dogtown.

To this day he is still building in Santa Monica skateboards and surfboards and / or repaired them.