LONGBOARDS
Stewart's History of Innovation in Longboards
Bill Stewart is the true father of the modern longboard. How did he earn such an illustrious title, you ask?
Well, he pioneered the longboard revival in the mid 80's when most surfers had abandoned their old logs for shorter, racier boards. Like most surfers, Bill was frustrated by how slow and unresponsive his single fin longboards were compared to his favorite twin fin shortboards. However, unlike the average surfer, his obsessive artist/inventor/creator mind could not let go of the idea that he could make his longboard ride more like a shortboard, and he wasn't satisfied until he'd created the best high-performance longboard ever made.
Bill thought, "There's gotta be a way to make a hybrid between my twin fin shortboard and a longboard." So he added two small side fins to his longboard and swapped out the big fat single fin for a smaller rake fin. Now, this was long before fin boxes, so he tested out different fin placements by surfing the board, breaking the fins off and re-glassing them on in a different spot. After many rounds of R&D, Bill discovered the ideal fin size and placement for peak performance. The result was the birth of the "2+1" fin setup that remains the standard of the industry for performance longboards today, decades later.
The fins were only part of the equation, though. Bill realized that the standard bottom and rails on a log were holding it back from speeding down the line like a shortboard. Modeled after a boat hull design, Bill Stewart created the Hydro Hull bottom with single to double concaves and beveled rails. This made his longboards faster and more responsive than anything out there.
Bill Stewart's contributions to the evolution of longboard surfing have secured his place in history as the true father of the modern longboard and Stewart Surfboards continues to be synonymous with the best longboards available today.
High Performance Longboards
As the inventor of the 2+1 fin setup and the Hydro Hull bottom, Bill Stewart quickly became known for shaping the best high performance longboards on the market. He has continued to push the innovations in his surfboards over the years and is proud of the current collection of the best high-performance longboards out there. Our best selling high-performance longboard, the Redline 11 is the newer version of the Hydro Hull and is a great all-around board that's easy to surf and super fun. If you're a more advanced surfer, check out the team-inspired RPM. Can't give up on your old favorite, best longboard you ever rode? We still stock a few Hydro Hull longboards. For bigger surfers who aren't interested in noseriding, try the Clydesdale. And for light surfers who want the most high-performance ride, try the ultra fast and loose Mighty Flyer or our team pro favorite, the CMP.
Classic Single Fin Longboards
Although Bill Stewart may be famous for high-performance longboards, we know there's always a place in everyone's quiver for a perfect classic log. Of course, we can't just leave well enough alone, so Stewart has improved on the old standby to create the best single fin longboards available today. The Tipster is our most classic single fin longboard, but we've added a super wide tail with tons of tail rocker for endless noserides. For a bit more speed and responsiveness in the turns, check out the Ripster single fin longboard. Our latest model, and current team favorite, the Bird is our most high performance single fin longboard.
Longboards In Stock for Sale
Below you'll find our current available longboards that are in stock and ready to pick up in our San Clemente shop or ship anywhere in the world. Each one is unique and handmade and if it's listed on this page, it's available for sale.