Surfboard shaper Bruce Jones dies

Sunset Beach’s Bruce Jones, one of Southern California’s best known surfboard shapers, died Monday, Jan. 13, of a heart attack. He was 68.

“The company (Bruce Jones Surfboards Inc), renowned worldwide for its products, was founded by Bruce in 1973 after he shaped surfboards for many years with some of the biggest surfing names in the sport: Hobie, Gordie, and Brewer to name a few,” said the company website

“At night, Bruce would shape surfboards for Gordie Surfboards. Gordie (Gordon Duane) had a reputation for being a superb craftsman but very hard to get along with. Bruce put up with him and learned some of Gordie’s shaping techniques and most of all his dedication to perfection through using these techniques. Bruce did a short stint with Dick Brewer in ’69, ghost shaping surfboards for him on Maui. He then went on to shape for Russell Surfboards, Newport Beach, and then Ole Surfboards in Sunset Beach, Califoria from where he launched his own business,” the website said.