Moonlight Glassing Company
by Art Van Delay
posted 2003-05-15
"No surfboards, no surfing." - Wayne Lynch
It often seems that real surf companies just don't get enough credit where credit is due. The layman side of our business, the surfboard manufacturers, is too often taken for granted. The less glamorous end of resin fumes, foam dust, and whining planners isn't as appealing to most as the rag trade is with the glamorous models and constant parade of high paid surf stars. The egos, corporate raiders, and non-surfing wannabees tend to crowd the high profile media end of surfing these days, and the mellower lifestyle companies go unnoticed.
Photo by Ken McKnight
Undoubtedly without surfboards there can be no surfing. Sorry bodysurfing purist, mat riders, spongers (oops, body boarders), lowly kayakers and other fringe wave riders. Surfing, classic surfing anyway, is all about surfboards as much as it is about waves. Surfers need surfboards and there is no one more qualified to make surfboards than surfers themselves.
Here is a story of one such group. North San Diego County, 1979, four surfing buddies who all worked at the now defunct Sunset Surfboards in Encinitas, go to the bank together. The mission: somehow finagle a loan, start a company, Moonlight Glassing. Simple? Yeah right!
Moving into a brand new manufacturing unit in San Marcos, a mere seven miles from the beach, the new factory seemed far away from the surf compared to the Sunset shop, which was a few scant blocks from Swami's. But in this ambitious factory, the heart and sweet soul of building real surfboards began to flourish.
Photo by JP
Based in a windy canyon just outside of La Costa, Moonlight has always had an underground feel with a first class reputation. Their quality craftsmanship, intimate surf knowledge, and in tune design awareness keeps them at the forefront of modern surfboard manufacturing. They are known for not being a fly-by-night operation and each of the owners histories attest to the fact that they have strong surfing roots dating back into the 60's.
Collectively the group is tight. Gary Stuber, Peter St. Pierre, Mark Donnellon, and Kenny Mann are all the original owner/operators. They have over 125 years of combined surfing experience. Gary is a master laminator who oversees everything from the clears to tints, to opaque, as well as the new fabrics. Peter does the airbrushing and pin lines and is the curator of a vast and obscure surfboard knowledge. Mark is the glosser and a magician of a polisher. His hands alone can make a huge difference in any single boards speed and maneuverability. And Kenny rounds out the team as the sander.
Photo by JP
Creeping up on its 25th anniversary, Moonlight has produced thousands of boards for just about every shaper who ever dared to pick up a planer. Due to the boys humble nature one would never know that they have been a premier source of boards for many high profile pro-surfers to the underground soul daddies. Some of the most famous surf photos over the years have been boards that started in Moonlight's racks.
Surfboards have a special magnetism. Surfboard builders seem somewhat spellbound by the objects of their craft. One just doesn't punch out the clock at five o'clock sharp and then head home. Surfboards have a special allure during each step of the process. It is natural to take a break, grab a soda and visit each room, chatting and feeling the rails. Even veterans of the industry will quietly marvel at each other's work. "I don't know how you do that." they will say before returning to their own step of the process.
