Name

Rusty Surfboards

Legal name

Rusty Surfboards

Website

https://rustysurfboards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surfboard Manufacturing

SIC

Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Sports Equipment Retail (Wake, Ski, Tow, Tubes) (CRAMAIAC), Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Custom surfboards
• Surfboard manufacturing
• Wakesurf boards
• Board shaping
• Performance surfboards

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Surfboard Sales: The primary revenue stream consists of custom-made surfboards ordered through either the DIY Board Builder tool or direct consultation with Rusty Preisendorfer. Customers select board model, dimensions, construction type, fin configuration, colors, and artwork. Custom orders have an 8-12 week build timeline (or 6 weeks with $250 rush fee).
2. In-Stock Board Sales: Sale of pre-made surfboards available for immediate purchase. Includes new boards, factory seconds (boards with cosmetic imperfections sold at discount), and consignment boards (Rusty Del Mar).
3. Wakesurf Board Sales: Specialized wake surfing boards including models like The Pint, Underbite, and Half n Half Underbite. Wake boards are made-to-order with 8-12 week timelines.
4. Accessories: Sale of complementary products including surfboard fins (single fin, twin fin sets, thruster sets, tri-quad sets), traction pads, leashes, sticker packs, and gift cards ranging from $50-$1000.
5. Rush Production Service: Expedited manufacturing service offering 6-week turnaround instead of standard 8-12 weeks for an additional $250 fee.
6. Custom Artwork Services:

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rusty Surfboards designs, manufactures, and sells custom and stock surfboards across multiple categories (high-performance shortboards, alternatives, step-ups, mid-lengths, big boards, longboards, grom boards) plus wakesurf boards. They offer three foam construction technologies (PU, EPoly, EPS/Epoxy) and sell through a DIY Board Builder online configurator, direct one-on-one consultation with master shapers, and a stocked e-commerce storefront. The company also sells surfboard fins, accessories, gift cards, and custom airbrush artwork services.

Product overview

Rusty Surfboards is a surfboard manufacturing company founded in 1985, offering both custom and stock surfboards through multiple channels. The product portfolio includes shortboards (SD, SD RT RE, What?, Keg, Blade, Underdog), alternative boards (Illuminati, So Fuunnn!, 421 Fish, The Deuce, Not So Moby Fish, Miso, Dwart, Twin Fin, Smoothie, 419 Fish), step-ups (Blackbird, New Traveler, Slayer, Slayer 2), mid-lengths (Express, Lowrider, Egg, Egg Not), big boards (Zeppelin, Moby Fish, Yeti, Desert Island), longboards (Utility, El Dorado, Mini Tanker), and wakesurf boards (The Pint, Underbite, Underbite Half n Half). Customization options include a DIY Board Builder tool for dimensions, construction, fin plugs, logos, colors and artwork, plus direct one-on-one sessions with Rusty Preisendorfer. The company also offers custom artwork services and branded surfboards. Build timelines range from 8-10 weeks for standard PU construction to 8-12 weeks for Epoly/EPS, with rush orders available in 6 weeks for $250 extra. Board technologies include PU (polyurethane), Epoly (PE with epoxy), and EPS/Epoxy constructions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• R. Abbreviated brand name used in marketing and product references (e.g., 'R. Master Class', 'R. News').
• Rusty Del Mar
• R.TIRED

Products and services

• DIY Custom Board Builder Online tool for customers to design and order custom surfboards with options for dimensions, construction, fin plugs, logos, colors, and artwork across multiple board models. Available to individual surfers seeking made-to-order boards.
• One-on-One Custom Surfboard Experience Personal consultation service with founder Rusty Preisendorfer to design and shape a custom surfboard tailored to individual goals, surfing style, and physical profile. Available to surfers seeking a high-touch custom experience.
• Custom Gun Surfboards Custom big wave surfboards (guns) shaped by Rusty Preisendorfer for over 50 years for the world's best big wave surfers, including Jojo Roper. Designed for control and safety in extreme conditions.
• Custom Artwork & Branded Surfboards Custom airbrush artwork, decorative surfboards, and branded promotional surfboards created by collaborating artists @3rdreefxxl (Jeffrey Meyer) and @ligmaairbrush (Chris Urich). Air sprays priced between $60-$150.
• High Performance Shortboards High-performance shortboard models including SD, SD RT RE, What?, Keg, Blade, and Underdog. Designed for performance in shoulder-high to overhead conditions and competitive surfing; includes WSL pro model Keg and Blade modernized from the famous 1984 model.
• Alternative Surfboards Alternative surfboard models including So FUUUN!, Illuminati, 421 Fish, The Deuce, Not So Moby Fish, 419 Fish, Miso, Dwart, Twin Fin, and Smoothie. Designed for fun wave riding with alternative fin setups including twin fin and fish-style designs.
• Step-Up Surfboards Step-up surfboard models including Blackbird, New Traveler, Slayer, and Slayer 2. Designed for larger wave days and improved performance in bigger surf; for traveling and punchier wave conditions.
• Mid-Length Surfboards Mid-length surfboard models including Express, Lowrider, Egg, and Egg Not. Designed for versatile all-around performance across conditions; the Lowrider offers an optional Rapid Entry technology configuration.
• Big Board Surfboards Big board surfboard models including Zeppelin, Moby Fish, Yeti, and Desert Island. Designed for larger wave conditions, larger surfers, and bigger wave days with fish and traditional big board designs.
• Longboard Surfboards Longboard surfboard models including Utility, El Dorado, and Mini Tanker. Designed for cruising, nose riding, and classic longboard-style surfing.
• Wakesurf Boards Specialized wakesurf boards including The Pint (Austin Keen signature model), Underbite, and Underbite Half n Half (hybrid soft/hard deck construction). Made-to-order with 8-12 week build timelines for behind-the-boat wake surfing.
• In-Stock Surfboards Pre-made surfboards available for immediate purchase, including new in-stock boards, factory seconds (boards with cosmetic imperfections sold at discount), and Rusty Del Mar consignment boards.
• Surfboard Fins Brand-specific surfboard fins designed to complement Rusty board designs, in single fin ($100), twin fin sets ($105), thruster sets (from $90), and tri-quad sets (from $150) configurations. Backed by over 5 decades of fin research and design.
• Surfboard Accessories Traction pads (from $38), leashes ($29.99), stickers (from $2.50), and other accessories to complement Rusty surfboards.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards delivered via email in denominations from $50 to $1,000, stackable and redeemable only at rustysurfboards.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of surfboard shaping experience with over 100,000 boards designed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sharp Eye Surfboards: Performance-focused custom surfboard maker with a strong team rider presence and similar D2C model; competes head-to-head for the same high-end custom buyer Rusty targets.
• Channel Islands Surfboards: Founder-led premium custom surfboard brand based in Santa Barbara, with a comparable model lineup, pro surfer endorsements, and D2C custom ordering flow that closely parallels Rusty's.
• Pyzel Surfboards: Hawaii-rooted premium custom surfboard brand with multiple construction options and pro-rider signature models (e.g., John John Florence), overlapping directly with Rusty's high-performance strategy.
• JS Industries: Australian premium surfboard brand built around Jason Stevenson with a similar model-driven, rider-validated, custom board catalog and global D2C shipping, directly comparable to Rusty.
• Lost Surfboards: California-based surfboard brand with a deep custom and stock catalog similar to Rusty's, with comparable price points, range of shapes, and team of sponsored pro surfers.
• Ronix Wakeboards: Specialist in wakesurf and wakeboard equipment, directly comparable to Rusty's wakesurf board line (The Pint, Underbite) in terms of product category, price points, and rider-driven marketing.
• Firewire Surfboards: Premium custom surfboard brand emphasizing construction technology (epoxy, recycled materials) and D2C sales; overlaps with Rusty on performance positioning and custom builder experience.
• Hyperlite Wake: Larger wakesurf-focused brand offering wake boats, boards and accessories directly comparable to Rusty's wakesurf board offerings in terms of use case and target buyer.

Broad incumbents

• Billabong: Global surf apparel and equipment incumbent with a much broader portfolio that historically included surfboards; competes for the same surf consumer wallet but at very different scale and breadth than Rusty.

Emerging players

• Lib Tech Surfboards: Surf and skate brand known for environmentally focused construction (eco-impounded foams), intersecting with Rusty on construction-driven product differentiation in the custom surfboard market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rustysurfboards
• Facebookfacebook.com/rusty.surfboards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rustysurfboards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rusty Surfboards