OCEAN MAGIC SURFBOARDS

OCEAN MAGIC by COURTNEY PARKS

      In 1974, after shaping for PETRILLO SURFBORDS for 3 & 1/2 years I bought some of the equipment & materials and started OCEAN MAGIC SURFBOARDS

      My first location was in the HEIGHTS area of HOUSTON but soon, I moved to GALVESTON on 61st street, across from the La Galvestonia restaurant on Heards lane. Soon after that, we moved across 61st street to a larger retail space and I moved the factory to the GALVESTON  AIRPORT.  In GALVESTON ,time was divided  between building surfboards, classes at the Texas Maritime Academy, sailing, boat building, surfing, and being thankful that my parents were always positive and supportive of our lifestyle. While in GALVESTON, I shaped boards for Doug Swenson, including his boards for the PIPELINE CONTEST in Hawaii. One year I had 7 surfers riding my boards at the U.S.NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

      My friends, Rick Todd, Don Leva, Larry Legros, Ned McMahon,  Robert Walker,  Jojo Balusek,  & Steve Benet ,all contributed to the creation of 6,000 - 7,000 OCEAN MAGIC SURFBOARDS. It was a great time to be in the surfboard business. It was a time of evolution, experimentation and creating new & better designs that have influenced the boards of today.

      In 1980, my lovely wife Rosemary & I moved to MAUI, HAWAII, where I surfed and shaped. We moved back to TEXAS to PORT ISABEL and SOUTH PADRE ISLAND. This is where I started making my current brand of boards, TROPIX.

      We love Texas, but in search of a simpler life , in 1993/94 we set sail on our sailboat further south to PANAMA where I continue to make TROPIX surfboards and still surf with my good friend Gene Bagley.

      Today ,after having shaped OVER 21,000 BOARDS, I am sitting on my veranda of 22 years, overlooking a mellow right point break on an ISLAND OFF PANAMA ,waiting on a swell & thinking about the boards I will shape tomorrow. As always,a TEXAS BORN SURFER. God is good. 

Thanks to all.