Greetings, Shredderz! Today I’m stoked to give you a closer look at a very special surfboard. Featured here is a Eighties Shawn Stussy surfboard that was shaped for pro surfer and former Stussy team rider John Gothard. John was kind enough to send me the photos you see in this post. Give him a follow on Instagram!

Gothard’s Eighties Stussy board measures in at 6’8″ x 19 1/8″. No width is listed in the measurements. John tells me the board was shaped for medium to large surf. I’m fascinated by the Stussy board’s outline, which has a subtle pair of wings towards the tail, and a very narrow squash tail.

There are some interesting details baked into Gothard’s board. First, the board is a QZ / 3 model. I believe the QZ / 3 was Stussy’s “stock” thruster designation in the Eighties. By contrast, QZ / 4 models are quad fins. Gothard tells me there’s no significance to the QZ naming — in his recollection, Stussy picked the name because “Q” and “Z” were two of the weirdest letters in the alphabet.

Second, the “008” on the signature is a sly reference to Stussy’s James Bond fascination in the 80s. Apparently Stussy’s personal riders were all marked “007”, and Gothard was “008”. Here’s a video of Gothard explaining the markings on his board, during an earlier Surfboards and Coffee meetup:

As you can see in the signature, Gothard’s Stussy surfboard is dated 12/83. You can actually spot this stick in a famous shot of Stussy standing in his shaping room.

If you look closely at the photo above, you can see Gothard’s board. It’s second from the bottom in the rack set against the wall. You can clearly see the matching design on the rails, and the unmistakable yellow tint. Gothard tells me that his board was part of a four board order he received from Stussy in December of 1983.

Last but certainly not least, I’m happy to report that Gothard’s board was used for its intended purpose. Featured above is a Brian Bielmann shot of Gothard taking the board through its paces at Pipeline. Gothard also told me a story about how the 80s Stussy board survived a direct hit from a thick Puerto Escondido lip, which he chalks up to good fortune, a thick .5″ stringer, and a double 6 oz glass job on both sides of the board.

I’m glad the board survived, and I’m even happier that Gothard snapped some pics to document this truly bitchin’ rig. Thanks again for the photos and I hope you all enjoyed this profile of a special 80s Stussy shape.