TOMMY TANAKA

       Tommy was born in 1969 in Santa Monica, California.  His parents separated when he was young and he stayed with his mother, Sharon, in California.  In high school, Tommy moved to Hawaii to live with his dad and graduated from Kaimuki High.

          Although Tommy grew up in California he and his sister, Tammy, flew to Hawaii every summer for three months and every other Christmas for two weeks to visit his dad.  Ernie taught his son to surf at the age of ten.  Tommy was already a water rat, body boarding Walls everyday, so surfing came easy to him.  “ I still remember my first ride,” Tommy said, “I was just out of fourth grade my dad took me to Waikiki and put me on an old Jerry Lopez style board.  As we paddled out together he began giving me instructions.  Half way out I saw a wave coming, so I turned my board around and paddled for it.  Not knowing, my dad kept paddling out giving instructions.  He turned to check on me and said all he saw was me riding the wave all the way to the beach.  That’s how it all began, I was hooked.”

Tommy started competing in the summers and won his first contest at the age of 16 and it was a big one.  Tommy managed to win China’s Annual Long board Contest, which is still the biggest long board contest in the state of Hawaii.  Once he moved to Hawaii full time, he started to compete seriously.  He managed to win several contests, including another China’s and eventually took a shot at turning pro.  He competed as a professional long boarder for three years, and managed to get second place four times.  At the time, the young Tanaka was the only one competing on his own shapes. 

          Ernie had been molding Tommy into a board shaper since he was a young boy.  “I shaped my first board before I was old enough to drive,” said Tanaka.  After high school, Tommy went to school to learn the trade of carpentry.  He worked full time and went to the Hawaii State Carpentry Apprentice Program on the weekends.  While working as a carpenter, Tommy went to visit his dad at Blue Hawaii Surf, when the job sites got rained out.  Glen Minami (the owner at the time) would let him come and go freely.  Ernie would let Tommy mill blanks and sand out bottoms regularly.  Eventually, Tommy quit carpentry and went to work for Ernie full time.  “I loved working at Blue Hawaii - that was a good time, Glen was cool, he would let me use the spare rooms and I would mill blanks all day,” Tommy said.  

Town & Country Surf, one of Hawaii’s most respected labels, recognized his talent and offered Tommy a job to shape for them full time.  The days of working for lunch money and gas for the car were over.  Ernie played a big part in helping him get the job there. He made sure Tommy got paid what he deserved and that they treated him well.  Tommy shaped over a thousand boards while working for T&C, but in his forth year his dad passed away.  Tommy spent his fifth and final year there trying to bring back the label that his father had started in the 60’s. “My dad and I used to talk about starting Tanaka Surfboards up again. After he died it became my passion,” said Tommy. 

In March 2000, his passion became a reality.  “ I know my dad is proud of me, I can feel it in every board I make.  I know he is watching and will guide me through the ongoing journey as I strive to become better and better.” 

          In a time where the Hawaii surf industry is struggling at best and pop-out epoxy boards are everywhere, it’s nice to see someone making boards the traditional way:  a handcrafted art, passed down generation to generation. Ernie taught Tommy to shape every board as if it were his own, which he does very proudly here in Hawaii .               

“I am very fortunate to live the life I lead.  I have many people to thank for helping me achieve this dream: Glen Minami, Marshall Muramoto, Town & Country Surfboards, my wife, Jocelyn, all of my riders and most of all my dad!  I will try hard to try not to let anyone down.”  -Tommy T.