Did Channel Islands Find the Summer Speed Hack?

The phrase, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is widely attributed to author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, who first used it in her 1878 novel "Molly Bawn.” That oft-referenced expression encapsulates how beauty standards are subjective and open to multiple interpretations.

There's an interpretation whispered in some surf shots that the Channel Islands G-Skate model won’t win the beauty pageant anytime soon. Even Britt Merrick called the initial outline “pretty bad.” It’s a distinct package; a super wide nose with a refined swallowtail in the rear. Designed with input by Dane, Pat and Tanner Gudauskas, the G-Skate was made with skateboarding transitions and flow in mind.

Just judging from the outline alone, the G-Skate screams speed on soft, mushy waves, which is exactly what we’ve seen on this wave-started summer in California. The Gudauskas brothers and CI just published a highlight reel showing why the board works great as a summertime quiver killer. Lakey Peterson also fully demonstrates the board’s speed on her first wave at the 1:40 mark. The quartet of CI team riders proceed to torch Lower Trestles with a barrage of hacks and fin throws.

If you can get past the distinct aesthetic, the G-Skate looks like it has real potential. And if you’re humming along on a four-footer, do you really care if the board looks good?

Related: Interested in Ordering a Channel Islands G-Skate? Watch This First