04.11.00
by: Joe Curren

Sadly, John Bradbury passed away last year due to complications from cancer. He was one of the best surfers in Santa Barbara in the seventies and later became one of the areas best shapers. During the mid to late eighties, he was one of the few, if not the only, shaper in the world who could consistently produce high quality epoxy surfboards. Word spread, to some of the best pro-surfers, of Johns ability to make ultra light boards that excelled in the small surf typical of the tour events at that time. John also had one of the best young groms in Santa Barbara riding his boards, his son Josh.

Young Josh was a naturally gifted surfer, but not completely dedicated to his surfing just yet. It wasnt until he had the chance to meet his favorite surfer, and then see him surf on one of his dads shapes in perfect surf at The Ranch, that he decided his life would completely revolve around surfing. Since then he has probably spent more time in the barrel than any other surfer his age in all of California. At The Ranch, Rincon, and any of his many secret spots on the Central Coast, Josh can be seen carrying the torch passed on by his father. He has become a surfing, and possibly one-day a shaping, local legend.

How long have you lived in this house?
Twenty-five years.

Really? Where did your parents live when you were born?
A block over, on Oliver Street.

That far away, huh?
Yeah, Im kinda a transplant (laughs).

Where did you learn how to surf?
At the Pit. I remember I used to ride straight to the shore, and then that was the first place where I went down the line.

At one point wasnt your dad making boards for guys like Martin Potter and Brad Gerlach?
Yeah, some for Cheyne Horan, there were a bunch a guys. That was during the hydrofoam and epoxy board era of the late eighties.

So did you get to meet any of those guys when you were a grom?
Yeah, when my dad was making boards for Potter he came up for a couple of days and we took him to The Ranch.

How was that? Pretty cool?
That was insane, cause that was a time in my life when I wasnt really surfing much, I wasnt really into it for some reason. I was more into sports like baseball, but after that I just dropped everything for surfing. That was just a huge inspiration.

I bet. Potter was a legend then.
Yeah, he was like my hero for years. I got to watch him at Rights and Lefts (The Ranch).

Did he push you into surfing more?
Yeah, I was so young then that I was almost scared to go out, cause it was a pretty serious day at Rights and Lefts. Then after that day, it was like I was all about surfing.

Thats cool. Do you think its any harder having a surfing career living in Santa Barbara, where theres not too many photographers to work with and your sorta isolated from the surf industry? Compared to living inlets say Orange County or San Diego.
Its way harder. I think that if when I was younger, I woulda bailed outta here and done things differently, my career would have been a lot better.

Rincon

Youve been kinda a late bloomer with your surfing career.
Yeah, a late bloomer for sure and I was like that with everything. I didnt really realize at the time that that was what I needed to do and it was kind a hard cause I didnt wanna leave. Ive had it so easy here, this is my home and all my friends are here. I didnt wanna just pick up and start over. It wouldve been a sacrifice when Ive got it so killer here. Why should I change my life? I got The Ranch my dad was making my boards. I had it all, but the exposure. I sacrificed that to stay here, you know, to surf good waves sometimes not. I had to suffer through the flat Santa Barbara summers.

It doesnt get very good here in the summer does it.
Summertime here has got to be one of the worst places to live if youre a surfer. You gotta do a lot of driving. South swells just arent very good around here, period. The weathers badthe surfs bad.

Its always foggy.
Its foggyyou cant shoot photos. However, there are spots that can save you from losing it, but you gotta have a boat or drive a long way.

Youre laughing if you have a boat here.
Having a boat is a lot a work but its worth it if youre a surfer and you want to be in the water a lot

Youve been getting a lot of photos lately. Youre kinda like a fresh face almost.
I feel kinda stupid for not spending more time in Hawaii in the winters and down south in the summer, but at least Ive been able to do something. Ive kinda found a little bit of a niche.

Yeah, youve got your own little niche, cause theres nobody else up here really getting photos.
The magazines obviously need photos of other places.

It must be hard though cause theres just not really any photographers that live up here.
Plus the lighting is usually horrible here for shooting photos.

I know, theres all these perfect points and you cant really shoot them because of the way the coast faces the sun. I guess its a blessing though, cause Rincon isnt like Lowers and always in the magazines.
Yeah, its a different scene.

Its almost an underrated wave because of that. It doesnt have as much hype as Lowers.
Thank goodness it doesnt, cause its already so crowded and people would come to surf it more.

Yeah thats definitely a good thing. I heard youve been shaping a couple of boards.
Yeah, Ive shaped about five or six boards.

Uh-oh

Did your dad ever give you any pointers?
No, he never really did. Towards the end he actually mentioned it. He asked me if I wanted to learn how to do it. I told him yeah, Im pretty interested. I dont know what took me so long. I probably should have done that a long time ago. I guess I just made surfing the most important thing. I kinda just picked it up and started doing it on my own. From what people said, it seems like I kinda have a natural hand at it. For my first few they came out pretty good.

Did you use a computer shape or a raw blank?
I did about five by hand from start to finish.

How is it using a planer?
Its hard. Thats probably the hardest part I think. The whole process from start to finish is really tough. Theres just so much you can screw up on. You cant take anything back that you mess up. Its like, if you go too far, thats it, you know? Those computer blanks are incredible though. I did a few of those.

So are you gonna try and shape some more boards?
Yeah, definitely, Ive got it lined up on the computer. Its hard to do it by hand cause it takes more money, its almost like an investment. You can screw up. Im gonna try and keep them out there with the computer blanks and hopefully slowly learn.

You could do computer blanks for other people and do raw blanks for yourself.
Yeah, Clyde (surfboard glasser in Santa Barbara) is gonna help me out. Within the next year Im gonna try and pursue it.

Yeah, you should.
I guess I already got the name from when my dad did it.

And youd probably have most of his clientele. Dont you have a shaping room in your backyard too?
Yeah, Id be stupid to not give it a go (laughs). Its something I could do and still be a pro surfer too. Its just about finding the time.

How do you like riding for Rusty?
Its good. Its probably been the best thing for my career so far. Ive gotten to travel a lot more. The boards are good. They treat me nice. Its been great. I just dont know how much longer its going to last if I pursue this (shaping). I might have to bail out if I do that cause its kinda a conflict. But Ill pretty much have to do something else soon anyway.

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