The surfing community in O‘ahu‘s North Shore was hit particularly hard by the aftermath of the Kona low storms that flooded the Islands for consecutive weekends in March. While some surfers on the North Shore have to wait out contaminated water conditions following the storm, some surfing business have seen their headquarters get flooded.
Waialua-based Arakawa Surfboard Factory was hit by five inches of floodwater, leaving countless foam blanks and unfinished boards damaged. Other parts of the factory, including tools and furniture were damaged during the floods, and surfboard production was paused in the days following the storm. A GoFundMe was started to support the business.
Surfboard Factory Hawai‘i has an April sale in which all Arakawa surfboards are $50 off, and funds will assist with Arakawa Surfboard Factory's recovery costs.
In other storm and flood relief efforts, Hawaiian Island Creations is holding a free product giveaway for those affected, particularly those who lost valuable possessions. HIC's Billabong Hale‘iwa store will host the giveaway from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 4. Brands such as Billabong, Quiksilver, Roxy, RVCA, Volcom and others have donated over $100,000 in inventory to give to those affected. Attendees are encouraged to bring ID cards in order to expedite the check-in process.
Additionally, modern surfing legend and North Shore native John John Florence's brand, Florence Marine, is partnering with Sig Zane Designs and Slowtide on a limited edition merchandise collection, where 100% of the proceeds will go toward storm and flood relief.
Waialua-based Pyzel Surfboards is holding a raffle with $3,000 worth of merchandise from the Florence brothers. Raffle tickets cost $20 each. All proceeds will go towards storm and flood relief.
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
