Skip Frye

Skip Frye (b. Harry Richard Frye September 7, 1941 in San Diego, California) is a surfer, board shaper, and environmental activist.

Background

Skip attended Mission Bay High School and began his professional surfing career in 1958. His first board was a balsa board shaped by legend Mike Diffenderfer. Skip rode professionally for G&S surfboards and eventually created his own model for them in 1967. Skip captured national titles and represented the United States team internationally in 1966. Frye has appeared on many magazine covers including Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (1969, with model Jamee Becker), The Surfer's Journal, Surfing, and Surfer Magazine.

Skip is known for his gliding, fluid style as well as some of the most in-demand surfboards in the world. He is perhaps, best recognized by his iconic logo, a set of wings commonly referred to as "Frye Wings." Iconic images of him surfing with his dog, silhouetted against a setting sun, and paddling alone into "The Ranch" have appeared in books and magazines and have been printed on clothing and surfboards. Skip is also known for his innovation with foiled surfboard fins. After a surfing trip to Australia in 1969, he developed his trademark board shapes: the Egg, Fish, and specialized longboard shapes. He has developed a moderate temperature surf wax ("Man Wax"), ideal for his native San Diego waters.

Skip still surfs daily and shapes in the San Diego area. His attention to detail and careful hand-shaping practices have created high demand and long wait-lists. His boards have slowly become much-sought-after collector's pieces often passed down through generations.

Personal

Frye married his first wife, Marcia Metcalf in 1963. Together they raised their three children (Lauren, Donald, and Braden), before divorcing in the late 1970s. Following his divorce, Frye experienced a period of personal struggle but submerged himself in his sport.

While visiting France in 1990 he experienced a life-changing event that led to a renewed sense of faith and a profound personal change. Upon his return to the U.S., Frye married his long-time girlfriend, Donna Frye (nee. Sarvis) and he became a devout Christian. His wife narrowly lost the San Diego mayoral election in 2005 and currently represents the voters of the City of San Diego in Council District 6). They are both public supporters of various environmental and clean-water acts.