• A man with a mustache surfing on a wave at sunset.

  • A young man surfing on a wave at the beach.

  • A person surfing on a wave near a pier on an overcast day.

  • A person surfing on a wave at a beach, with a woman in sunglasses and a patterned shirt in the foreground.

  • A man is riding a surfboard on a breaking wave near a beach with buildings in the background.

  • A man surfing on a yellow surfboard on a large wave during sunset.

  • A man surfing on a large wave in the ocean during daylight hours.

  • A person surfing on a wave in the ocean.

About the Shaper

Ryan grew up in a small beach town on the South Carolina coast, just steps from the ocean. From his front porch, he could see the town’s main surf break — a view that sparked a lifelong love for surfing and skating. By age 11, that love turned into obsession. He skipped class for morning sessions, chased hurricane swells, and dreamed of sponsorships.

At just 12 years old, Ryan fought to bring the first-ever skatepark to his hometown. He raised funds, rallied the community, and spoke at city council meetings — and today, that park still stands.

By 15, his dream came true. He was sponsored by his local surf shop and a local shaper. Ryan began working full-time at the surf shop — giving lessons, helping customers find the right boards, and doing basic board repairs. Around the same time, he started working under the local shaper, helping out around the shaping bay and gradually learning from an expert mentor. He started with small tasks — sweeping up, sanding, repairing dings — and eventually began studying shapes and design theory to help surfers get on boards that truly fit their style and ability. These skills translated well to the surf shop where he was able to get people on the right boards.

When Ryan was 18, the sudden loss of his brother pulled him away from the surf community. He stepped back from both the shop and shaping, and eventually moved to Arizona to pursue a new career path, but he never stopped surfing.

He continued chasing waves — often flying to Costa Rica and beyond — trading cases of beer for discounts from local shaper friends he has known for years. When Arizona’s wave park opened, he couldn’t stay away. The more he surfed, the more he realized how hard it was to find affordable, high-quality boards shaped with true style and feel. Most boards were machine-shaped pop-outs with inflated price tags and no character. Surfboards aren’t supposed to be “one size fits all”.

So, he decided to shape one himself.

He built a shaping bay and glassing rack in his garage, ordered materials, and got to work on his first board in years — a bright neon pink-to-orange groveler with a twin + stabilizer. When he brought it to the park, it immediately drew attention.

After riding that board, he knew it was perfect — and others took notice. Requests started coming in. So Ryan invested in more tools, more materials, and spent every free hour (outside of firehouse shifts) in the shaping bay. He was back to doing what he’s always loved, getting people on the boards they belong on. Now, RK Surf Co is a full-blown garage-born surf brand — handcrafting pro-quality boards with soul, style, and purpose.

Whether you're after a dialed-in groveler, a performance shortboard, or something custom to match your flow, Ryan’s mission is simple:

Shape boards that elevate your surfing and are unique to the person riding it.


Boards with feel. Boards that work. Boards that mean something.