Claude Codgen

Claude Codgen

"I grew up surfing in the Cocoa Beach area during the early '60's. We had surf clubs near the Cocoa Beach Pier, but I hung out mostly at Gary Propper's house at 3rd st. His parents were pretty cool and let us skip school here and there to stay wet. Propper sold Velzys out of his house and before long, we were going head to head competing for things like the East Coast Championships. Those were some really fun days!

I signed a contract with Con in San Diego at the '66 World Contest to do a signature model. Two years later, Valluzi and I were surfing with Nat Young and Wayne Lynch in Puerto Rico for the '68 World Championship.

In '70 I ended my contract with Con and started Sunshine Surfboards, my own company. Later that year I went to Australia to surf in the World Contest at Bell's Beach. Rolf Arness won.

I still hand shape all the CC Riders here on the East Coast and currently spend most of my winters in Puerto Rico.

Playing in and around the ocean has always been really fun for me! My uncles are all commercial fisherman. I guess the ocean is in my blood or something. I started surfing when I was 12 and I still have a blast today."

Claude has been recognized as a member of the East Coast Hall of Fame.