Jim “The Genius” Phillips Rising Sun

Jim “The Genius” Phillips Rising Sun surfboard

This board was made by Jimmy Phillips in 2009 for the ASR “The Art of Shaping” challenge hosted by Billabong. A few select shapers were invited to create some one of a kind surfboards that then would be auctioned off. 

This one stole the show and won the event. It was sold in an auction where Rusty Preisendorfer outbid Vissla owner, Paul Naude. Both avid board collectors, they both knew that this was something that could never be replicated, making it a truly one of a kind. 

Each line between the rising sun beams is a different sized redwood stringer. Jimmy did everything on this board by hand from start to finish. To top it off, he made the fin to match the board with stingers and all!

If you could have somebody build this board, chances are they wouldn’t or couldn’t. That’s why the call him Jim “The Genius.”

 Read more about this board HERE

Concept. Glue up. Shape. Red Gloss Color. Fin.

By Jim Phillips

Foam 9’9” by US Blanks.

Airbrush sun color on foam by Sam Cody.

Fin lamination and gloss by Keith Swanson.

Volan lamination by Alex Villalobos

Gloss by Brian Johnson

Polished by Tracy Evans.

“The wood is old growth redwood salvaged from a 20' tall wine cask that used to house Cab in the Santa Cruz mountains. The wood was so soaked with red wine from over the years that milling the wood gave off a strong red wine aroma. This board would go great with a 2 lbs Kobe rib eye and head high waves.”

Jim Phillips