As you may, or may not have heard, we at ...Lost Surfboards/Catalyst/Herbie Fletcher Surfshop/San Clemente Surf Co. lost one of our own on Wednesday. Joe Wood had what seems to be a heart attack while surfing Uppers. Joe worked with us since before the beginning. Jimmy Nudo hired him in the early 90's when our business first started to take off and we needed a "real sander”. Joe came down from North OC, where he worked through the 80's with Shapers like Stussy and Shroff, who defined that era.

When Joe first showed up, I, and the rest of our crew, were instantly enamored with his unparalled needle sharp quick wit and scathing dry humor. His comic impersonations of his co-workers were always dead on. His constant griping was his "Shtick". Self proclaimed "Sander to the Stars”, and being a sander, he was the last in the production line when it came to rushing boards for the team riders. He handed off boards to two generations (From Dino Andino to Kolohe Andino) of SC pro surfers.... grinding them all for free swag and bribes along the way!

He stayed in SC with us for nearly 20 years and became a constant and key part of our surfboard building and social scene.

For the last four years, he managed the glass shop at Catalyst and kept us all in stitches, every day.

Please join us at Linda Lane Beach Park in San Clemente this Sunday, the 25th of October at 11:30 am, for a paddle out in his honor, and then to Catalyst Surfshop directly following for a BBQ to eat, drink and share stories.

Please feel free to forward this to anyone who would like to come by and remember Joe with us.

- Matt Biolos

10/21/09: San Clemente surfer Joe Wood passed away this morning while surfing Uppers, most likely from a heart attack. Joe ran the ...Lost Surfboards glass shop for years and will be missed to say the least. Not only did Joe run the shop but he was also a world class sander in his own right and is responsible for the high quality of surfboards ...Lost has put out through the years. Our condolences go out to his nephew Cody and his family. Thanks Cavey and Joey Stantley for helping on the beach. We’re just trying to take this in right now and are basically in shock. More on Joe to come.

"Joe Wood self proclaimed sander to the stars. Your sarcastic dry sense of humor and your rants always brought a smile to my face.I miss you already." - voigto (original lost sales rep)