The Story Behind CJ Nelson's Thunderbolt Boards
How a test trip in Japan with an old friend changed the boards CJ rides.
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Quick answer: Thunderbolt is a hand-built surfboard construction with carbon fiber parts inside an EPS foam core and epoxy resin. CJ Nelson rides it because it keeps the feel of a classic longboard in a lighter, livelier board.
He found it through his childhood friend Yu Sumitomo, who invited him and Harley Ingleby to Japan to test boards with different internal layouts. Riding them without knowing which was which, both picked the same one, and that build became Thunderbolt.
In This Guide
What Did CJ Ride Before Thunderbolt?
CJ grew up on polyurethane boards and his dad's old, heavy logs. At 13 or 14 in Santa Cruz, a friend let him try a light EPS foam board, and he loved how light and floaty it felt.
Over the years he worked on EPS and hollow carbon boards with different builders. Christian Wach won the Noosa noseriding event four years in a row on one of CJ's hollow carbon boards.
Still, CJ mostly rode heavy traditional logs, and that was the feel he did not want to give up.
What Happened in Japan?
Yu Sumitomo, a friend from their teenage years surfing Santa Cruz, got back in touch with a new EPS based build. By then CJ had gotten sober and was surfing as well as ever.
Yu flew to Santa Cruz and talked CJ into coming to Japan. CJ and Harley Ingleby spent two weeks riding about 20 boards that looked the same, with only small numbers on them. Each had a different layout of carbon stringers inside.
At the end, Yu asked each of them which felt best. CJ had been on traditional logs and Harley on performance longboards, yet both picked number 2. That build became Thunderbolt.
What Is Thunderbolt Construction?
Thunderbolt boards are made by hand, with carbon fiber parts laid up inside an EPS foam core and epoxy resin. Yu built on sailboard ideas he learned from his father.
The result flexes and springs back like a good traditional board, in a lighter package. CJ now rides Thunderbolt for both his traditional noseriders and his performance longboards.
What Do Red, Black and Silver Mean?
Red, Black and Silver are Thunderbolt construction names, not colors.
Red. Thunderbolt Red has carbon fiber flex parts inside and a medium spring back. Black. Thunderbolt Black adds a carbon fiber outer skin and has the quickest spring back.
Silver. Thunderbolt Silver is the most traditional feeling Thunderbolt construction. It has carbon fiber stringers inside an EPS foam core and a glass outer shell, so it feels closer to a classic longboard while staying lighter.
Our Thunderbolt questions post goes deeper on the builds.
Which CJ Nelson Boards Are Built in Thunderbolt?
All of his current boards. For intermediate surfers, the Parallax Plus and Chameleon are easy places to start. For noseriding, look at the Sprout 2.0. For small days, the Oracle.
Read more about CJ in Who Is CJ Nelson?.
Want to Feel the Difference?
Send us your height, weight, current board and home break and we will help you choose a Thunderbolt board and construction. Come by the shop to see them in person.
Hawaiian South Shore
320 Ward Ave, Suite #111, Honolulu, HI 96814
Call or text (808) 597-9055
sales@hawaiiansouthshore.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Thunderbolt surfboard construction?
A hand-built construction with carbon fiber parts inside an EPS foam core and epoxy resin. It flexes and springs back like a good traditional board and is lighter.
Who created Thunderbolt?
Yu Sumitomo, building on sailboard ideas he learned from his father. He is a longtime friend of CJ Nelson.
How did CJ Nelson find Thunderbolt?
Yu invited CJ and Harley Ingleby to Japan to test about 20 boards with different internal layouts. Both picked the same one, which became Thunderbolt.
Is Thunderbolt Red a color?
No. Red, Black and Silver are construction names. Red has carbon fiber flex parts inside, Black adds a carbon fiber outer skin, and Silver has a more traditional feel.
Which Thunderbolt construction feels most traditional?
Thunderbolt Silver, which has carbon fiber stringers inside an EPS foam core and a glass outer shell.