He's very low-key, refuses interviews, and doesn't like to talk about himself.  He doesn't jump on new fads, and never reads the surf magazines.  He doesn't mass produce, and he doesn't use ghost-shapers. He has been one of the most influential men as far as style and support on the phenomenal town crew that emerged over the past twenty years to dominate world longboard surfing, and he can still take over the peak at Queens on any given day.

Undoubtedly, he is one of the foremost longboard shapers of our time. Yet most people have never heard of him.

Cippy was born and raised on the South Shore of Oahu, and grew up along the area from Queens to Ala Moana Bowls.  As a kid, he hung with the late great beachboys, like Pops Steamboat, and "Pooh" Kepoo.  He learned to surf on the 30 lb. rental boards, and quickly earned a reputation as one of the finest of the late 60s, early 70s crew.

At age 14, Cippy went off with an older buddy, PeeWee, to surf California.  He ended up living with a bunch of misplaced Hawaiians, including Kauai's Mike Young, and a guy named Albert Naki, doing yard work for celebrities like Jose Feliciano.  

His first visit to the Hobie shop resulted in a new frienship, and a new board from Hobie Alter. Cip says that Hobie just grabbed a board off the rack and presented it to him. After that, he was set - he particularly remembers a new, blue, single-fin mini-tank, with glitter....

Missing Hawaii's warm waters, it wasn't so long until he returned to Oahu, and continued to make a name for himself competitively, on both long and shortboards. Those were the hay-days of the South Shore, the days of Buttons, and Mark, and Alden Keikaka.  Surfing had progressed to the point where shortboards were pushing performance beyond the now passe' longboard mentality, and the mission was for maximum maneuverability.  Cippy adapted his slamming longboard style to ride the short Lightening Bolts Jack Shipley now provided for him, translating raw power into radical maneuvers.  In most of the surfing world, longboards faded from sight. In Waikik though, longboards were, and always will be, King.  Cabato developed a style suited to both, pushing both long and shortboard surfing to the limits.

In 1976 he took the Title of United States Champion at Ala Moana Bowls. That year he also met his wife, ginny, in the water at Queens. They've been married now for 30 years.  Cippy has one son, Beau, now 17, and a grown daughter, Rinalee, living in Seattle, and his 6 grandchildren.

Cippy wins 1st place men's and 1st place tandem events in the 1977 Steamboat Classic. Cippy, Annete Neal, and Pops Steamboat.

Cippy first started shaping when he was 15, with Zubidie out of Leroy Ah Choy's workshop up in Kaimuiki.   He worked for Aipa at the old Surfline Factory, and has credited Ben with influencing his technique and shapes.  He also admires the shapes of Sparky and BK, stating that he grew up riding all sorts of boards, but that "their boards always worked."  "Anybody can carve out a blank," he says, "but the shape has to work.  Some guys just have it. Those guys have it."   When asked what he strives for, or focuses on, when shaping, Cabato says he wants maximum reaction.  For surfing to be at that 100% level, it breaks down to a 50/50 deal - 50% being equipment, 50% being rider.  "My job is to match rider to equipment, considering physical build, style, type of waves he most often surfs, and then to produce the most responsive piece of equipment for that surfer." 

While other shapers were concentrating on shortboards and following the trends in order to maximize financial potential in sales, Cippy concentrated on longboards, his passion, and the shapes that kept longboarding competitive in the shortboard market.  In the mid 80s he put together a dynamic team of 'the boys,' -  Bonga, Dino Miranda, Joey Valentin, Ricky Ah Choy, and Cippy himself.  Two of these riders, of course, have gone on to become World Champions. There is no question that Cippy helped get them there.

After more than 30 years of experience, Cabato's shapes are near perfect.  There are no excess planes or angles on a Classic Surfboard - No gimmicks, No bullshit, Just Surfing.  Cippy laughs at the shapers that brag about how many boards they produce in one day.  "No, I don't shape 6 boards a day.  Maybe one, maybe one every couple of days.  I'm not going to rush it.  This is something I take pride in.  I want to make sure I do the best I can do."
He must be doing something right.  Classic Surfboards continues to thrive and grow.  This is not an elitist shop.  Thousands of tourists have learned to surf on the big, stable Classic rentals.

Cabato has provided lesson and rental boards on Waikiki Beach for about 20 years now, and these boards are geared to the idea that most people, (tourists) get one shot to learn to surf, so he's made it easy. An example that illustrates this idea is the story of the wife of the owner of one of the World's Largest Surf Shops. She'd tried, but never surfed, until she visited Hawaii and took out one of the Classic Beach Rentals.  Finally, after years of her husband trying to get her standing, she stood up and got stoked.  A year or so later, she sent a friend to purchase that beat up old rental, because that was the "magic" board.  

Cippy Cabato has been able to bridge the gap between longboard and shortboard surfing, and the gap between different generations and different styles. There are boards designed for the novice, allowing ease in learning, and there are boards designed for the ultimate in performance. We know that there all all sorts of boards for all sorts of people, and that there are people who want one basic board, and there are people that want boards for every occassion. Whatever your needs are, if we can help, let us know.

See ya in the line-up.