Abraham Paskowitz Joins Hamboards

Abraham Paskowitz is no stranger to the surf and skateboard communities. Born in Hawaii then migrating to Southern California, he spent his summers as an instructor at the Paskowitz Surf Camp in San Clemente, the first surf camp in the United States which was founded by Abraham’s dad and is still being run by his brother Israel. After many jobs, roles and journeys, he worked for several years as the Global Sales Director for Carver Skateboards.  Now, as a seasoned surf industry expert, he’s co-owner of his own surfskate brand, Hamboards. 

The lessons of Abraham’s surf legend father, Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, are never far from his mind. “My dad taught me that the power that propels a surfer on a wave came from the cosmos,” he says, “By surfing, you are refreshed with the energy that breathes life to the universe.”

You can often find Abraham gazing longingly at the glassy waves crashing at San Onofre Beach. He preaches the Surf Gospel: “Surfing is my temple, as well as my gym. It recreates me.” For those of us that don’t live next to an ocean, there are Hamboards.

Skateboards were used for generations to teach people how to surf on land. When the Paskowitz family travelled from coast to coast, the days without surfing were spent on skateboards. So the surfskate experience is nothing new to Abraham. And with an extraordinary life spent on the road and on the waves, he was sure he had skated it all. However, the first time he jumped on a Hamboard in 2019 was an entirely different sensation altogether. “A Hamboard is the only surfskate that can perfectly engage the rail [surfboard edge] to mimic trimming,” he said.

Abraham can easily pop into surf instructor mode: “The first skill we teach at surf camp is your stance: right foot forward (goofy) or left foot forward (standard). This is where the surfskate comes in. You can practice standing on your Hamboard with your knees bent, your shoulders pointed in the direction you want to go. It is only four inches off the ground, but it feels like four feet to a first-timer!”

For Don Sandusky, Co-founder of Hamboards, collaborating with Paskowitz seemed like destiny. Sandusky said, “Since Pete Hamborg, my cousin and co-founder, left the company, I focused on improving the gear and building a scalable operation, but our purpose needed an authentic reboot.  What got Hamboards started wasn’t gonna get us ‘there.’  Enter Abraham.  I knew him from trade shows and we were always friendly.  We represented competitive brands but I could see that he was a total rock star. Last year several mutual friends suggested I contact him about Hamboards. He was surprised by the rail engagement and asked lots of questions.  Later, over some good food we realized our goals were aligned and agreed that we were both ready to rely on one another.  Abraham’s passion exemplifies what the Hamboards gear delivers.  The fit was obvious.”

Not only is he a fan of Hamboards, Abraham was also taken with the masterminds behind the brand. “From Pete Hamborg’s early influence to Don Sandusky’s design chops, Hamboards has the ultimate crew to bring surfskate to the masses.” Paskowitz was brought into the fold as a consultant in 2020, and was instrumental in the development of the Hamboards Twisted Fin. Soon, Don Sandusky asked him to become a partner and take on a more extensive role. 

Abraham’s mission is to create a world where everyone can have some surfing magic on their hometown pavement. “I fell in love with this genre that I personally helped to launch when I joined Carver Skateboards,” said Paskowitz. “Surfskate and skate poling teach the muscle memory that it takes to surf by creating repeatable motions. A little piece of the ocean rides with you on a Hamboard.” He continued, “My vision for Hamboards is to make the surf experience accessible to everyone, on sea and land.”