History of Circle One Since 1969
By the late 1960s, Jeff had honed his skills as a talented and well-regarded self-taught surfer. Determined to chase his dream of exploring new surf destinations, he saved diligently, bought the quintessential surfer’s vehicle—a VW split-screen campervan—left his day job behind, and embarked on an unforgettable journey. Alongside a few close friends, Jeff spent the next few years traveling through Europe and Africa, surfing legendary breaks in France, Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands, and Morocco. Along the way, he immersed himself in the vibrant cultures of each destination, truly living the surfer’s dream.
Jeff Townsley, Circle One founder and Surfing Buddies 1960’s, Morocco
Jeff ‘in the pocket’ off Playa de Las Americas, late 60’s, Canary Islands
Jeff with his beloved VW split screen, North Devon, late 60’s
Jeff ‘gets barreled’ off Playa de Las Americas, late 60’s, Canary Island
Jeff and buddies on some rocks, Consolacao, Portugal, late 60’s
Jeff often ‘caught’ tea after surfing in Peniche thanks to a lesson from the locals!
Jeff scores a barrel off Peniche, 1973
The Original Circle One Surf Shop
By 1967, with funds running low, Jeff returned to the UK, determined to find a way to turn his passion for surfing into a livelihood. He began working at Exeter’s first Circle One Surf Shop, established by local surf enthusiast Don Wride, the original founder of Circle One. Don had drawn inspiration for the shop’s name from a ranch he visited in the USA during his travels in the early 1960s. Jeff loved the story, and when Don decided to move on in 1969, Jeff seized the opportunity to take over the shop, keeping the Circle One name alive.
While Don had focused on selling surf gear from other brands, Jeff had a vision to take things further. He decided to manufacture his own surfboards and wetsuits under the Circle One brand, combining his passion for surfing with his entrepreneurial spirit to create something truly unique.
Jeff in the first Circle One shop, West Street, Exeter
Surfboard Shaping - Early Days
Jeff began by selling other surfing brands, but he quickly recognised a gap in the UK market for high-quality, hand-shaped surfboards. With a sense of adventure and curiosity, he decided to try shaping boards himself to sell in the shop. What followed was a classic story of humble beginnings. Jeff rented a workshop on New Bridge Street, Exeter, and established Circle One’s first shaping house. Using polyester resin and Clark foam blanks imported from the USA, Jeff embarked on a journey of trial, error, and experimentation, drawing inspiration from US surf magazines. Over time, he perfected his craft, producing the classic shapes that would define the Circle One brand.
Jeff gained a reputation for pushing the boundaries of surfboard design. He created iconic shapes like the stinger-wing swallow tail with a stunning single wood fin and the twin-fin egg, a super wide, squat board with multi-channels designed to excel in Britain’s messy surf conditions.
“Jeff was a prolific and creative shaper in the 70’s and produced some really beautiful and sometimes unusual looking boards”
Alasdair Lindsay, Blogger/Contributor, vintagesurfboardcollector.uk
Relocation and Beginning of Wetsuit Manufacture
As Circle One’s reputation grew, Jeff started employing a team to help meet production demands. In 1979, demand was so high that the business relocated to bigger premises in Crediton (just north of Exeter). The decision was made to close the Exeter shop and focus 100% on supplying surf shops and schools throughout the UK and Europe. Soon after the move to Crediton, Jeff also turned his hand to wetsuit manufacture, again experimenting with patterns and panel layouts (and testing them himself) to make the wetsuits comfortable and functional. His aptitude for design and workmanship spoke for itself and soon the Circle One brand was synonymous with both quality surfboards and wetsuits.
Jeff in the wetsuit cutting room taking a nap!
Windsurfing Era
The turn of the 80’s saw another milestone – the move into custom Windsurf board manufacture. Windsurfing was massive in the 80’s and Circle One was the first manufacturer to produce hand shaped windsurf boards selling 1000’s across the UK and Europe for many years. Once again, Jeff’s flair for design and exciting board spray-jobs gained Circle One an enviable reputation and, inevitably, other manufacturers taking inspiration from Circle One’s lead.
Transition to Epoxy Technology
A key development in Circle One’s history was the switch from Polyester to Epoxy resin in surfboard manufacture. Always looking for ways to innovate and improve the quality and strength of boards, Jeff started making boards using Epoxy resin alongside the Polyester resin boards in the late 1990’s. The use of epoxy resin in surfboard manufacture was a new concept then but it had started to get a reputation for being lighter and stronger than the traditional polyester construction. Jeff and his team tested these Epoxy ‘prototype’ boards and found them to deliver a springier and livelier ride than polyester boards. By 1999 all Circle One surfboards were constructed using top quality Epoxy resin. Stronger boards meant stronger sales and so other manufacturers began to follow suit. As the saying goes ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’!
Advent of Far East Production
By the early 2000’s, an increase in competition and UK manufacturing costs saw Circle One move production of both surfboards and wetsuits to the far east and China. Circle One was the last of the major surfboard brands to make the leap to far east manufacture having resisted such a move for some years. Any reservations about producing quality goods in China turned out to be completely unfounded and Jeff spent two years there setting up a manufacturing base and securing investment from Chinese partners. He also partnered up with iconic surfer/shapers such as Larry Bertlemann (Hawaii) and Tak Kawahara (California) who had also switched their production to China, and this presented another chance to share shaping ideas and improve production techniques.
Jeff oversaw all the shaping, laminating and finishing processes and held countless workshops within the production facility to ensure the original ethos of Circle One’s manufacturing craftsmanship continued as in those early days.. All the hard work paid off because the quality of the boards and wetsuits produced in China are of premium quality and worthy of the Circle One badge of excellence. Read more about our board making process here.
Jeff supervises Winnie in the shaping room to ensure our exacting standards of manufacture, Circa 2016
Jeff checks the line of a board in the shape finishing room, Circa 2016
Early epoxy Circle One surfboard, 8′ 6 Longboard Round Tail with stripe graphic
Early epoxy Circle One surfboard, 7′ 2 Funboard Round Tail with distinctive ‘cross’ graphic in flame colouring
Present Day
Now in his early 70’s Jeff still pursues an active lifestyle getting in the water whenever he can. He still spends time in the far east overseeing production with the help of the committed Circle One team.
In the last 20 years, Circle One has turned its expertise to other product areas such as Bodyboards, Skimboards, Stand Up Paddle (SUP) boards and a whole range of Accessories – all manufactured with a no compromise commitment to quality and function – just as the original Surfboards and Wetsuits.
