Channel Islands G Skate
Pickup currently unavailable at BSS
The CI G Skate: Born from the Gudauskas Energy
The Channel Islands G Skate is a surfboard built to channel pure stoke. Designed through a direct collaboration between shaper Britt Merrick and brothers Dane, Pat, and Tanner Gudauskas, this board captures the unmistakable Gudauskas energy in a shape that works across a wide range of surf and surfers. The G Skate is fast, skatey, and responsive, and it delivers that free feeling that keeps you coming back to the water whether the surf is pumping or just playful.
A Swallow Tail Hybrid Shortboard That Skates Through Anything
The G Skate is a swallow tail hybrid shortboard built for surfers who want performance in good surf and pure fun in marginal surf. The Gudauskas brothers set one non-negotiable during development: this board had to hold up at the highest level. To meet that bar, Merrick shortened the traditional shortboard rail line and introduced curves and contours in key areas to keep the board riding light and on top of the water without sacrificing directional precision in turns.
The outline features a wide point pushed forward, which generates early speed and gives the G Skate that immediate, almost effortless drive off the bottom. The low entry rocker adds to this sensation, letting the board flow across flatter sections where a higher-rockered shortboard would drag. The result is a shape that feels quick and alive under your feet from the moment you pop up.
Concave, Rails, and the Fin Setup That Ties It Together
The bottom contour runs a light single concave that transitions into a double concave through the tail, creating speed and directional flow without locking the board in. The contemporary shortboard rails provide control and precision in the turns, giving the G Skate a sharper, more focused feel than a traditional fish or retro hybrid despite its loose and skatey character.
The fin setup is the element that truly defines the G Skate. The board is built around a 2+1 configuration, combining the free feel of a twin with the directional control of a center trailer. This setup lets you skate through gutless sections with the release of a twin, then draw a precise line when the wave opens up. The same boxes also accommodate a traditional thruster setup for surfers who prefer that approach, giving you two distinct personalities in a single board. The new Merrick and Gudauskas 2+1 fin set was developed specifically for this shape, and the AMT 2+1 set also works very well.
Who the G Skate Is For
The G Skate is a strong utility piece in any performance quiver. It bridges the gap between a high-performance shortboard and a fun, skatey hybrid, making it useful for intermediate to advanced surfers who want one board that pulls weight across different conditions. Channel Islands recommends riding the G Skate three to six inches shorter than your standard CI Pro shortboard at the same thickness.
If you ride small to medium waves regularly, if you value a board that gives you speed and flow in weak surf without feeling like you sacrificed a performance cap, or if you have been curious about the 2+1 twin-plus-trailer feel, the G Skate was built for exactly that scenario.
Channel Islands Surfboards
Channel Islands is a privately held shaping operation driven by feedback from the world's top professional surfers. Britt Merrick has spent decades refining designs at the highest competitive level, and that performance discipline runs through every shape in the CI lineup, including collaborative projects like the G Skate. When the Gudauskas brothers put their name on a design, it reflects genuine input from surfers who compete internationally and surf with high-level technical expectation every session.
Questions about which size is right for your ability, weight, or local conditions? Call us at 954-427-4929 or visit Island Water Sports in Deerfield Beach.
Free Shipping, No Minimum for IWS Beach Club Members.
Returns are eligible within 30 days of receiving your order. Return shipping labels are FREE for IWS Beach Club Members. See more
Specifications
- Brand
- Channel Islands Surfboards
- Model
- G Skate
- Shape
- Swallow tail hybrid shortboard
- Bottom Contour
- Single to double concave
- Rocker
- Low entry rocker
- Wide Point
- Forward
- Fin Configuration
- 2+1 (twin plus trailer); also runs thruster
- Tail Shape
- Swallow tail
- Collaboration
- Britt Merrick and the Gudauskas Brothers (Dane, Pat, Tanner)
- Category
- Shortboards
- Gender
- Unisex
Size & Dimensions
| Length | Width | Thickness | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5'2" | 18 3/4" | 2 5/16" | 25.3L |
| 5'4" | 19" | 2 3/8" | 27.2L |
| 5'6" | 19 1/4" | 2 7/16" | 29.1L |
| 5'8" | 19 5/8" | 2 1/2" | 31.4L |
| 5'10" | 20" | 2 5/8" | 34.5L |
| 6'0" | 20 1/2" | 2 3/4" | 38.0L |
| 6'2" | 21" | 2 7/8" | 41.5L |
| 6'4" | 21 3/8" | 3" | 45.2L |
| 6'6" | 21 3/4" | 3" | 47.2L |
Full manufacturer size chart. Sizes available to order are shown in the selector above.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of waves is the Channel Islands G Skate designed for?
- The G Skate was built to perform in good surf and skate with ease through weaker, mushier conditions. The low entry rocker and wide-point-forward outline generate early speed that keeps you moving on flat sections, while the contemporary shortboard rails and double concave tail let you draw sharp turns when the wave gives you something to work with. It is a board that genuinely earns its place in the bag on most average surf days, not just when conditions are firing.
- Is the G Skate good for intermediate surfers?
- The G Skate is designed primarily for intermediate to advanced surfers. The skatey hybrid character and the 2+1 fin configuration make it more forgiving and faster-paddling than a traditional high-performance shortboard, which can work in favor of a committed intermediate surfer. That said, the shape is built to a performance ceiling, and surfers who are still developing their pop-up and bottom turn will get more out of a board with more volume and a fuller outline. If you are in that in-between stage, call us at 954-427-4929 and we can help you figure out if the G Skate or another shape is the better fit.
- What size G Skate should I ride?
- Channel Islands recommends riding the G Skate three to six inches shorter than your standard CI Pro shortboard, at the same thickness. The wide point forward and low rocker generate enough speed and float that you can step down in length without losing drive. For specific size guidance based on your weight, ability level, and local wave type, check the size chart on this page and reach out to our team at 954-427-4929.
- What fin setup does the G Skate use?
- The G Skate is built around a 2+1 twin-plus-trailer configuration. This gives you the release and skatey glide of a twin fin combined with the directional control and pivot of a center trailer. The boxes are also compatible with a traditional thruster setup if you prefer that feel. The dual-option setup was intentional from the Gudauskas and Merrick collaboration so surfers could dial the board into their personal style. Check the variant selector on this page for the fin box system on our current stock.
- What is the difference between the G Skate and a standard Channel Islands shortboard?
- The G Skate shortens the traditional CI shortboard rail line by five inches and adds curves and contours at key points to keep the board riding light and high on the water. The wide point is pushed forward for earlier speed generation, the rocker is lower for flow in weaker surf, and the swallow tail adds release. The 2+1 fin setup replaces the standard thruster for a freer, more skatey pivot. The overall effect is a board that feels quicker and more playful than a standard shortboard without giving up too much precision in turns.
- Who designed the Channel Islands G Skate?
- The G Skate is a collaboration between Britt Merrick, the head shaper at Channel Islands Surfboards, and the three Gudauskas brothers: Dane, Pat, and Tanner. The design brief came directly from the brothers' desire to create a board that performed at a high level in quality surf but had the loose, skatey character to make average and weak surf genuinely fun.