Ricky Carroll's journey into the world of surfing began at just 7 years old during a family trip to Hawaii. Despite having a cast on his arm, he caught his first wave and discovered his passion for the ocean. By the age of 13, Ricky shaped his first surfboard after watching his neighbor Mary Ann Haynes shape boards in her garage. Little did he know at the time, this would be the start of an extraordinary career that would span decades, marked by innovation, several shape off victories, and unparalleled craftsmanship.
Ricky began his career in the surf world by repairing dinged boards at Natural Art, but prior to working there he shaped hundreds of boards for hobby out of his garage. Carroll quickly moved on to become the polisher at Natural Art and progressed on to shaping. During his time at Natural Art Ricky started shaping for Sea Shapes, Local Motion, Island surfboards and Pro Shapes while shaping Natural Art mid-range, longboards and sail boards. This experience laid the foundation for his lifelong mastery in crafting boards. In 1992 Carroll and business partner Dusty Simmons opened R&D surf, where they initially focused on learning the nuances of windsurf board shaping. Over the years, Ricky honed his craft, continuously refining his skills and developing a reputation for his precision and innovative approach to shaping.
Ricky entered his first surf contest in eighth grade and by high school was competing in ESA surf contests. Yearly Carroll would earn himself a spot at the East Coast Championships in Cape Hatteras. By the early eighties Carroll went pro competing on the East Coast circuit in the shortboard division and later going on to surf pro in longboard. When Ricky's sons started competing in ESA contests in the mid 90s Ricky retired from surfing pro and competed in the amateur devisions to surf alongside his sons. His deep connection to the surf culture — both in and out of the water — allowed him to seamlessly transition from a successful surfing career to becoming one of the most sought-after surfboard shapers
Ricky’s exceptional talent as a shaper has been recognized time and time again through prestigious awards and accolades. He achieved international recognition by winning the “Tribute to the Masters Shape-Off”
at the Sacred Craft surf show for an unprecedented three years as well a winning the Shapers Build-Off at the Surf Expo. Ricky is now the host and lead judge at the Florida
Shape Offs held annually at the Surf Expo, in Orlando, Florida. In 2024, Ricky was honored with dual inductions: first, into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame under the Legends category, followed by the International Board Builders Hall of Fame, recognizing his outstanding career in both shaping and surfing, and contributions to the industry. Over the decades, his boards have been trusted by both professional surfers and enthusiasts alike, earning him a loyal following and a lasting place among the legends of the sport.
