Where Craft Meets Conviction - Local Chase Jacoway
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
PART OF LOCAL BREAK'S "YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN 'EM" SERIES
Some people chase stability. Others chase something harder to define.
For Chase Jacoway, that pursuit began far from the ocean, growing up in Ramona, San Diego—close enough to dream about the sea, but far enough that every surf session had to be earned. At four years old, standing on the nose of an 11-foot Donald Takayama glider as his uncle pushed him into his first wave, Chase felt something click. The trim, the glide, the quiet hum of moving water—it was enough to set the direction of his life long before he had words for it.
That pull never left him. Even when distance, money, and logistics worked against him, Chase kept finding his way back to the ocean. He wasn’t chasing trophies or jerseys. He was chasing understanding—of waves, of movement, of feel.
That curiosity eventually led him into shaping.
What started with scraps of foam and borrowed time in shaping bays slowly turned into a craft. Chase immersed himself in the process—learning how small changes in rocker, rail, or foil could completely alter how a board moved through water. During the height of the pandemic, he was shaping at an intense pace, sometimes producing dozens of boards in less than a week. The experience was invaluable, sharpening both his hands and his eye.
From the outside, it looked like the dream. From the inside, the reality was more complicated.
Shaping surfboards doesn’t come with financial guarantees. Despite living what many would consider an ideal life, Chase realized he couldn’t sustain himself long-term without making some hard choices. For a moment, he considered walking away from shaping entirely in favor of a more traditional, stable career.
It was his wife who helped reframe everything.
Rather than encouraging him to choose safety, she encouraged him to choose happiness. Through long conversations and reflection—often tied to her own work in counseling—she helped Chase see that fulfillment mattered more than fitting neatly into a conventional path. Together, they chose a simpler life: fewer expenses, fewer safety nets, but more intention.
That decision didn’t remove the struggle. But it made the struggle worth it.
As his shaping evolved, so did his surfing. Drawn toward heavier water, Chase began applying his design theories to boards meant for consequence. Big waves demand absolute trust—trust in yourself, and trust in what’s under your feet. When Chase paddles into serious surf, he does so on boards he built with purpose. He knows how they’ll respond, where their limits are, and how they’ll behave when things go wrong—often before he ever rides them.
That confidence isn’t ego. It’s earned.
Last winter, that trust was put on full display.
While surfing Todos Santos, a powerful big-wave break near an island off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico, Edwin Morales caught video of Chase riding a massive wave—one that reflected not just his ability, but years of preparation, shaping knowledge, and quiet commitment. His friends urged him to submit the clip to the Thriller at Killer’s Big Wave Surf Contest digital qualifier.
He almost didn’t.
Competition had never been part of his path. But he sent it in.
The result surprised even him: second place, earning Chase an invitation to compete in the 2026 Thriller at Killer’s Big Wave Surf Contest. For the first time, he found himself stepping into a space the surf world often associates with success—competition, recognition, and visibility—without ever having chased it.
For Chase, it wasn’t about validation. It was confirmation that choosing the hard, uncertain road can still lead somewhere meaningful.
Beyond the water, Chase has taken on the role of teacher, sharing the craft of shaping at UC San Diego. In classrooms filled with first-time builders, he breaks surfboard design down to its core—feel, function, and flow. Teaching has become another extension of his shaping philosophy: knowledge should be shared, not guarded.
Chase Jacoway’s story isn’t about overnight success. It’s about choosing meaning over money, craft over comfort, and belief over fear. It’s about having someone beside you who sees your potential even when the numbers don’t add up. And it’s about shaping not just surfboards—but a life built on intention.
Connect With Chase
If you’re at a point in your surfing where you’re ready for something handmade, intentional, and tailored specifically to how you surf, Chase welcomes the conversation.
Website: chasejacowaysurfboards.com
Want to talk story in person? You can often find Chase at Wavelines Surf Shop on the weekends, or you can learn directly from him by signing up for his “How to Build a Surfboard” class at UC San Diego.
Whether it’s riding bigger waves, shaping your next board, or simply choosing a life that feels true—Chase is proof that chasing what matters is always worth it.