Owner of Three Brothers Boards, Justin Murray, is pleased to announce that the company is celebrating 10 years in business this year.
“Paddle boarding is certainly a good time, and time really does fly when you are having fun,” said Justin Murray co-owner of Three Brothers Boards. “It’s a lifestyle really, and it has been a great business to be able to enjoy for the past 10 years,” he added.
In 2009, Justin and his brother, R.J., were working in the finance industry when their youngest brother Jason died unexpectedly. The trio always had a connection with the water. When they were younger, they had hoped to make their love of surfing into a career by opening their own board shop. It had always been a dream, one of those things they were going to do one day, but life got in the way and they just never got around to it. About eight months after Jason died, R.J. and Justin knew they needed to follow through and open a shop in Jason’s name. “Although Jason may not be here physically, he is just as much a part of it as we are,” said Justin. “We just want people to enjoy nature and to realize that it’s never too late, no matter how impossible or distant your dream is,” he added.
In addition to manufacturing and selling boards, a majority of the business comes from paddle board tours which they give in the Halifax River and Daytona Beach area. “We give thousands of tours and lessons every year,” said Justin. “In addition to locals, we have summer vacationers from around the world, students and families on spring break, and people in town for events in Daytona such as the Daytona 500, gymnastics competitions, the Shriners and so many more,” he added. “And it’s not just people that take our tours,” said Justin. “We have so many people bring their dogs as well,” he said. “Pups and Sups” is what it’s known as. “Dogs want to be where their humans are and paddle boarding allows them to tag along and have some fun as well,” Justin added.
The company has had some major milestones over the past decade, including being selected by CBS television to have its paddle boards featured on the show “The Price is Right” with host Drew Carey for multiple episodes. “Having our boards featured on the show was really cool, to say the least, and great exposure for the Three Brothers Boards brand,” said Justin. “It was a bit surreal seeing our boards on the show,” he added.
A rare event that happened in 2011 was a twin manatee birth that was captured on video by Three Brothers Boards tour guide Austin Marvin. “We are all about nature at Three Brothers Boards so when one of our paddle board tours made the news when the group witnessed a manatee give birth to two calves in the Halifax River around City Island in Daytona Beach, it was an incredible experience,” said Justin. The paddle boarders heard the water moving and saw a manatee surface, a red patch of water, and then a manatee calf appeared. A few short moments later, an additional manatee calf appeared at the surface and took a breath of air.
The company has also had the privilege of ‘family shaping’ custom boards for companies such as Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Guinness Beer, and Margaritaville restaurants and resorts around the world.
“We’ve had fun naming our boards over the years too,” said Justin. “All the names of our paddle boards have a story behind them,” he added. The “Irish Twin” was named for Justin and Jason since they were born 11 months apart, the “Lawless” board was named after their mother’s family name, the “Rico” was a nickname for their father, the “CAM” is named after their sister’s former name Carolyn Amber Murray (now Carolyn Amber Harf), and most important to the brothers is the “Jason Ryan” board, named after their late brother Jason Ryan Murray.
It’s easy to tell that their customers feel the same way about the business – Three Brothers Boards has been voted the #1 tour in Daytona Beach on TripAdvisor, and their Dolphin and Manatee Adventure Tour was featured on the Travel Channel as one of the BEST Tours in the United States.
The company is planning an anniversary celebration later this year and details will be released soon.