Thanksgiving 1959: Dan started board surfing. He got his first surfboard for his birthday in February 1960: an 8'6" "Marshall" with green foam and a 1" redwood stringer. His dad bought it at a boat shop in Rosemead, CA. It was supposed to be a Christmas present, but apparently it wasn't ready on time!

Summer 1960 - Summer 1963: Dan had a board repair business in his dad's garage in Baldwin Park.

Summer 1960 - Spring 1966: Dan had a G&S, two Gordys, two Hynson models, and a Hansen. Boards lasted a long time, and if they got dings you repaired them, which is why he had the board repair business.

1963: Dan's early influence was Ole Surfboards in Seal Beach. Bob Olson was the first guy Dan ever saw with a planer in his hand, and John Grey was one of the shapers who Dan watched shape and chatted with him about shaping.

Spring 1964: While a student at Mt. Sac he met Robert McClelland's son who said his dad needed someone to do ding repair. Bob made "Mac Surfboards" – basically garage boards – in La Puente, and showed Dan how he shaped, which is how Dan shapes.

Summer 1965: Dan worked full time for Greek at the factory in Costa Mesa – primarily rough shaping, glassing, glossing, and ding repairs.

June 1966 - April 1968: Dan was drafted and stationed in Korea.

Summer 1968: Living in Huntington Beach and working at Plastic Fantastic, basically glassing, also fins and hot coats.

September - December 1968: He went to Puerto Rico and glassed for Duke Michael. The world contest was held in November.

January 1970 - Summer 1971: Moved to Hawaii and glassed for Bill Stonebraker and Rich Parr. He met Ted Wilson and while living in Waianae made garage boards. Dan acquired the nickname Skydog and made about 3 boards that he put the name Skydog Surfboards on – no laminates, just a signature. He made boards so they could all go surfing.

Summer 1971: Back in Baldwin Park, Dan made two "Amnesia Surfboards" and then started using "Skydog Surfboards."

June 1975 - June 1976: Living in Hawaii again and working at Ted Wilson's pouring foam, shaping, and glassing (there were 3-4 glassers). When it got slow, Dan made hotel surfboards and Waikiki lifeguard boards (start to finish). While working at Ted Wilson's, Jerry Lopez was shaping there and Dan (and the other glassers) were glassing his boards. Ted is Australian so all the Australian shapers and surfers used to come through: Mark Richards, Bob McTavish, Geoff McCoy, Bruce Raymond, Brian Austin. Amidst all this, Johnny Marks showed up in December 1975 looking for work which is how Dan met him. Johnny had already been sanding for Yater.

April 1977: Dan moved to Isla Vista, CA and got work glassing for Yater because he knew Johnny. He also glassed for Marc Andreini and Tim Bowler. He had the secret shop in Isla Vista where the guys all made their boards.