Thomas Victor “Tom” Carroll (born 26 November 1961 in Newport, New South Wales) is a former professional surfer from Sydney, Australia. He won the Australian Junior Title in 1978, the Pro Juniors in 1977 and 1980, the 1983 and 1984 ASP World Tour, and the 1987 Pipe Masters. He became the first surfing millionaire after signing a contract with Quiksilver in 1989.

Carroll made the finals of the 1979 Pipe Masters as a world tour rookie, finishing 24th in the world that same year. He continued to ascend from 17th to 10th to 3rd before taking the world title in 1983 (winning 6 of 13 events) and distinguishing himself as the first goofy foot world champion.

The following year he … Read More »

Surf Line Hawaii was a shop in Honolulu that during the 60’s was a dealer for most popular mainland brands.  With the move to the shortboard revolution, they shifted to production and had many of the top island shapers working for them.  Dick Brewer, Reno Abellira, Gerry Lopez all pre-Bolt.  After the start of Lightning Bolt, a number of shapers left Surf Line Hawaii for Bolt, leaving the main shapers as: Dennis Pang, Rick Irons, Ryan Dotson, Randy Rarick, Buddy Dumphy among others.  They stayed in business until the early 80’s.

KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)

Length: 8’0″
Width: 18 3/4″
Thickness: 3″
Condition: (O) 10

Sparky was a staple shaper for SH during their peak. This beauty has been totally restored by Randy Rarick and was slated for his … Read More »

Video may have killed the radio star, but for Chris Ward, it made the surf star. In another time, Ward would have been another hot kid from Southern California. As it is, his legend has followed — and perhaps even surpassed — that of his San Clemente neighbor, Matt Archbold, another worldwide sensation who never seemed to fit in a contest jersey.

The Wards moved to San Clemente from Galveston, Texas, when Chris was nine. Martin Potter had clocked some hours at T Street in the mid-’80s and ignited a freesurfing frenzy that began with Archbold and Christian Fletcher, filtered through international stars like Shane Beschen and rubbed off on kids like Ward. As Ward entered his formative years, the area was already synonymous with radical, outside-the-lines surfing. Rumors started circulating in the mid-’90s about … Read More »

Hap opened Jacobs surfboards in Hermosa Beach on Pacific Coast Highway in 1959, and came up with the Diamond logo: Surfboards by Jacobs. Business was good, and then it was great, and then it was ridiculous.

“We were there at the beginning during I guess what they call the Golden Years of Surfing between the 60s and 70s,” Jacobs said. “As I look back on those days there was a lot of stuff I could have done. It got busier and busier and busier until we had five shapers and people in the front room. Lance Carson and Robert August and Rick Irons all worked in the front room until they wanted to learn to shape. There were a lot of people who shaped for us and at our peak we were up to … Read More »

Larry Gordon and Floyd Smith were the co-founders of Gordon and Smith Surfboards in 1961. Gordon and Smith Surfboards, commonly referred to as G&S Surfboards, were based out of San Diego, California and had a large local following.

It wasn’t long before the Gordon and Smith label was well known and surfed throughout the surfing world. In large part, Gordon and Smith Surfboards gained popularity among surfers because of the major talent and influential surfers on the Gordon and Smith Surfboards team.

Team members like Skip Frye, Hawaii’s Barry Kanaiaupuni, Mike Hynson, of Endless Summer Fame, Dale Dobson and Butch Van Artsdalen – the original “Mr. Pipeline” and many others, contributed to G&S’ popularity.

Throughout the 60s, 70s and even well into the 80s, Gordon and Smith Surfboards continued to be a sucessful surfboard, surf accessories … Read More »

Another cool find in the OC. Storage War’s. Another Man’s Fall is another Man’s Gain. What can I say, but another great example of a 1970’s Mini-Hawaiian Sunset Gun. Made and surfed in Hawaii is this Donald Bennett. I do not have much history on DRB, but all you viewers, please partake and advise. – Buggs

After four years of competition amongst the world’s finest surfing pedigree, the goofy-footed talent hailing from Santa Barbara, California continues to cement himself as a perennial Top 10 finisher on the ASP World Tour. Martinez’s lethal backhand attack groomed by Santa Barbara’s famed righthand pointbreaks, combined with his knack for threading the needle in critical barrels, proven by his victories at the Billabong Pro Teahupoo and the Billabong Pro Mundaka, both twice over, prove he has the ability to scalp an event win at any stop on tour. The Californian’s versatility in all conditions make him a dangerous competitor in any event on the ASP World Tour schedule.

There have been many impressive brother duos in surfing’s history: Michael and Derek Ho, Shea and Cory Lopez, Andy and Bruce Irons. Never, though, has a set of twins ascended so far in the competitive ranks as Florida’s C.J. and Damien Hobgood. These almost indecipherable goofyfoots and NSSA nightmares turned into top-10 WCT powerhouses, wreaking double trouble on the rest of the world — especially in heaving lefthanders. Hailing from Satellite Beach, C.J. and Damien followed the now well-heeled path from the Sunshine State to surf stardom established by Charlie Kuhn, Todd Holland and Kelly Slater, with CJ becoming the first East Coast’s second-ever men’s world champion.

Since beginning as menehunes in the Eastern Surfing Association, the Hobgoods swapped first- and second-place finishes like they were swapping socks. In 1991, they set the trend … Read More »

Since he was a kid, Sunny Garcia’s dream has been to kick back as a fat, happy Hawaiian with a bunch of kids running around. That existence remained in jeopardy as the one prize that would make him content — a world title — eluded him 14 consecutive years. With the inspiration of a new love and a new fitness regimen, he kept a horde of challengers at bay and, at age 30, led the ASP tour from start to finish to run away with the 2000 crown.

Growing up in Waianae, on Oahu’s West Side, wasn’t an easy task — even for a local. Vincent Sennen Garcia came from a broken home and found surfing as a refuge from fighting and poverty. He owned his division in the Hawaiian Surfing Association and jumped onto the tour … Read More »

KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)

Board Dimensions
Length: 6′ 3″
Width: 19″ 1/2 
Thickness: 2″1/2

I was on a Craigs List Hunt a couple years back on a hot summer day and came across this vibrant craft.  Acquired it from its original owner. Early 1980’s round-pin, Clark Foam Fibercraft.  I have know idea where the origin of this beauty is from, or the Story Behind the Board. I believe the East Coast.  Anyone? Not really collectable, yet it tickled me when I first laid my eyes on it. It whispered at me through the flat screen, “Buuuy Meeee”.  Almost in pristine condition, all original never really ridden.  I had to drive out to South Gate to the Old Man’s garage to pick it up. One of … Read More »