BACK TO BUGGS’ GALLERY

PETRILLO

“When I first started working here around 1967, I was sitting on the floor playing poker with Frank.” TK explained. “He had been nicknamed Frog by that time. A guy walked in the door this particular day with two boards under his arms. They had no logos on them. One was a red one and the other blue and he wanted to sell them. Frog asked him where he had gotten the boards and he said I made them myself in my garage. They were really good boards and Frog liked them. Up to that point, The Frog House had only sold used boards and a few wetsuits (which were still relatively new product at the time).”

“The guy who brought the boards in was Frank Petrillo. So Frank “Frog” Jensen and … Read More »

UNION

Acid Splash Union Keel Twinnie.  I believe Union was based on the East coast .  I acquired this board out of the Nordine Collection and he acquired it from Pat Magee out of Texas.  This board either grows on you or bores on you.   But regardless, nice representation of what was and color work.  All original with the exception of some ding repairs.   This is in my pile of “Want to Ride” so stay tuned .  B

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

Length: 6’5″
Width: 19 3/8″
Thickness: 2 1/4″
Condition: ???

Click below for a detailed image:

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

Board Dimensions
Length: 6′ 3″
Width: 18″ 7/8
Thickness: 2″ 3/4I acquired this board from Ebay on an Estate Sale. Apparently the prior Collector of this Hawaiian Bolt died suddenly and his Estate was liquidating.  This is a Wayne Santos who was a 1st tear Bolt Shaper back in the day when Bolt was hot.  Like what we call today Ghost Shapers he was behind the scenes of  Lopez shaping under his label and surfing with the legend.  All original conditions, water tight, some sun fading on bottom tail, yet, deep orange / red with a vibrant blue bolt. This squash tail design was popular on those smaller days and town surf.  Signed by … Read More »

Arguably the best big wave rider on the North Shore during the 80’s, along with contemporaries like Mark Foo, Darrick Doerner and Brock Lile, Ken Bradshaw lifted the bar on paddle-in big wave surfing. His exploits at Waimea Bay became legendary, and he climaxed his competitive career by winning the prestigious Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Classic in 1982, which launched his reputation as one of the North Shore’s best. Parlaying his notoriety to commercial success throughout the 80’s he was one of the top finishers in “ The Eddie” event when first held at Waimea Bay in 1986.

On January 28, 1998, Ken rode the biggest wave ever ridden in history on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii at an outer reef known as Outside Log Cabins. This wave was considered to be in excess of 85 feet. That … Read More »

The August family moved to the Southern California coastline from Arizona during the early part of the 20th Century. The youngest of two sons, Orall W. August was a CIF swimming champion at Long Beach High School. Since his school’s athletic facilities included an Olympic style pool, super-star Olympian, Duke Kahanamoku, (the Michael Phelps of that era,) would train there for the upcoming Games. The Duke befriended young O. W. (later to be known as ‘Blackie’) and introduced him to the sport of surfing, bestowing upon him a liberal dose of the Aloha Spirit in the process.

Orall August had to drop out of high school to help his family through the tough economic circumstances of the times. By now an experienced waterman, he would camp out at Palos Verde Cove for days on end, fishing and diving … 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

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 »