Category: Vintage Boards
3rd March
Rick Stoner
Rick Stoner was born in San Diego, California in 1937 and grew up in Hermosa Beach. His life as a lifeguard, surfer and surfboard builder paralleled that of his good friend and former business partner Bing Copeland. Both were Los Angeles County lifeguards, both became accomplished surfboard designer/shapers, and both were mentored by the late Dale Velzy in the early ’50s. In 1961–while still working as a lifeguard–he started Rick Surfboards. In 1966, his company produced two well-known signature models–the Dru Harrison Improvisor and the Barry Kanaiaupuni model. Rick Surfboards expanded by opening operations on the East Coast and Hawaii, and was the first name to export surfboards on a large scale to Peru. – Words by www.LastWave.com
KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: … Read More »
1st March
Gerry Lopez
Throughout history no other surf spot in the world has had the capacity to make and break reputations like The Pipeline. Only a handful of surfers have been identified with Pipeline and among them, Gerry Lopez was the original master. Lopez rode the wave like nobody else before him, or since. He surfed it with an uncanny sense of timing, perfect positioning and a style so casual it might have appeared to mock the wave’s awesome power. But there was no such arrogance in Lopez’s approach to Pipeline’s fury. He was so perfectly in-sync with the wave’s unique nature that he appeared to be part of its heaving, hollow environment. Lopez’s untouchable mastery at the fearsome spot made him a surfing legend revered all over the world. But there was so much more to Gerry Lopez than just … Read More »
27th February
George Greenough
George Greenough is a living legend and unique icon in the surf world. Best known for his innovative surf photography, surfboard designs and ingeniously conceived and constructed devices including everything from wind generators to hand-made air mattresses and blue water fishing boats. When George becomes fascinated by an idea or project, he goes about re-inventing it in a way marked by his unusual signature. He has produced films, sailed the pacific in a 39′ yacht he built in his back yard, built countless toys ranging from ultimately practical to amusingly whimsical in nature.
KEY: O= Original, R= Repaired, RF= Refurbished. Condition of board rated: 1(worst)-10(best)
Length: 5′ 8″
Width: 19″ 3/4
Thickness: 2″ 5/8
In typical Greenough fashion, this interesting shape is much different than most 1960’s shapes. … Read More »
22nd February
David Nu’uhiwa
“David Nu’uhiwa reached a level of fame few surfers can imagine. Whether it was his smooth styling in the waters of Waikiki in the 50’s, his mastery of noseriding in the 60s, or his aggressive transition to the new shortboard in the 70’s one thing is certain he was always leading the pack and taking the rest of us along for the ride. The 80’s and 90’s saw the rebirth of longboarding and again out in front was David Nu’uhiwa developing new designs in longboards and winning contests showing us how it is done with style and grace. His career and life as a surfer has covered a broad range of development and changes but he has always stayed close to the soul side of surfing and shared this sense of aloha openly.”
KEY: … Read More »
21st January
Byrne
The success and history of Byrne Surfboards revolved around the close knit Byrne brothers. Phil, Dave, and Chris were highly successful surfers growing up in Australia and competitive surfing took them to the top surf spots in the world including Bali, Indonesia and the surf mecca of Hawaii.
Byrne Surfboards got its start at a time when professional surfing began to emerge. Dave Byrne had been working as a glasser while Phil had been shaping in Australia and Hawaii. Thus, the three brothers decided to start their own label and their surfing experiences in Hawaii influenced their surfboard designs and methods.
Their success in creating high performance boards attracted the attention of some of the top surfers in the world at the time including Shaun Tompson and Larry Bertlemann. … Read More »
21st January
BRONZED AUSSIES SET
“Formed in Australia in 1976, the Bronzed Aussies were surfing’s first commercial ambassadors in the predawn era of professionalism. The brainchild of Sydney Daily Mirror journalist Mike Hurst and three of Oz’s top pros at the time, Mark Warren, Ian “Kanga” Cairns and pink fetishist Peter Townend (nee “PT”), the group took their name from an old adage for sun-baked beach boys and their inspiration from the ’60s cadre of Aussie tennis players — Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, John Newcombe — who’d barnstormed that sport, raising both the financial stakes and media awareness tenfold in the process…
“Very much the forerunner of today’s surf teams (i.e. Team Quiksilver), the media savvy BAs trademarked their Aussie wave logo and plastered it on everything they rode and wore — boards, trunks, sleek jumpers, … Read More »
21st January
Bill Hamilton Set
With surfing, as with most things in life, style is everything. William Stuart Hamilton was born in Long Beach, California. Seeing the world in a Bud Browne movie sold him on the surfing life. He was determined to become one of the best. In 1966, he returned to Hawaii, fresh from high school and already acknowledged as one of the most popular surfers around (landing sixth in the Surfer Poll). He had begun shaping under the tutelage of Surfboards Hawaii’s John Price in 1967, but turned to commercial fishing on Kauai for more income. He would continue shaping, finding work with Country Surfboards, Chuck Dent and Lightning Bolt and he stepped up his shaping under the Billy Hamilton label ever since the ’90s longboard revival. Stepson Laird has established himself as the sport’s premier big-wave rider, leading the tow-in revolution … Read More »
