Any info on this design inspiration?
1954??
Seems I read somewhere that the subject surfboard was a Tom Blake creation. Very ‘‘modern’’ in appearance. The history of the board would be very interesting. Notice the high aspect ratio fin.
Blake split-tail:
I’ve seen this photo before and always wonder about what appears to be front third or nose rocker/flip. Looking at the second photo it is obvious that he has scrafed in nose rocker. The guy was always way ahead of the game.
Waaaayyyy ahead… Dang, and dang. Good eye Lowel - that is some classic franken-boarding going on there…
To know if you guys know or don’t about this stuff makes me sad. We keep such trivial things current and up to date like carrying yesterday’s grudges inadvertently and lose sight of the real treasures so destructively. Whatevuhs, you guys are the best for two reasons. You are wealths of knowledge and individuals. Some of whom have been faithful to the core of surfing at its heart/gut level. I really can’t thank you enough. Try to keep the torch lit and leave us some truth about its(surfings) foundation. Mahalos.
I’d kinda just like to go back to the photo and leave the hype behind. I would like to take the internet with me though. xo
Wonder who the lady is? Nice beefy thighs! Are they standing near Queens or Canoes? Or down closer to the Outrigger club? The board looks great also though huh? That line is also barely visible on the bottom. Would that be a huge solid balsa nose block?
Mahalos.
Jean Seagraves is shown modeling the 1955 balsa swallow tail which was a cleaned up version of Bob Simmons' personal square tail. Tom Blake reshaped it - "streamlining" and adding the swallow tail.
From Pg 187 in book "Tom Blake" by Gary Lynch and Malcolm Gault-Williams.
The one with the obvious scarfed nose ("early 1950s") is shown with Carter Pyle. Originally a Makaha pintail reshaped by Blake. From same book.
To my mind the real ground breaking leap forward, dipicted in the photo, is the fin. By that time, 1955, Buzzy Trent and George Downing were already ‘‘streamlining’’ board outlines, based on the proportions of fast swimming pelagic fishes. Tuna, Wahoo, etc. (this from my discussions with Buzzy, about his early years in Hawaii) The swallow tail, while interesting in the time frame of it’s appearance, was not a significant step in surfboard design.
Hi Bill -
Good call on that fin. Looks like a modern template and foil.
In the same book it is noted that Tom Blake allegedly “Tore a fin off a washed-up speedboat and reattached it onto the bottom of a surfboard sometime in 1935.” There is an entire chapter in the book… “The FIN (1935)”
I don’t know if it is true, but have heard that he was the first to use a fin on a surfboard. Have you heard of any in use before 1935?
…hello John, I think pre 1935 were more like skegs or derivative boats centerboards (in the boards that had something).
Hello Bill, you are right about the fin but all that board, at least in that take is very modern.
Long ago I had doubts about the picture due to the way the woman is holding it (she s grabbing it too far back) and without effort…chambered possible?
There are two possibilities, Tom Blake, and Woody Brown, both attached a fin to a surfboard in 1935. Now, who was first? My heart wants it to be Woody. I had the pleasure of meeting him and have a photo of Woody, Al Nelson, and myself taken at the shack at Windansea several years ago. He was such an unassuming, gentle, and charming man. He certainly was an exceptional pioneer of our sport. I’m sure everyone has heard the Waimea story about he and Dickie Cross. He did it all.
EDIT: Did a little research and according to Woody, Blake was first to attach a fin in 1935, Woody in 1936. Woody was not aware of Blake’s experiments at the time. So, the fin had two independent creations, but Blake was clearly first.
Dlock---------- What the hell is your problem?? You ask for comments on the inspiration behind the board in the photo. You got it. Then you do that stupid tirade in the first paragraph of your last post. You want comments on the girl?? or the board??
Tirade? Stupid?? I can’t see your point. I can see a surfboard I’m interested in and get a great feeling of pride from the fact a woman is stoked to be associated with surfing in Waikiki. Dude, she dump you or somethin? Sheesh.
Hi dlock - my guess is English is not your first language (posting from Japan)? Perhaps some expressions do not translate well - I didn't understand the paragraph referenced to either, but I liked those thighs also. The board and the fin? All very interesting, especially in view of the time.
Yeah Huck, that time is precious to me. Most women don’t participate in ocean sports here as much as Hawaii, Ca, Aus, and others. I miss sharing the line-up with female surfers although I do have some female surfing friends here at the local. Just not like Waikiki though. Really miss it round winter time especially. Mele Kalikimaka guys and gals, oh, too early? The board looks way ahead of its time, fin also as has been mentioned.
I didn’t see it that way. Not in the least.
the surfers journal article recent past
concerning the fin in interview with
El Quigg,said ,Pete Petersen had fins
on boards before ol’ tom blake…
tom blake was a great self promoter
broke ground for many to come.
…ambrose…
I invented Pajamas.
Preeminent marine hull designer/builder
JOE QUIGG
redefines the roots of modern surfing
“when I die ,nobody’s gonna be here to tell you what I just told you”
just tuned up the article page 72 winter 2011
quigg’s response to interviewer;
''as a child in the early 30’s even then there were old looking boards with fins in the lockers.
what I think happened is,like boat work, some people tend to think
if they mass produce a thing,then the’ve invented it.
And Blake did make a bunch
of refined fin castings for his paddleboards.
Amongst them was a cast aluminum fin
and he also had an optional wooden fin
that was shallow and about a foot long…
next answered q.; :So I asked petersen and he said;
"When I was a 19
I had a fin on my board". thats what he said,
I dont think blake had even come west yet.
…ambrose…
mathew
mark
luke
and John
acts
romans
corinthians
and joe quigg.
the first pajamas were flannel.
plaid.
…ambrose…
Between the ladies buttocks and the fin there’s a horizontal line so it looks like it has 2 wooden stringers or a foam insert stringer…? Was that popular in 54 ?
She does appear to be holding the board too far back. And quite effortlessly. Was the board a lightweight polyester foam?