From Tom Morey on Face Book: Tom Morey: Vinny Bryan passed into Abha kingdom last night. The single most innovative board builder I’ve ever known. A great Kauai North Shore icon whom tragedy repeatedly blugened. May God bless his sweet soul.
Peter Pope Kahapea I took that photo of Vinney down at BlackPot Beach in Hanalei after I had come in from surfing. I had noticed the “Paipo board” and was making comment on it as I was drying off. Mentioned to Vinney that as a kid, I used to body surf and Paipo board out at “The Wall” in Waikiki. We started “talking story”, and I found out that Vinney had the first surfboard shop up in the central coastal area of California around San Luis Obispo called the Central Coast Surf Shop. Hell, I had known Vinney for some years and had never known that. Again, looking at this red, single fin’d paipo board I had asked him how long had he had it and he said, that he had gotten it back some years back from a friend, that He, had given it to decades ago back in San Luis Obispo. The Friend, kept and rode it for years, married, had kids and then gave it to his son. I guess the son kept it, rode it some and then put it in the garage or under the house and it was forgotten. The Dad, some how found it, asked his son what he was going to do with it, the Son didn’t know and the Dad said, “Return it to Vinney. It’s the right thing to do”. I hope I’ve retold this story somewhat in the lines that I remember Vinney telling it to me. I think it’s a wonderful story of a well preserved surfing vehicle that gets returned to the Master Shaper after many decades. My first meeting of Vinney was at a surf contest in Hanalei with bombing 6 foot plus beach breaking surf at Hanalei and most not being able to get out, but getting swept down the beach. Most of us were huffing and puffing just trying to get out past the break. I just happened to get out, catch two waves and won the 50 and over div. Later, Vinney busted out his guitar and started playing beautiful Hawaiian melodies back off the beach, up on the grass area, drinking beers and singing. And in the old Vinney Bryan way, he leaned over and mentioned, “waves wen kick our ass today brah”. MAHALO to Tom Morey and Robert Sweney for posting this. Aloha Noooo, Vinney Bryan. Aloha nooooo, My Friend.
