From Wood to Foam

Beginning with the innovation of using fiberglass and foam to craft surfboards by Bob Simmons in the late 1940's, this chapter (written in the late 1990's) details how the polyurthane foam board was developed and how it caused a radical change for surfers from using fiberglassed wooden surfboards to fiberglassed foam boards.

This chapter has been reformatted for easier on-line reading and hardcopy printing.

From Wood to Foam

Late 1950's image of Hobie Alter, Hoppy Swarts and Whitey Harrision courtesy of Gary Lynch and the Tom Blake Collection.

- Posted: 15 April 2006  

Great Women Surfers of The Wooden Era

During the Twentieth Century, males came to dominate the world of surfing almost to the exclusion of women.  Toward the century’s end, this situation changed.  Even so, few of us realize that surfing’s roots lay in an egalitarian surfing lifestyle.  Although there were hierarchies in old time Polynesia and Hawai‘i, surfing was a common pursuit by not only males and females, but children as well.

When one looks at the entire history of surfing during its approximate 5,000 year history, most of that time was spent with, yes, an admittedly male dominant role, but certainly not without the ever presence of kids and women.  In that sense, the increasing modern day influence by female surfers can be seen more as a return to past balance, rather than just a new development.

Great Women Surfers of The Wooden Era

Cover of Kaua'i Magazine, 1994.

- Posted: 30 March 2006  

1957

In surfing, the year 1957 is notable for the continued opening of the North Shore of O`ahu by mostly Coast Haoles. It's also the year when major experimentations in polyurethane foam surfboard manufacture took place on the U. S. Mainland. To read more about the development of polyurethane foam, please read "Wood To Foam". Meanwhile, journey with me back to 1957...

1957

Fred Van Dyke surfing Waimea. Image courtesy of John Severson.

- Posted: 6 March 2006  

Bud "Barracuda" Browne

A lifeguard/surfer beginning in the late 1930s, Bud "Barracuda" Browne went on to become surfing's first commercial surf film maker. Throughout the 1950's, it was Bud's surf movies that provided the stoke and defined the genre. While other notable surf film makers certainly followed, Bud continued to practice his craft, resulting in his surfing cinematic influence continuing to present day. The LEGENDARY SURFERS chapter has been updated for easier reading and printing:

Bud "Barracuda" Browne

"Gun Ho!" movie poster courtesy of Bud Browne.

- Posted: 17 February 2006  

The 1920's

During the period 1920-1929, the popularity of surfing continued to grow amongst the determined and dedicated. Surfing's revival during the previous two decades had gone by relatively unnoticed by the rest of the world, with the exception of Australia, New Zealand and the United States. With the death of George Freeth in 1919, surfing's spread was left to Duke Kahanamoku almost single handedly. From a surfing perspective, the 1920's was largely Duke's era and he dominated all news about the sport during that time. However, Duke was not alone. There were growing numbers of surfers at Waikiki, in Australia and California. Significantly, a champion swimmer named Tom Blake got interested in surfing and would become - second only to Duke - the most influential surfer of the next two decades. This chapter covers the events and the surfers of the 1920's in the kind of depth that cannot be found anywhere else other than through the LEGENDARY SURFERS collection.

This chapter has been completely rewritten and updated and totals approximately 17,287 words, comprising 46 pages, including footnotes and historically important images. To find out more about this chapter and order the ebooklet for just $4.95, deliverable to your PC within 24-hours of ordering, please go to:

- Posted: 8 January 2006  

LEGENDARY SURFERS Volume 1 covers the very beginning of surfing history, 2500 B.C. to 1910 A.D., through the life of Duke Kahanamoku. This premier LEGENDARY SURFERS publication incorporates not only all the material available on the LEGENDARY SURFERS website for that period, but greatly expands on all subjects as well as offers totally new material. The colored cover paperback dimensions are: 7.5 inches X 9.25 inches. Total pages: 358. Total wordage: 145,950. Black and white historical images: over 50.

In-Depth, Detailed Surfing History

If you are a serious reader of surfing history, this book was made for you. If you or your loved one(s) just want to know how surfing began and progressed on into the time of "The Father of Modern Surfing" Duke Kahanamoku, then the book also makes a great gift to give at $29.95 plus shipping and handling.

Several Books In One

Volume 1 goes into the realm of the beginning and early days of surfing in an exhaustive and detailed manner. Nowhere else can you read about the pre-modern days of Polynesian and Hawaiian surfing in such detail, extensively footnoted, and all in one volume. You would have to buy half a dozen books on history and surfing just to get a portion of what is contained in LEGENDARY SURFERS Volume 1 !!!

Chapters include: