The Surfing Heritage Foundation

The Surfing Heritage Museum & Gift Store

2010-08-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

Opening Reception for

Close to the Equator

new work by James Finch

Please join us this Saturday, September 4, from 5-8PM

Original paintings and prints

Exhibit Dates: Sept 4-Oct 1, 2010

beverages provided by

The Surfing Heritage Museum & Gift Store

South Coast Plaza West (formerly Crystal Court)

Mon-Fri 10AM-9PM · Sat 10AM-8PM · Sun 11AM-6:30PM

3333 Bear St., ste 303, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

714.800.1654

Other SHF Events and More

2010-08-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 9, 6:30-9:00PM

The Orange County Historical Society Presents

Dick Metz and O.C. Surf History

Open to the Public. Everyone participating in the evening’s appetizer/dessert potluck is asked to bring a dessert or appetizer for six people.

Sherman Library & Gardens, 2647 E. Coast Hwy, Corona del Mar, CA

We're Teaming up with the Dana Point Ocean Institute

as a partner for their $1,000,000 Home Raffle

Over 300 prizes will be awarded, including the Grand Prize of $1,000,000 cash or a beautiful, ocean-view home in Laguna Beach, 3 cars, dream vacations, lots of cash, and shopping sprees. For each order form (call, fax, mail or walk-in) order they receive from SHF's efforts (please be sure to let them know you heard about it from us), $20/ticket will be awarded to the Surfing Heritage.

Click Here for Details

The earlier you enter the more chances you have to win. For those who buy more than one ticket you’ll qualify for a number of additional prizes including: your chance to win 3 Prius Hybrids or $15,000, dream-vacations, South Coast Plaza shopping sprees and more.

SURF + SKATE = CULTURE
Exhibit at Brea City Art Gallery

Show Dates: August 7 - September 10, 2010
The City of Brea Gallery is located in the Brea Civic & Cultural Center at 1 Civic Center Circle, Plaza Level. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m., closed Monday, Tuesday and holidays. Admission is $2 and Brea residents are free. For more info, call the Brea Art Gallery (714) 990-7730. We've loaned 15 boards from our collection for this display.

Events at Surfing Heritage in San Clemente

2010-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon, the exhibit online!

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Tyler Warren- All Yew from www.KORDUROY.tv on Vimeo.
Tyler Warren, shaping and riding a Mini Simmons "Bar of Soap"

Surfing Long Beach

2010-06-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

REEF-LECTIONS

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

PHOTO CAPTION: WILLIAM GORDON PELLET AT AGE 17 WITH HIS HOMEMADE SURFBOARD “COMET” AND LITTLE SISTER MARY LOUISE. LONG BEACH CA. 1928

I READ A WHILE BACK, WHERE SOMEONE WANTED TO HAVE THE LONG BEACH BREAKWALL REMOVED TO ALLOW SURF BACK INTO THE AREA. IF YOU THINK THE MALIBU LAGOON IS POLLUTED WAIT UNTIL YOU PADDLE OUT THROUGH THE L.A. RIVER.

BEFORE WWII, WHEN THE BREAKWALL WAS BUILT FOR DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REASONS, THERE WAS GOOD SURF AT “FLOOD CONTOL” AND PINE AVENUE PIER. YOU CAN CHECK OUT FLOOD CONTROL IN DOC BALL’S BOOK “EARLY CALIFORNIA SURFERS,”

THE PIER STOOD AT THE LOWER END OF PINE AVE. IT WAS A MAJOR LONG BEACH ATTRACTION IN THE ROARING 20’S WITH SEAFOOD, BANDS, AND DANCING PACKING THEM INTO THE PAVILION ON SUMMER NIGHTS.

ACCORDING TO OLD TIME SURFER AND FISHERMAN GORDON PELLET, THE PIER BURNED DOWN AROUND 1928 OR 29. WHEN I TALKED WITH GORDON SEVERAL YEARS AGO, HE TOLD ME HE COUGHT THE SURFING BUG WHILE HE WAS ABOUT 17 LIVING WITH HIS PARENTS NEAR THE PIER. “I MADE MY OWN SURFBOARD FROM A SINGLE PINE PLANK I GOT FROM THE LUMBER YARD. CUT THE OUTLINE MYSELF WITH A HANDSAW TO LOOK LIKE OTHERS I HAD SEEN.”

THE BOARD IS SHAPED LIKE MANY WE SEE IN PHOTOS FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF SURFING. THE NAME “COMET” PAINTED ON THE BOARD SEEMS TODAY A LITTLE PRESUMPTUOUS, BUT THE CARRY HANDLE CUT INTO THE RAIL WAS WAY AHEAD OF IT’S TIME.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE COMET DID NOT SURVIVE THE RIGORS OF TIME, A LOSS FOR THE SURF COLLECTORS. GORDON PASSED ON IN 2000 AT AGE 90, BUT NOT BEFORE HE SHARED THIS HISTORIC SURFING IMAGE FROM 82 YEARS AGO WITH US.

GOOD SURFING AND FISHING GORDON.

DON FLEMING

Original Clark Foam Tee Shirt

2010-05-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

Allan Seymour stopped by today with some gems to donate, including this original Clark Foam tee-shirt. Thanks Allan!

Ben Aipa's Great Grandfather

2010-05-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken by Honolulu photographer Frank Davey at Waikiki. According to Thomas Takao, at a family reunion back in February, Ben Aipa found out that this is his great grandfather.

A Timely Reminder

2010-05-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

An oil tanker collision off of Huntington Beach caused a large spill of oil during the Fourth Annual West Coast Surfboard Championships held in Huntington Beach (imagine if this happened today during the US Open, then think about what the people in the Gulf have ben dealing with for months now). Tandem competitors, Bob Moore and Shelly Amarine (4th place), Hobie Alter and Laurie Hoover (3rd place), Pete Peterson and Patti Carey (who's missing, but finished in 1st place) were covered with crude oil from surfing in the spill. September 23, 1962. Photo: LeRoy Grannis.

From the Pete Peterson Collection

2010-05-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Gerald Vultee, Owen Hale, Bill Herwig, and Duke Kahanamoku, circa 1925 (most likely at Corona del Mar). This is one of hundreds of images that our photo editor, Steve Wilkings is currently scanning. They're on loan to us from Pete's daughter, Lisa.

Two Legends Examine an Artifact

2010-05-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Modern longboarder, Colin McPhillips, and perennial teenager, Mickey Muñoz, examine Bob Meistrell's Simmons slot board, purchased from Dale Velzy in 1949 for $75. Although that was a fair amount of money back then, this board would be considered nearly priceless in today's collectible market. It's currently on display as part of "The Simmons Effect" exhibit, running through August 10.

Where is this?

2010-05-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Early Rincon photo by Jon Shafer, courtesy of Tucker Stevens

Please let us know if you can provide us with a date or more details.

info@surfingheritage.org

A Very Mini Simmons

2010-05-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a bar of Irish Spring. It's a Bob Simmons Slot Bellyboard, circa early 1950s

Until John Mazza brought this down for our upcoming Simmons Exhibit, we had no idea one even existed. It's just part of the wide variety of items that we will have on display during our month long show, you'll not want to miss this exciting, historic event!

Whitey, Doc Ball, & Grannis Re-creation Boards

2010-05-30T11:00:00.001-07:00

The Three Amigos

Working alongside these 3 pioneers of surfing, Greg Noll (himself a pioneer as well) recreated their first surfboards.

"Lorrin 'Whitey' Harrison's surfboard was the most advanced," says Greg. "Fairly narrow in the stern with a vee-bottom tail for riding more critical waves." Leroy Grannis' board was made of solid merch redwood (from the outer bark ring). Doc Ball's board was carved from a solid slab of redwood with a copper Hawaiian shield mounted on the deck. (excerpted from Greg Noll, the Art of the Surfboard )

These 3 surfboards are now on display in our hallway, here at Surfing Heritage, and were donated by Founding and Sustaining Partners, Nick & Terri Bacica. They were recently delivered to us by Wingnut, on one of his southward journeys.

Recognize Anyone?

2010-05-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

Summer, 1941. That's Lorrin "Whitey" Harrison in the black shirt, and we're pretty sure it's Preston "Pete" Peterson in the foreground with the slicked back hair, strumming away. Oh yeah, and we think that may be a young Norma Jean Baker, with the flower in her hair (although that would mean she would only be 15 when this shot was taken. But then again she did marry the first time at the age of 17). From the Jack Huff collection.

John Kelly Hydroplane

2010-05-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Founding Partner Ed Clapp, arranged for us to get this board from Scott Edrington in New Jersey

Aside from being credited along with Fran Heath, Woody Brown, and Wally Froiseth, for creating the Hot Curl style boards in 1937, John Kelly was also founder of the environmental group, Save Our Surf in 1961. The invention of the Hot Curl allowed surfers like Kelly to ride some of the more critical breaks on Oahu, such as Makaha. His father, John Melville Kelly, was well known for his etchings of Islanders and for his designs on the menu covers of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. His mother, Katherine Harland, was a noted sculptor. His patented hydroplane board pictured above, was created in 1963 and is one of 250 that he made. Although it represents another of Kelly's design innovations, the model didn't ever really catch on, but Kelly continued to ride them for as long as he surfed (very few of them remain and are quite collectable). Kelly passed away at the age of 88 in 2009. Among his other accomplishments was the publishing of the book, Surf and Sea, in 1965. We have excerpted the section of the book that describes this innovation of his:

A favorite dream of surfers has always been to own a single all-time surfboard that combines the best of all existing designs, speed, maneuverability, stability; it should be a good paddler, easy to stall, slow to dig, yet good for nose-riding, stable and heavy-riding in rough water yet light to the touch in smooth. It should be impervious to dinging and able to yell "Stop thief!" when stolen. Whether or not such a board exists or will ever exist depends on the individual surfer's own standards of judging waves and riding skills. Nevertheless, the dream is there and many hold fast to it.

Whereas the flat deck was the sacred and inviolate element of surfboards until the late 1940's, the single bottom-line was its counterpart until 1962. Those who had pioneered the rocker, the gun tail and the hot dog board had convinced themselves that curves and straight lines could never be harmonized. Hot doggers had un-curved tail sections and gunners had bent their straight lines but always with compromising results. Again, the solution was so simple as to have escaped attention. It consists of breaking the heretofore undifferentiated bottom surface into two surfaces, a longitudinally flat one for high-speed planing and a curved one for high-drag, low-speed turning. The two surfaces are separated by means of a hydroplane step,* the high-speed planing surface being located forward of the step and the curved one at the tail where the turning effect is located.

The results were startling: on first experimental rides the hydro went so fast the rider fell off the back end of the board; first attempts at turning in the conventional manner threw the rider off in a tangent while the board spun off the wave. There was no doubt that a breakthrough had been made, but it needed tempering. Early models employed a transverse step which introduced an undesirable pitching around the step-fulcrum. This was eliminated by elongating the step and moving it aft. At high speeds the air-borne tail section allowed cavitation on the wave side of the skeg. The skeg was moved to the planing surface and the step moved still further aft; cavitation ceased.

In designing the first hydro models, each design element was pushed to its extreme. The planing surface had been flattened in all directions, the rails dropped fully for 100 per cent draglessness on sides and trailing edge, the scorpion tail elevated or scooped higher than any hot dog board. The board was so hypersensitive that for full turns the rider needed only to lean with a moderate ankle movement. Restoring a degree of transverse curvature to the planing surface, but keeping all fore-and-aft lines parallel to the line of flight, made it possible to regain any amount of stability and turning stiffness desired without lessening the high-speed capability. The fully dropped rails could then be partially raised preserving a chine which caused the usual side spray to be deflected out at a low angle. This preserves draglessness and a clean, noiseless ride at the point where most guns and semi-guns still produce excessive spray and some drag. In high-speed planing position with riders properly trimmed the hydro passed guns; its ultra speed partly results from shortening the planing surface which makes the tail groove in the wave shallower thus lessening drag.

By varying the length and degree of upturn of the scorpion tail and the amount of transverse curvature, it was found that any degree of maneuverability from hot to stiff can be produced without affecting the high-speed capability. High-speed models built to ride the heavies turned more easily in small waves than the most maneuverable hot dog board of comparable length. The chined, side rails aft and rounded rails forward help cut a clean shelf in the wave wall and enable a high-riding position. A high-drag trailing edge at the stern in combination with the latter's upward curvature enables stalling at low and intermediate speeds which is difficult, if not impossible, with a gun or concave. The curved scorpion tail tucks into the curved slope of the wave as with hot dog boards facilitating turning on the smallest waves. The added thickness of the aft section to accommodate the step gives additional buoyancy aft. This, together with the streamlined deck plan (taper-length ratio), makes the hydro a superior paddler and early wave catcher.

When the hydro is planing at full speed, the scorpion tail is completely air-borne thus eliminating all contour drag. The only remaining drag is skin friction between the high-speed planing surface and the water. This capability is achieved by the rider taking the position that frees the tail from contact with the water. In this position the effective length of the board is from the bow to the aft point of the step. For this reason, it is advisable in considering a hydro to add nearly a foot to the length of the conventional board the surfer ordinarily would ride; this extra length also provides additional paddling buoyancy for early catching as well as stability during takeoff on the larger waves while having no negative effect on turning in smaller waves due to the action of the scorpion tail.

By leaning or stepping back, the high-drag scorpion tail is brought into play. This not only brakes the board but brings the curved scorpion tail into play as a turning member. Since the scorpion tail is adapted to the shape o£ the turning circle, turning becomes much easier, especially for beginners. While the hydro can be made as stiff as any conventional board, the models with fairly loose turning capability may, in the long run, turn out to be preferred since they simply require less effort to ride and turn. This has been the trend in surfboard design since the earliest times. Experienced surfers, whose reflexes are tuned to stiff conventional boards and to turning at slower speeds, find that it takes a while to get used to the hydro's higher speeds and easier turning. After the adjustment, many question the logic of returning to the stiffer and slower responses of conventional boards.

On small waves hydro-users tend to take more chances because the extra speed enables them to make more critical tunnels and fast' breaking crests. In large surf, the hydro's gun capability serves the rider for the first part of the ride when the big wave calls for speed; as the wave diminishes in size the hydro can be hot dogged to the very end of the ride. Still another advantage is that the surfer makes a permanent muscular and psychological adjustment to one surfboard for all seasons and sizes of waves.

A series of carefully calibrated drag tests were run in 1962 as part of a study of the effect of elements of design on a number of representative surfboards including a full gun, a semi-gun, a hot dog board and a hydro. At slow speed (10 mph) with scorpion tail in contact with the water, the hydro had drag comparable to the hotdog (35 pounds) and the semi-gun (35 pounds), but more than the full gun (30 pounds). At intermediate speed (20 mph), with scorpion tail air-borne, the hydro had 20% less drag than the full gun, 38% less than the semi-gun and 57% less than the hot dog. At high speed (30 mph) the hydro had 7% less drag than the full gun, 37% less than the semi-gun and 43% less than the hot dog. The tests were duplicated with different riders with the same results; in each case, the readings were for the planing position that produced the least drag. While the drag tests were confined to that aspect alone, and it goes without saying that in wave riding many other factors are in operation, the tests under laboratory conditions confirmed the principles under study as well as the performance in real surf.

Although the idea originated in Hawaii, it was not California with its bull market and contented manufacturers, but the up and coming Australians who showed the keenest interest after the hydro's first appearance and were the first to be licensed for commercial production outside of Hawaii.

* The hydroplane surfboard is protected by United States Patents 3111695, and 3160897, foreign patents pending.

We carry a wonderful print made from a photo taken by Art Brewer of John Kelly that you can have for your very own. Click here to view.

"Kind of Blue", Tyler Warren

2010-05-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

KIND OF BLUE · NEW WORK BY TYLER WARREN

photos: Sharon Marshall

EXHIBIT DATES: JULY 17-AUG 5, 2010

Surfing Heritage Museum & Gift Store

Late ’70s Bing Bonzer

2010-04-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Another well-known transitional board from the 70s, designed by the Campbell Brothers with the help of Bing’s head shaper at the time, Mike Eaton, the Bing Bonzer was one of the first tri-fin surfboards to be built. This board is characterized by its double concave bottom, two long low-profile side fins, and single center box setup. A board built for speed and drive off of the turns similar to riding the edge of a ski/snowboard, the Bing Bonzer is a retro glimpse into today’s surfing and maintains its functionality in medium to large hollow and powerful surf. (excerpt from the Bing Surfboards website). This surfboard was recently donated by Phillip “Flippy” Hoffman.

Gordie Tandem Vee Bottom

2010-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Steve Boehne (Infinity Surfboards ) began surfing in 1959. In the beginning he built boards in his garage and then in 1968 he went to work shaping for Gordie Surfboards. The Shortboard evolution was taking place during this period and Gordie's answer to the call was his vee bottom, Assassin model. Being a tandem rider, Steve created this one-of-a-kind board to compete on. The shortboard influence is evident in the board's dimensions, 10' x 28" x 3.5" (most tandem boards were and are in the 12' and over size range) and coincidentally, it is the best example of a deep vee bottom tailed board currently in our collection. We're working with Steve on getting some video footage up of him riding the board with his wife and tandem partner, Barrie.

Jim Richards Hot Curling in 1952

2010-04-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Jim Richards came by for a visit yesterday and happened to have this photo of himself, riding a Hot Curl board at the foot of Newport Street in San Diego, back in 1952. We asked Jim if we could scan the image, and here's the result. Thank you for stopping by Jim.

Carl Ekstrom's asymmetrical surfboard

2010-04-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

Product designer and surfboard innovator Carl Ekstrom was just awarded the "Best in Show" trophy at Sacred Craft this past weekend, for his forward thinking asymmetrical designed surfboards. Carl, his wife Denise, and test pilot Richard Kenvin stopped by recently with some of Carl's newer inventions. If you think this is interesting, you should see the finless model he's come up with. You can read up on Carl in a past issue of Surfer's Journal, Volume 15, Number 2.

Duke Kahanamoku's Flying "V" surfboard

2010-04-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

Duke surfing tandem with Viola Hartman, Corona del Mar, 1922

Robert Wald, publisher of Ocean Magazine, based out of San Diego, is including a new series of articles focusing on boards from our collection. This issue features the Duke Kahanamoku shaped Flying "V" surfboard. You can view the magazine online here. Next issue's board: Dale Velzy and the Bump model.

"Doc Porto" - new artwork by John Culqui

2010-03-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

"DOC PORTO" the new work of JOHN CULQUI
John is currently working on a painting that will be reproduced as a limited-edition print and will be available at the Museum Store. We'll let you know once that are in stock.

Images from his show at Surfing Heritage Museum & Gift Store

Thank You to John Culqui, John Geldbach & DDR Projects, South Coast Plaza,
Primo Hawaiian Lager, and Hinano Tahiti for all their help and support on this project.

Ron Drummond Canoe Surfing

2010-03-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

This photo was donated by the Bascom family and was given to Willard Bascom by Ron Drummond. On the back of the photo is a hand-written note which reads:

"The inner peace that comes with the quiet contemplation of a beach on a still calm morning, or the feeling of exhilaration that comes from riding a great wave in a small boat, is more reward than most will ever know."

Willard Bascom

This we have in common!

Sincerely,

Ron Drummond

Can you identify any of these surfers?

2010-03-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

This photo taken by Don James shows 6 surfers in a quonset hut (we're guessing Makaha) but the exact date, location and surfer's identity is unknown. Can you help us?

The other Yater (no, not Lauren)

2010-03-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

The original Bikini Factory opened on Chapala Street in downtown Santa Barbara in 1965, and has been a part of the Santa Barbara scene for 45 years (they're now located in Summerland). This pair was donated by Sally Yater, Renny's wife and creator of the Bikini Factory. We thought it would be appropriate to throw some props her way, since Renny's going to be getting all the attention this weekend up at Sacred Craft.

SHOULD I STAY - OR SHOULD I GO?

2010-02-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

Choose carefully for a moment of hesitation can make all the difference between a successful paddle out, or a rapid return to the beach with a mouthful of salt water and lots of sand imbedded in every opening of your body. That board you so carefully carried down to the waters edge may now be lurking behind the next wave, just waiting for the opportune moment to come ashore and take out everything in it's path. A beautiful moment captured by Dr. Don James circa 1966 Makaha, Hawaii.