Surfing Places, Surfboard Makers: Craft, Creativity, and Cultural Heritage in Hawaii, California, and Australia

Acknowledgments

xi ACKNOWLEDGMENtS Many people have contributed to this book. We wish to thank all those who gave up their time for an interview, allowed us into their workplaces, passed on clippings from the obscure business pages of newspapers, shared photographs, or took us out for a wave. We would especially like to thank Ben Aipa, Eric Arakawa, Barry Bennett, the Bishop Museum, Michelle Blauw, Jeff Bushman, Mick Carabine, Geoff Cater, Stuart D’Arcy, Scott Dillon, Tina Graham (and Warringah Library Service), Joe Larkin, David Letts, Gary Linden, Sean Maguire, Geoff McCoy, Greg McDonagh, Bob McTavish, Rusty Preisendorfer, Tom “Pohaku” Stone, Surfing Heritage Foundation, Surf World Gold Coast, Mal Sutherland, Isaiah Walker, Bill Wallace, and Gordon Woods. At the University of Wollongong Chris Brennan-Horley, Christine Eriksen, Ben Gallan, Leah Gibbs, and Lesley Head offered supportive thoughts and suggestions. Chantel Carr in particular read a full version of this book close to its completion and offered helpful comments and vital technical advice on computer-aided design. Finally, we would like to thank the two Alis—Ali Warren and Ali Wright—and Cara and Beth Gibson for patience and perseverance. tOP vIEW (DECK) UNDER vIEW (BOttOM) SIDE vIEW Rails or ‘ao‘ao Board length Fin position Mid point Wide point Rocker — curvature of the surfboard from tail to nose Bottom shape or lalo: Curvature across from rail to rail Tail or lemu Tail or lemu Nose or ihu Nose or ihu SURFBOARD DESIGN ELEMENtS EFFECtS ON SURFING StyLE AND PERFORMANCE Tail Types: pin, round, squash, swallow/fish, square Range of movement on wave face, e.g., turning, maneuverability, and what surfers refer to as looseness Nose Must have some curve otherwise board will plow into wave and throw surfer off; types: pointed, rounded pointed, round Flotation and paddling ability, stability, and takeoff Foil (rail shape) Board area from nose to tail, responsible for distribution of foam and board thickness; types: curved, straight Paddling, flotation, and maneuverability rail proFile Area where deck and bottom meet; types: down, rolled, hard Turning ability on wave; helps rider “hold” board on a desired line in steep waves rocker Curvature or bend of board; types: dome, flat, step Less rocker provides more surface area in water, reducing speed but increasing stability; more rocker gives greater responsiveness and proficiency in turning but less stability. More rocker is suited for steeper, hollow waves; less rocker is suited for gentle, rolling waves BoTTom shape Shape of board across its surface from rail to rail; types: flat, concave, double concave, channel Turning responsiveness and planing speed ...