YOU KNOW, I HEARD HE DIED RECENTLY. DON’T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY A CRAFTSMAN OF HIS STATURE WASN’T HELD AS HIGH AS THAT LOSER DORA. WHAT HAPPENED?
YOU KNOW, I HEARD HE DIED RECENTLY. DON’T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY A CRAFTSMAN > OF HIS STATURE WASN’T HELD AS HIGH AS THAT LOSER DORA. WHAT HAPPENED? I think that surfing unlike other sports, where participants learn great amount about it’s history. Surfers are mainly young, cool, living for today, if you aren’t Matt Biolas or Corey Lopes, you don’t exist. On the other hand, Diff was more notible to those who grew up in the 50’s-80’s and was recognized for his shaping ablity. He was an accomplished surfer, often miffed about being cropped out of the famous Yokohama, Phil edwards shot. Diff wasn’t a wealthy guy and shaped for a living until he became unable. I was a lucky enough to have been able know Diff and for him to be confident in me to finish shape some of his balsa boards over the years. Diff is still alive, but clings to life in Kahuku hospital.
I think that surfing unlike other sports, where participants learn great > amount about it’s history. Surfers are mainly young, cool, living for > today, if you aren’t Matt Biolas or Corey Lopes, you don’t exist. On the > other hand, Diff was more notible to those who grew up in the 50’s-80’s > and was recognized for his shaping ablity. He was an accomplished surfer, > often miffed about being cropped out of the famous Yokohama, Phil edwards > shot. Diff wasn’t a wealthy guy and shaped for a living until he became > unable. I was a lucky enough to have been able know Diff and for him to be > confident in me to finish shape some of his balsa boards over the years. > Diff is still alive, but clings to life in Kahuku hospital. Jim, It would be great if you would share with us a few of the distinctives of Mike Diffenderfer`s shapes. How do his shapes differ from that of his contemporaries? Many thanks. Dale
I think that surfing unlike other sports, where participants learn great > amount about it’s history. Surfers are mainly young, cool, living for > today, if you aren’t Matt Biolas or Corey Lopes, you don’t exist. On the > other hand, Diff was more notible to those who grew up in the 50’s-80’s > and was recognized for his shaping ablity. He was an accomplished surfer, > often miffed about being cropped out of the famous Yokohama, Phil edwards > shot. Diff wasn’t a wealthy guy and shaped for a living until he became > unable. I was a lucky enough to have been able know Diff and for him to be > confident in me to finish shape some of his balsa boards over the years. > Diff is still alive, but clings to life in Kahuku hospital. is he the first to use chambered balsa?
I think that surfing unlike other sports, where participants learn great > amount about it’s history. Surfers are mainly young, cool, living for > today, if you aren’t Matt Biolas or Corey Lopes, you don’t exist. On the > other hand, Diff was more notible to those who grew up in the 50’s-80’s > and was recognized for his shaping ablity. He was an accomplished surfer, > often miffed about being cropped out of the famous Yokohama, Phil edwards > shot. Diff wasn’t a wealthy guy and shaped for a living until he became > unable. I was a lucky enough to have been able know Diff and for him to be > confident in me to finish shape some of his balsa boards over the years. > Diff is still alive, but clings to life in Kahuku hospital. Yea i know what your saying…I was in Wahoo’s in La Jolla the other day with my two surfer kids eating taco’s, in walks Skip Frye, the place is packed with young surfers, nobody even knew or noticed Skip(one of our noted master craftsmen). Also after surfing the Shores a while back Mike Hynson was standing talking to a Wind’n’sea local gent I know, I almost shit, but all the shores local kids didn’t even recognize him. Mitch says(mitchs surf shop) Hynson was like a rock star in his day and doesn’t know how to relate on a normal human level to fellow surfers so is very aloof. After surfing the shores for 31 years I had never seen Wind’n’seas most famous character and he almost appeared to be disguiseing himself. Mitch say’s Hynsons fall from near rock star status to aninomity has messed with his head. …With some help from alot of summer of love potions…
Yea i know what your saying…I was in Wahoo’s in La Jolla the other day > with my two surfer kids eating taco’s, in walks Skip Frye, the place is > packed with young surfers, nobody even knew or noticed Skip(one of our > noted master craftsmen). Also after surfing the Shores a while back Mike > Hynson was standing talking to a Wind’n’sea local gent I know, I almost > shit, but all the shores local kids didn’t even recognize him. Mitch > says(mitchs surf shop) Hynson was like a rock star in his day and doesn’t > know how to relate on a normal human level to fellow surfers so is very > aloof. After surfing the shores for 31 years I had never seen Wind’n’seas > most famous character and he almost appeared to be disguiseing himself. > Mitch say’s Hynsons fall from near rock star status to aninomity has > messed with his head. …With some help from alot of summer of love > potions… I most young surfers today don’t really know the great shapers of the past that are still shaping toady. Most young riders are (off the rack) surfers as I call them,they really don’t care about the history of the sport or the people who shaped this sport such as Hynsen, Skip, Doehner,Simms,Billy Hamilton, Pat Curran, Caster,Ron Mcleod and others. Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in La jolla these guys are the great ones, then came Rusty wich everyone knows do to marketing, but still a great shaper. Now everthing is is store bought, I remember as a kid sitting a shaping room watching my boards being made in awe of these guys and their craftmanship, they were and are sculpters of fine art. mark http://www.scottsurfdesigns.com
I think that surfing unlike other sports, where participants learn great > amount about it’s history. Surfers are mainly young, cool, living for > today, if you aren’t Matt Biolas or Corey Lopes, you don’t exist. On the > other hand, Diff was more notible to those who grew up in the 50’s-80’s > and was recognized for his shaping ablity. He was an accomplished surfer, > often miffed about being cropped out of the famous Yokohama, Phil edwards > shot. Diff wasn’t a wealthy guy and shaped for a living until he became > unable. I was a lucky enough to have been able know Diff and for him to be > confident in me to finish shape some of his balsa boards over the years. > Diff is still alive, but clings to life in Kahuku hospital. Id see Diff at the Coffee Gallery sometimes and hed always have a smile and returned a “howzit bra”. Although I dont really know him, he never seemed aloof or above anyone. Was even gracious enough to pose for a pic next to the woodie parked outside of Strong Current for me. Diff is cool in my book.
I most young surfers today don’t really know the great shapers of the past > that are still shaping toady. Most young riders are (off the rack) surfers > as I call them,they really don’t care about the history of the sport or > the people who shaped this sport such as Hynsen, Skip, Doehner,Simms,Billy > Hamilton, Pat Curran, Caster,Ron Mcleod and others. Growing up in the 60’s > and 70’s in La jolla these guys are the great ones, then came Rusty wich > everyone knows do to marketing, but still a great shaper. Now everthing is > is store bought, I remember as a kid sitting a shaping room watching my > boards being made in awe of these guys and their craftmanship, they were > and are sculpters of fine art.>>> mark And beauty is in the hands of the beholder!
And beauty is in the hands of the beholder! One of the finest Shapers that ever lives!
Bill Fury,and Jim Fuller.both great,gifted board builders.Both with serious health conditions.Herb
I don’t think it was right for Miki to be called a loser. The man is a legend just like the rest of them so by disrespecting hime u have disrespected them all! SURFHUNGRY
I don’t think it was right for Miki to be called a loser. The man is a > legend just like the rest of them so by disrespecting hime u have > disrespected them all! SURFHUNGRY Dora… a loser? Just because he was surfing
s all-time iconoclast doesnt qualify him as a loser. There was much about Miki Dora to emulate and celebrate. Many of history`s greatest individuals have been very complex and seemingly contradictory in their actions… if only we could all surf so long and uncompromisingly well.
Dora… a loser? Just because he was surfing
s all-time iconoclast doesnt > qualify him as a loser. There was much about Miki Dora to emulate and > celebrate. Many of history`s greatest individuals have been very complex > and seemingly contradictory in their actions… if only we could all surf > so long and uncompromisingly well. Sorry, i just can’t get myself to idolize an undereducated, loud, federal fugitive, just cause he surfed ‘ok’ back in the early sixties. Besides humiliating people by pushing them off their boards at the ‘Bu’(a liability nowadays). I’m not impressed, and I imagine if you were shoved suddenly off of your board from behind (a dora tactic)this weekend, you would be either highly pissed or calling a lawyer. Idols should be role models not punks. Just one man’s opinion. Oh by the way, ‘we’ have surfed long and still uncompromisingly well, and don’t drop in on people or write bad checks. Now Lance…or Dewey…or Nuuhiwa… those guys I’ll always remember.
Sorry, i just can’t get myself to idolize an undereducated, loud, federal > fugitive, just cause he surfed ‘ok’ back in the early sixties. Besides > humiliating people by pushing them off their boards at the ‘Bu’(a > liability nowadays). I’m not impressed, and I imagine if you were shoved > suddenly off of your board from behind (a dora tactic)this weekend, you > would be either highly pissed or calling a lawyer. Idols should be role > models not punks. Just one man’s opinion. Oh by the way, ‘we’ have surfed > long and still uncompromisingly well, and don’t drop in on people or write > bad checks. Now Lance…or Dewey…or Nuuhiwa… those guys I’ll > always remember. Can’t dismiss Dora fella. Lance was a car hood surfer with his penis hanging out, Dewey ripped off Velzy and died an alky, Nuuhiwa still has flashbacks. We all have a darkside. RIP DORA…
Can’t dismiss Dora fella. Lance was a car hood surfer with his penis > hanging out, Dewey ripped off Velzy and died an alky, Nuuhiwa still has > flashbacks. We all have a darkside. RIP DORA… Ditto…nobody’s perfect…not even me! But I’ll never make the contribution that Dora made, even if he didn’t intend to.
Ditto…nobody’s perfect…not even me! But I’ll never make the > contribution that Dora made, even if he didn’t intend to. Who ya kidding, SURFHUNGRY? Surfing has ALWAYS loved its bad boys. Don
t cut somebody elses head off to make yourself look taller, especially when hes dead. How many of surfings famous and infamous would be left standing if the PC Santitation Squad had their way with surfing`s long list of drunks, eccentrics, con artists, robbers, drug dealers and other highly talented societal misfits? How many have finished elementary school, highschool or acheived a legitimate college degree? If Dora was irritated enough to push u off your board, what do you think Butch Van Artsdalen or Greg Noll would have done when you hit the beach crying for your lawyer? Not a pretty sight.
Who ya kidding, SURFHUNGRY? Surfing has ALWAYS loved its bad boys. Don
t > cut somebody elses head off to make yourself look taller, especially when > hes dead.>>> How many of surfings famous and infamous would be left standing if the PC > Santitation Squad had their way with surfing`s long list of drunks, > eccentrics, con artists, robbers, drug dealers and other highly talented > societal misfits? How many have finished elementary school, highschool or > acheived a legitimate college degree?>>> If Dora was irritated enough to push u off your board, what do you think > Butch Van Artsdalen or Greg Noll would have done when you hit the beach > crying for your lawyer? Not a pretty sight. You know every true artist (of any and every venue) is a little peculiar if not somewhat bizarre thats part of what makes them different from the rest—the hardest thing to do in life is to be your own man , go against the grain, stand out from the pack and just be yourself----I don’t condone being a low life or a criminal but hey we all have had our days -even the clean and cut, coat and tie set have skelatons in their closets but DIFF, DORA, HYNSON,WEBER, CARSON, and DAVID wel these guys paid their dues and deserve respect (not idol worship) and if nothing else each and every one of them has a given life to many of others with the simple lifestyle that says its O.K. to follow your dream and be your own man----you know every shaper near where Diff is ought to go by and see him and tell him thanks for all he did and these other (as well as any of the older bd builders and surfers of the past) if we see them we should thank them for all they did (or are doing) cause the very spirit of these guys is what is in each of you on this site whether you admit it or not–only met Diff once but my hats off to him and the 60s & 70s evolution of surfboards wouldn’t have been the same w/out him…
cdb- Well said! couldn’t agree with you more. TS
Can’t dismiss Dora fella. Lance was a car hood surfer with his penis > hanging out, Dewey ripped off Velzy and died an alky, Nuuhiwa still has > flashbacks. We all have a darkside. RIP DORA… Yeh, it’s the glass houses thing, my vocalism get me plenty of stones tossed my way. I wish I could have ridden all the waves those early “hero’s” rode. Some were less than what you would bring home to mom, but aren’t they what legends are made off, bigger than life with the story more amazing each time told.
Who ya kidding, SURFHUNGRY? Surfing has ALWAYS loved its bad boys. Don
t > cut somebody elses head off to make yourself look taller, especially when > hes dead.>>> How many of surfings famous and infamous would be left standing if the PC > Santitation Squad had their way with surfing`s long list of drunks, > eccentrics, con artists, robbers, drug dealers and other highly talented > societal misfits? How many have finished elementary school, highschool or > acheived a legitimate college degree?>>> If Dora was irritated enough to push u off your board, what do you think > Butch Van Artsdalen or Greg Noll would have done when you hit the beach > crying for your lawyer? Not a pretty sight. In Greg Noll’s book, he tells of how Brewer came upon a broken Noll gun, a big deal in the age of double and triple 10 oz. and prominently displayed it at the Haleiwa Surfboards Hawaii factory. Greg caught wind of this and dotted Brewer’s eye, Brewer filed an official complaint with the law and Greg had to do some quick foot work to remedy the situation. Our sport is filled with the so called bad boys.