The 33rd, was the first year. The 34th, was the second year. and so on.....The ''handicap'' system was that each contestant would chug a glossing tub of beer before entering the water. I made it to the semi finals, and could not go on. Butch was the eventual winner. Yes, THAT Butch. It was all done as a spoof of ''real contests.'' It was primarily between the Surfboards Hawaii, and Hansen crews. Years later, I heard that it became a ''sanctioned WSSA contest.'' Ironic, eh?
Couple of other shapers that come to mind, Del Mar way… but up on the Hill.
Tracy Richmond
Bill Minard
My first custom a Jack Jensen single fin.
Ken Bradshaw sauntered through town for a bit, or so I’m told, as did a litanty of Texan surfers in the mid- 70s. And I believe Al Merrick even worked for Eddie Wright for a short stint, might be wrong, but I think so.
John Kies once told me that Merrick went to San Diegiuto High School in Encinitas, so I guess Al must have lived there as a teenager.
I showed up in Encintas in the summer of '76. I was already garage building boards by the next summer when got my 1st surf job as a polisher at the SNI factory in Solana Beach.
John Wagner, who ran the shop, had this half-baked idea of training Mexicans to do surf labor, and eventually open a glass shop in TJ. He hired me 'cause I could speak Spanish and translate for him.
The first 2 illegals he hired were Lupe and Jose Valdez. The Valdez brother eventually became citizens and went on to work for other board builders in SD. The last I heard, they had their own glass shop in Vista. Wagners big plan to open a shop in Mex never happened.
Al Merrick and Ed Write were shapers at Surfboards Hawaii before each went his own way Al opened channel Islands and Ed Sunset. Al May have worked for Ed not sure at all. Boy I almost forgot about SNI in Solana Beach.
Bradshaw was getting out of town just as I was entering town. Charley walker was another who lived in Encinitas before making it to The Islands and making a name on the North Shore.
I Think Cosmo may have worked with Bradshaw at Sunset surfboards.
Does anyone recall a manufacturer called Joint Effort Surfboards? They were produced in Sorrento Valley I think Dennis Murphy was involved.
You also forgot SURF SYSTEMS, which was located where the Belly Up Tavern is now. We also bought Surfboards Hawaii, when John Price mover to Park City, Utah. Were you thinking of S & N Surfboards, in Del Mar? Doug Small and Gary Neves, were the owners.
The first wave I ever rode on the West Coast was at Stonesteps in 1969. Pure glass waist high. I was stoked out of my mind. And sure enough...Takayama came out that evening. He had the place wired. They were great times.
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Takayama lived almost across the street from Stone Steps, so that may have accounted for a fairly intimate knowledge of those sandbars.
Tracy Richmond. There is a name from the memory banks. Tracy, (if I have this right) was a hot goofy foot. I didn't know he shaped.
Bradshaw was a skinny 16 yr old kid when he moved to Encinitas, with long blond hair down to his butt almost. Lived on yogurt and honey and fruit. But man did he have the passion for riding bigger surf.
Charlie Walker moved up from Coronado with one of those weird Bunker Spreckels boards that looked like an thick upside down toilet seat and a really thick fin. He built a lean-to in the bushes on the cliff above Swamis. Someone threw it over the cliff and he ended up living with Bradshaw at some apartments by Moonlight and switching to more conventional boards. Soon they were both off to the islands.
This must be my day to bring back some older threads. Guess I'm feeling a bit nostalgic for those times. Georges Restaurant was across 101 from The South Cardiff Lodge. The lodge was a beer only bar you had to cross 101 to get a shot of Tequila then back to The lodge for the music. The Lodge was in the old Hanson factory before they moved up to Encinitas.
I first met Cosmo when he was working at Sunset. I made a deal with Ed Wright and brought Sunsets to My Shop in Beach Haven NJ. Ed trained some really good shaper. One of the most successful has to be Tim Bessell. The Willis Brothers were also influenced by Ed. In another thread McDing brought up Pat Flecky, brother of Dan Flecky one of the early pro surfers from Calif. Pat should get more recognition then he does. He is a bit eccentric. Maybe that's why he hasn't gotten the name recognition of some others.
You Know one thing I really really miss from those days? Huevos Rancheros from Alfredo's in Encinitas. Doris and Al were the best kept me alive for a couple of weeks when my GI checks failed to show up.
David Parra. He was a lifeguard at Imperial Beach, and I met him surfing IB when I was stationed at Reem Field in IB. He was a good guy, and a good surfer. I don't know what ever happed to him. IB developed a number good surfers, must be the Dempsey/Sloughs influence.
Captain Kenos. Now thats a place I don't miss, ha. I don't remember the C ratings for the Blue Bird, but I remember there salsa was one of the best.
When I first met Charlie in the early 80's he was living in a plywood "shack" all grown over with grass and plants on the North shore. He had already been living in it for several years. All the while, being the best damn sander I've ever seen before or since. He was top dog and lived VERY low key. He could also surf and paddle circles around just about anyone else in the water. One year at the July 4th paddleboard race, (Sunset to Waimea) he came from Kawela Bay to the starting line, out-paddled the pack to the bay and didn't finish with the run up the beach. He simply crossed the line and turned around and paddled home. Aaron Napolean won that year with a time of just under a half hour.
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Charlie Walker moved up from Coronado with one of those weird Bunker Spreckels boards that looked like an thick upside down toilet seat and a really thick fin. He built a lean-to in the bushes on the cliff above Swamis. Someone threw it over the cliff and he ended up living with Bradshaw at some apartments by Moonlight and switching to more conventional boards. Soon they were both off to the islands.
Oh man! Palomar Theater’s the best. Watching the sky on the ceiling. I recall, 1970, or so, I was 13-14, surfing Cardiff morning session, having a burger at Jack in the Box, then afternoons elsewhere: Stonesteps, Swarmi’s. But, does anyone remember Billy Brummett surfboards outta Salona Beach? No surf days, went with my older bro to Del Mar racetrack. Saw Edward G., Desi Arnaz, and Jimmy Durante. And the best pizza, was… BEST A WAN’S. Fish House West for the chowder. Guitarist Dean Smith of Buckwheat played around North County. I’d almost trade all my tomorrows for a few uncrowded days of 6 to 8 foot blacks and a Best A Wan pizza. Curse the ravages of age! Keep surfin’ rogerb
Brummett was a straight up dude. I was fresh from my apprenticeship with Jim Phillips and asked him for a shaping gig.He had never heard of me and said no even though he was behind on orders. I was full of confidence and told him to sell me two blanks and I would shape them to his specs. If he didn’t like them it would be no skin off his ass so he said OK.
I shaped the boards and he liked what he saw.(As I recall the shaping room I rented was in and old stable at the horse racetrack) He paid me for the blanks and gave me ten more. In the end i shaped 40 before moving to Hawaii. Encinitas and the surrounding area was an amazing place in the late 60’s early 70’s. I often wonder what would have transpired if I had stayed. it bugs me to this day.
Getting ready to head back for a hang out with Jim Phillips .Anyone seen Sid Madden?
After I sold the best Brummett I ever had, a 6’4" twin fin I did my first 360 on at Cardiff one wonderful day. Selling that was a mistake, but I needed the 70 bucks for a downpayment on a board shaped by Zed Bennett up in Carpinteria, his boards were called “Chrono Synclastic”, whatever that means. They had holes through the deck, the idea that air would be drawn underneath and you would ride on air!!! Total BS, naturally. My brother and John Herring snuck me in the back of the van, under some boards into Baja; I was 14, and with no parent, couldn’t enter Mexico. Before a session at K39, we had lunch grind and a few Dos Equis. K39 was breaking just overhead, and first takeoff was a little late and I snapped that stick right in half. Herring laughing at me swimming the whole way in. I went back to Encinitas, and got one of their honeycomb hollow boards with the little plug on the nose to let out pressure, and rode that for a year or so. John Herring, if you ever read this, I gotta score to settle with you! And Zed, don’t think I’ve forgotten you either! Damn! I want a Best A Wan!