Stumbled across this video on Youtube tonight. Pretty cool find. If you’ve noe seen this one before…ENJOY!
Icon.
What I found interesting in this 1989 video was the shots of his factories & people working in them- all in the US. I’ll bet that isn’t the case anymore.
Bruce Brown’s unmistakable voice narrating.
I have my Dad’s Balsa Hobie from about 1955. Amazing. Nothing like a modern board with “perfect” rails. You can feel the wiggles in it from the draw knife. Very early in his career I guess.
That is about as special as it gets. In 1955, when I started surfing, the word was that the best surfboards were made by Hobie. In the San Diego area, the more frequently encountered surfboards were made by Velzy&Jacobs. And in La Jolla, Burland Surfboards, (Wayne Land) and Nelson Surfboards, (Alan Nelson) both of whom shaped for Velzy&Jacobs. Do you ever surf your father’s board?
Bill, do you know what ever happened to Alan Nelson?
Alan is living in Mexico, about 15 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, on the Pacific Ocean side of Baja Sur. He’s been there for a number of years. Have not seen him in about 2 years. He frequently comes up for the annual Windansea get together. Surfers Journal did a story on Alan, about 2 yrs ago. Probably not hard to track it down. I consider Alan to be a design genius, as well as a gifted craftsman.
I am still looking for old Hobie Cat video of Hobie and others wave sailing a couple of 14’s. Would be very grateful if someone knew where to look.
Here’s a 60 for sale.
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1990/Hobie-Pilothouse-60-2752118/WA/United-States#.VKr4PCvF-gc
No, never ridden. Dad
had it stripped and re glasses in 1973. Its never been in the water since. A family treasure now.
I believe that is THE 60. Hobie’s personal boat.