There is a project to document the history of history of bellyboarding/paipo boards. I am working on the Australian section, Rod Rodgers is the mastermind/coordinator and John Clark has offered to fill in some of the Hawaii history. Volunteers for other parts of the world are open. We are also working on some interviews with people - John’s interview with Jim Growney can be found at: http://www.rodndtube.com/paipo/interviews/JimGrowney/Jim_Growney_2009-0810.shtml
I’d like to hear from anyone with ideas on who should be acknowledged in a timeline or people you think should be interviewed. They don’t need to be luminaries - there is an Aussie guy riding the same board he made in 1958, who briefly made board in the late 60s that will be included.
Regarding Australia I have ssen photos of Bennet & Wallace boards from Sydney, Leigh Tingle made his Barracuda boards in the late 60s, Mick Carey made some from Currmbin, Jamie Farfor made ply boards in Victoria and I have seen a radical board from WA made by Don Vidler & Nev Kenyon. Scott Dillon may have made some as well. Some of these boards I have only seen as photos on the surfreseach site but there is now a surf museum at Currumbin, which has a neat collection. Shaoers, when they were made, hw many, where they were sold - all are topics of interest.
If you’d prefer e-mail me : bgreen [substitute at symbol] dyson.brisnet.org.au
would like to hear from anyone with thoughts or information on the topic.
Bob