Just wanted to begin a new thread on the power surfer and surfboard discussion started by some over on the Rarrick thread.
Some interesting stuff has been posted.
I will start by saying…any pictures of Dane Kealoha on single. Thats power.
That Cheyne guy has the squat thrust wired. Man that Lazor Zap thread he started was rad. It’s on page 4 now, a 4 pager, just read the whole thing. Seriously love that Bells poster.
(What do you think about stringerless 2# EPS supporting the Starfin, Noel? How would that work, or how could it be made to work?)
(Excited about Nuggets again–did Cheyne say 5’2" for mush?! I guess for me that translates to 6’2"… : \ )
There have been some great power surfers over the years…but none more powerfull than Johnny Boy G. Currently, Pancho S is notable.
This list will grow Im sure…
barry k.(BK) comes first to mind…then ya gotta put guys like greg noll in there considering what they did on the boards they did it with…(not some 10 pounds or less chips)
i second the JBG nomination. his straight up / upside down / backside snaps in the tube
are jaw dropping!
if there’s gonna be a weight class thing, Curren has to be in here.
pound for pound (or pound for spray) he’s one of the best.
for us really young guys, taylor knox. If I could surf like any pro on the tour, it would probably be him.
“Taylor Knox”
I’ll second that.
Not much mention of this man!?
Not many can lay rail on a big board like TC…
I absolutely agree on BK and Kealoha. I remember Ian Cairns burying a rail a time or two.
The greatest Hawiian power surfer since BK maybe of all time. This guy had it all. In fact when it comes to a competitive arena…the top twenty of 1982 may be the hardest to compete in of all time. Love to get Randy’s thoughts on that one.
Quote:
That Cheyne guy has the squat thrust wired. Man that Lazor Zap thread he started was rad. It’s on page 4 now, a 4 pager, just read the whole thing. Seriously love that Bells poster.
(What do you think about stringerless 2# EPS supporting the Starfin, Noel? How would that work, or how could it be made to work?)
(Excited about Nuggets again–did Cheyne say 5’2" for mush?! I guess for me that translates to 6’2"… : \ )
I wish Cheyne would come on again and post. I can’t speak for him. I remember he was using epoxy back in the early eighties and says he loves his popout more than handbuilt for small waves. I actually had one of the 5’2’’ like Cheyne’s. It’s in Santa Cruz right now. Sold it to the guys in Palms Surf shop. It’s on my site. Wild little thing. Some of the stuff we are working on now with the Horan line is from his experimentation around 87/88. Look at the movie scream in blue…some of those boards were really cool looking. Others…well…I would love to hear what Cheyne was thinking on those. One in particular.
Agreed – Barry K! man i remember when i was a kid watching 5-summer-stories… we all just grooved on the way BK would wait an extra coupla seconds longer than anyone else before sinking inside rail for the most hellacious, committed bottom turns we ever seen… totally loved his style… all power and grace… radical all the same.
Great thread Solo. I think first we need a definition of power surfing. Because IMO there is a big difference between a powerful surfer and power surfing.
Power surfing refers to an intent and a technique which results in the board being placed on rail and carving.
Thus it involves more than brute force.
The first principle and primary cause of power surfing is George Greenough. He was the first to use the rail of a board and leverage to really carve back into the hook. He laid down the template.
In my books this was transmitted directly to the Aussie involvement school via Bob McTavish, Russel Hughes, Chris Brock, Ted Spencer, Nat Young and Wayne Lynch (who took it to new levels).
In Hawaii BK stands without peer. Billy Hamilton took style and power to new levels surfing Sunset Beach in the filming of Big Wednesday. Glorious stuff.
Power surfing was the dominant ethos for Aussie surfers in the 70’s and 80’s. Amongst that era “Smokin” Joe Engel (RIP), Tom Carroll, Cheyne,Richard Cram, MR, MP, Kong were all committed to laying it on a rail with full committment.
The new generation of Aussie power surfers such as Matt Hoy and Shane Herring were obiliterated by Slater and the new school approach which effectively demolished a whole generation of Australian surfing. It wasn’t until Slater went into semi-retirement and the re-emergence of Occy that judges were forced to accept on-rail surfing at the classic locations.
Dane passed on the torch to Sunny Garcia as the pre-eminent Hawaiian power surfer. Pancho now holds that torch.
IMO Johnny Boy Gomes was not a power surfer. His technique was lousy and his backside explosions were a very good example of poor technique and wasted energy. Watch one of the Billabong Challenge vids from J-Bay and you will see JBG’s lack of ability to lay rail and carve. He looked terrible there.
By my definition the finest power surfer and carver of all time must be Tom Curren. His ability to commit a rail and carve any length turn is unparalled. As far as equipment goes the whole answer to Tom curren’s mastery of the carve is contained in the opening sequence to searching for Tom Curren. There is a triple stringer single fin (presumably shaped by Pat Curren) next to the very young TC. What technique and style that board must have engendered in the young Tom Curren. it is obvious when you compare it to the next frames where he is riding a twinny and looking jerky.
I’m sure everyone will have a different opinion but for mine power surfing requires a board with enough volume and resistance (stiffness) to enable the surfer to lean over and push against something. A grunty platform as I heard Greg Webber refer to it. Thin , narrow and rockered won’t do.
Steve
Quote:
The new generation of Aussie power surfers such as Matt Hoy and Shane Herring were obiliterated by Slater and the new school approach which effectively demolished a whole generation of Australian surfing.
I’m sure everyone will have a different opinion but for mine power surfing requires a board with enough volume and resistance (stiffness) to enable the surfer to lean over and push against something. A grunty platform as I heard Greg Webber refer to it. Thin , narrow and rockered won’t do.
Steve
In many ways Kelly was the worst thing for the sport of surfing for your average Joe Surfer and the best for those shaping little boards. Kelly rips and is a good guy, but those little tooth picks suck.
It’s so funny you mention Hoy and Herring. Both of those guys put it on rail. I have always thought Cheyne one of the best of all time period (obvious I know) but I also think for Australia Elkerton was/is one radical and powerful surfer. Maybe one of the top three from Oz. Those big fades at Sunset…Wow!! he is another one who literally had two world titles ripped from him by poor judging and politics.
Funny you mention grunty platform. Geoff once told me his desire was to create pressure under the board. Interesting.
Curren…well…curren is curren.
I am really digging this thread! Curren had a way about him and his surfing that was really unique. If you rode this wave this way I would like to assume that you would be very happy with yourself…
How bout
Jeff Hakman
and Terry Fitzgerald
as power surfers?
I remember a solid 6’+ day at National Park Noosa back in the 80’s with Gary Elkerton going ballistic with huge bottom turns backed up by vertical hacks all the way down the line when others were simply trying to outrun the lips.
He likened that day at Noosa to Jeffrey’s bay so he must have had a good surf.
To this day I still haven’t seen anyone else destroy the waves out there like he did that day.
Lucky enough to see Cheyne surfing many times around Bondi and neaby breaks in 81-84 as well. Brilliant but Kong had more torque IMHO.
Agree with DK, Cheyne, TK, Mr Carroll, and all, but i heard there’s a guy called Occy that could fit inside this category, he’s still competing (this will be he’s last year i think), but he also contributed in “the past”:
Coque.
Occy.
Todd Holland.
He left the tour way too soon, could still be doing damage on the current ‘‘dream wave’’ version.
Shaping for him was quite educational. A few examples: One time he brought in a board I’d done him
and asked for a duplicate. ‘‘This one works good but the tail’s destroyed’’, he said. I looked at the normal
back foot area and it didn’t seem too caved in. ‘‘No, back here’’, said Todd, pointing out the totally crushed
spot 2’’ up from the tailblock. His foot was centered on the trailing edge of the rear fin.
He never liked the flip tip nose. ‘‘Don’t put that shit on my boards’’, he sneered. ''You can’t pearl if you’re on
a rail’'.
On boards for the North Shore; ‘‘Don’t make the tails too narrow. You can’t dig a trench with a pocketknife’’.
No tricks, no flicks; just grit, determination, and a really strong back leg.
Mike