I just heard from a friend of the passing of Rick Vogel. I met Rick on Kauai while he was still surfing big waves, designing his swordfish fins, and teaching his oldest daughter to ride big Middles. I thought it worth mentioning Rick for his contributions he worked on with a passion. I know many others knew him better than me, and a few here on Swaylocks.
It was awesome to be at his house and look at all the big wave guns, and photos of Hanalei in his living room. His fins where all symmetrically foiled (double foiled) tem plated from swordfish fins.
He and I dated sisters in high school. He could drive and I couldn’t so he drove us around. I was in his heat at a Rincon contest (he was a couple of years older than me). He took first in the heat.
Howzit E-pacman, Sorry to hear about Rick, I made some boards that i put his fins on(your pics are from my back yard). I understand he was living with his dad in Palm Springs and had a bad drinking problem probably due to the fact his wife totally screwed him over in a divorce. She went so far as to forge his name on some property papers so she could sell them and not give him a penny. I see her around but she is a B*%#H and I refuse to talk to her because of what she did to Rick. His oldest daughter married a Tahitian guy and now lives there. Big Middles was his wave of choice and even though he wasn't the best surfer it takes BIG Cajones to ride Middles when it gets big. I agree R.I.P. Rick. Aloha,Kokua
