Suggestions for Blog (East Coast shapers)

General Discussion
1

Doing a multi part piece on East Coast shapers who do everything the old fashioned way. Concentrating on elders like O’Hare, Bunger, Gardner. Anyone have any suggestions of others? Is it true that George(?)Miller from Daytona Surf Shop is still shaping? Any other 60’s longboard shapers still going from the Right Coast? The blog address is wwwbadtripsurfandsounds.blogspot.com/ It’s about music and surfing so scroll down if you check it out. Thanks, I’m sure someone can come up with some more names - the idea is to let some folks know that these guys are still making boards and pay them some homage too…

2

Jim Phillips is still going strong, just not doing his shaping on the EC. But I’m sure you know that.

You could talk to Balsa Bill Yerkes. He should be on your list, and he knows everybody else so

he can maybe point out some others.

Bob White still does a few, I think. He was last time I heard. And if Frierson ‘‘qualifies’’ (he might be

too young) he’s definitely worth a look.

I should be able to come up with more, but I’m just old enough that I can’t remember right now…

3

Thanks Mike, I shoulda thought of Bill. He had some great Murph stories last time I was in his shop. Too funny. Bob White??? That’s really cool, I’m going to try and track him down. Ditto for Miller, I think the guys at Atlantic East Surf Shop can help me there (as well as with Lantz). Thanks again, these guys are heroes for sure … Vaya Con Dios

4

You should look at what Austin Saunders from VA Beach is doing. He is a young guy who is probably shaping more old school in terms of both shapes, glassing and coloring than some of the names mentioned above. He posts here.

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I’m a big fan of Austin’s work. I’ll have to do an installment on the younger guys who make 'em old style. 60’s longboards are so beautiful to me. His color work is exceptional!

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I can’t think of anyone you haven’t mentioned that is still shaping.

7

Hi Bill -

    Thanks a lot for the reply, if anyone would know you would! You probably don't remember me, but we talked about doing t - shirts with that photo of Murph from that old Life magazine (OK, if anyone cops my idea, I at least get a free t-shirt!!).  I stopped in to see you a few times, but you weren't in the shop.  Between work and the new baby and shaping (and fighting with glassers!), I couldn't make it from Titusville all that much.  I did see some CLASSIC balsa boards that you made, right on Bill!!! And anyone that's near Bills shop and hasn't been there, go! Good waves out back too ..... Vaya Con Dios

ps - whatever happened to Holmsey?!?!?

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Tinker used to tell me stories about George Miller, got a job glossing, but “painted” the resin on the board, told Tinker he was considered the best painter in the Navy

But, from the info I have gathered over the years, he was the first East Coaster to go to California and get a production job shaping, for Dewey Weber.

But, I saw his work at Surf Expo in the late 80’s and it had stagnated from his hey day with Daytona Beach Surf Shop.

He had a very good roster of surfers in the mid 60’s

9
Quote:

Hi Bill -

    Thanks a lot for the reply, if anyone would know you would! You probably don't remember me, but we talked about doing t - shirts with that photo of Murph from that old Life magazine (OK, if anyone cops my idea, I at least get a free t-shirt!!).  I stopped in to see you a few times, but you weren't in the shop.  Between work and the new baby and shaping (and fighting with glassers!), I couldn't make it from Titusville all that much.  I did see some CLASSIC balsa boards that you made, right on Bill!!! And anyone that's near Bills shop and hasn't been there, go! Good waves out back too ..... Vaya Con Dios

ps - whatever happened to Holmsey?!?!?

Well, I don’t know if I would know if anyone does.

Yeah, Time/Life owns that photo of Murf so if you want to do a t-shirt you better get a good attorney.

Thanks for the good words about my boards. 90% of what I know about balsa boards I learned from Jim Phillips (the other 10% from Diff, Brewer and Velzy). Two of the boards I ride currently were shaped for me by Jim. Including a custom chambered 9’10 balsa pintail.

I think Holmesy still lives in South Florida. He shaped some Sidewinders a few years ago but I haven’t heard anything from or about him in a while.

10

DC still chips away at times. Johnny Rice athough he’s in Santa Cruz. John Parton too.

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I was gonna mention Catri, but I think it’s really been a while since he’s shaped anything.

Parton and Rice, of course.

Last month I was in Hawaii and my son and his girlfriend were flying over to meet me. I went down to Koa ave to check the board rentals out since you can rent a board for $100 a week and it costs $100 each way baggage for a board now. (I keep a balsa board there for myself)

Sitting there in the rack with the pop outs and delamed dinged up junk I saw a 10’ three stringer Johnny Rice. “Is this for rent?” I said.

“Sure”, said the guy behind the counter.

I couldn’t believe it. Speed shape, thin rails. Classic board. Perfect for “Threes”.

Turned out we didn’t need to rent any boards since we had a couple of really nice boards generously loaned to us for Jay and Raye to use.

We were kind of disappointed in a way that we didn’t rent that classic beautiful Johnny Rice.

In fact, I probably should have bought it and brought it home.

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I started to do the same thing about 15yrs ago. Tough without the internet we have today. Glad to see someone taking the time to do it. Suggestions - Bill Frierson is a wealth of information. Still in Va Bch. While you are in the area, look up Pete Smith. He knows the history of that area. He can talk to you about Roper and Simmons (Rosi) in Va Bch. Marty Keesecker is still shaping for WRV (Point Harbor, NC. On the way to Outer Banks). I think Ronnie Mellot is still shaping in Va Bch. Will Allison in Wrightsville Bch, NC. Lank Lancaster (East Coast Surfboards) is no longer shaping but a good resource person (in Carolina Bch). Bud Gardner may be able to give you info on some Surfboard House folks, like Gene Eichenbrener (sp?) and Don Criner. Bill Feinburg (owner of Oceanside) is a good resource person. He was in Steamboat Colo. when I spoke to hime in 1993. Johnny Rice and Doug Haut shaped for him. Never could locate George Miller. Albert Salvatore worked for Daytona Bch Surfboards as a laminator I think. He used to live in Saint Augustine. Send me a PM and I can give you more info. Tim

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Thanks for all the info guys! This is gonna give me a lot to write about! Russell over at Atlantic East Surf Shop deserves a thanks here too. He’s a good resource. These guys deserve more than a blog article or three, but I wanted to do something … I’m on it! Thanks again!

Vaya Con Dios