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Bob McTavish | |
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| Born | 1944 (age 79–80) |
| Nationality | Australian |
Bob McTavish (born 1944) is an Australian surfboard designer and member of the surfing hall of fame. He is often credited with the invention of the V-bottom surfboard and was one of a number of pioneering surfer/shapers considered instrumental in the development of shortboard surfing. [1] [2] It has been suggested that without his contributions, the revolutionary nature of shortboard surfing wouldn't have been as effective. [3]
Born in Mackay, Queensland in 1944, McTavish began surfing at the age of twelve. [4] He dropped out of school at 15, and moved to Sydney. [5] In 1963, McTavish famously stowed away in an ocean liner bound for Hawaii. [6] He spent 5 weeks in Hawaii before being deported. [7]
In the 1970s, McTavish became a Jehovah’s Witness. [8]
McTavish began surfing on a 16-foot (4.8m) plywood paddleboard. [9]
McTavish won the Qld State titles in 1964-66 and finished third in the Nationals behind Midget Farrelly and Nat Young, after which he abandoned competitive surfing. [10] McTavish was a dynamic surfer eschewing the longboard style of surfing that was dominant at the time. [11] Greg Noll, Joe Quigg were instrumental to him in his surf board shaping. [12]
McTavish was voted the most influential shaper of all time by Australia’s Surfing Life magazine in 1992. [13]
From 1961 onwards McTavish worked for surfboard labels including Scott Dillon, Dale, Hayden, Bob Davie, Morey-Pope, Keyo and Cord. He worked alongside the Australian foam-core innovator Barry Bennett at his factory in Brookvale in 1972. [14]
Meanwhile, he was developing his eponymous brand, 'McTavish'. His 1972 model, the 'Bluebird', has been described as the world's first production short-board, resulting in thousands being produced until 1979. [15]
In 1989 McTavish introduced Pro Circuit boards, which created machine-moulded replicas of the boards ridden by professional surfers. [16]
In the mid-1990s McTavish began producing 'Big M' longboards, which have a factory and retail operation in Byron Bay. [17]
McTavish was the inaugural recipient of the FCS Legend Shaper Award. [18]
It is the generally accepted view that McTavish, influenced by California kneeboarder George Greenough, was responsible for starting the shortboard revolution with the development of the short, wide-tailed vee-bottom design of surfboard in 1966. [19]
The vee-bottom design allowed surfers to go up the face of a wave rather than simply race away from a breaking curl. [20]
Hawaiian Dick Brewer claims the vee-bottom design originated with him in Hawaii. [21]
Midget Farrelly claimed he shaped a vee-bottom prior to McTavish, however McTavish's central role in the shortboard revolution is acknowledged by the American surfers Greg Noll, Skip Frye and Mike Hynson. [22]
Bob Mctavish (2009), Stoked!. Hyams Publishing. ISBN 978-097-757-986-0
Bob Mctavish (2013), More Stoked!. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-073-229-676-6
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer, uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable for surfing are primarily found on ocean shores, but can also be found as standing waves in the open ocean, in lakes, in rivers in the form of a tidal bore, or wave pools.
A surfboard is a narrow plank used in surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding an ocean wave. They were invented in ancient Hawaii, where they were known as papa heʻe nalu in the Hawaiian language, and were usually made of wood from local trees, such as koa. They were often over 460 cm (15 ft) in length and extremely heavy. Major advances over the years include the addition of one or more fins (skegs) on the bottom rear of the board to improve directional stability, and numerous improvements in materials and shape.
Mark Richards, known as MR, is an Australian surfer who became a four-time world champion (1979–1982).
Noseriding is the act of riding the front end of a surfboard. It is one of the most accomplished maneuvers in surfing. Some advanced maneuvers include: hang ten toes, hang five toes, stretch-five, front foot/heel hang, and back foot/heel hang. Noseriding is a functional maneuvers best performed on waves around head high or less in size. Noseriding is performed mainly on noserider-style surfboards, which are generally 275 cm (9 ft) or more in length, with larger surface area and higher water displacement to provide a more stable walking surface.
Greg Noll was an American pioneer of big wave surfing and a prominent longboard shaper. Nicknamed "Da Bull" by Phil Edwards in reference to his physique and way of charging down the face of a wave, he was on the U.S. lifeguard team that introduced Malibu boards to Australia around the time of the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. He produced a "legendary" series of five Search for Surf films.
Gerry Lopez, aka Mr. Pipeline, is an American surfer, shaper, journalist and film actor.
Skurfing is a towed water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat on a tow rope. The sport uses a skurfboard, which is a floating platform the user balances on, similar to a surfboard but typically much shorter, with two foot-straps that prevent falling off the board and three fins positioned on the bottom that make it easier to maneuver when the board is being towed. The word itself is a portmanteau of skiing and surfing. Skurfing is often considered the precursor to wakeboarding.
The riding of waves has likely existed since humans began swimming in the ocean. In this sense, bodysurfing is the oldest type of wave-catching. Undoubtedly ancient sailors learned how to ride wave energy on many styles of early boats. Archaeological evidence even suggests that ancient cultures of Peru surfed on reed watercraft for fishing and recreation up to five thousand years ago. However, standing up on what is now called a surfboard is a relatively recent innovation developed by the Polynesians. The influences for modern surfing can be directly traced to the surfers of pre-contact Hawaii.
A surfboard shaper is someone who designs and builds surfboards. The process of surfboard shaping has evolved over the years, and the shaper often tailors his or her work to meet the requirements of a client or a certain wave. Surfboard shapers can be independent or work in collaboration with mass-production companies.
Bruce Jones was a founding pioneer in the surfboard shaping industry.
David Earl Weber, known as Dewey Weber, was an American surfer, a popular surfing film subject, and a successful surfboard manufacturing businessman. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he distinguished himself with a surfing style unique at the outset of that era. Out of the water, he had already become a national yo-yo champion and a CIF champion in wrestling, then appeared in several feature films, and eventually established a successful surfboard manufacturing company. On November 14, 2015, the city of Hermosa Beach unveiled at its Community Center a sculpture inspired by a photo of Dewey Weber taken by surf photographer Leroy Grannis.
Robert George Patterson, was a surfing star of the 1950s.
A surfboard fin or skeg is a hydrofoil mounted at the tail of a surfboard or similar board to improve directional stability and control through foot-steering. Fins can provide lateral lift opposed to the water and stabilize the board's trajectory, allowing the surfer to control direction by varying their side-to-side weight distribution. The introduction of fins in the 1930s revolutionized surfing and board design. Surfboard fins may be arrayed in different numbers and configurations, and many different shapes, sizes, and materials are and have been made and used.
This glossary of surfing includes some of the extensive vocabulary used to describe various aspects of the sport of surfing as described in literature on the subject.[a][b] In some cases terms have spread to a wider cultural use. These terms were originally coined by people who were directly involved in the sport of surfing.
Australia is renowned as one of the world's premier surfing destinations. Surfing underpins an important part of the Australian coastal fabric. It forms part of a lifestyle in which millions participate and which millions more have an interest. Australian surfboard-makers have driven innovation in surfboard design and production since the mid-1960s. The country has launched corporate giants such as Billabong, Rip Curl and Quiksilver.
Donald Moke Takayama was an American professional surfer and surfboard shaper. Originally a longboard surfer, Takayama won the Master's division of the United States Surfing Champions in 1971, 1972 and 1973. Hawaiian born, Takayama learned to surf at Waikiki Beach and moved to California in the mid-1950s. Takayama died of complications from heart surgery; he is survived by his wife and four daughters.
Haydenshapes Surfboards is an Australian-based performance surfboard brand founded by Hayden Cox in 1996. Haydenshapes' most notable design is the Hypto Krypto model. The brand is known for their use of parabolic carbon fibre frame surfboard technology FutureFlex. The Haydenshapes has a team of professional athletes that includes free surfer Craig Anderson (Quiksilver) and surfer Creed Mctaggart (Billabong).
Doug Warbrick is an Australian businessman, founder of the Rip Curl brand and notable figure in the sport of surfing. Warbrick is credited for bringing the longest running surf event in history, the Bells Beach Surf Classic, to the professional surfing circuit. He is a founding member of the ASP World Tour, surf aficionado and athlete mentor.
Sidney Robert "Bob" Cooper was an American and Australian surfer, shaper, surf shop owner and surf commentator. He was regarded as being one of very few surfers and shapers to be majorly influential in surf history on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
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