surfresearch.com.au  history : solid wood

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solid wood : 1915 - 1934

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Following Duke Kahanamoku's surfing demonstrations in Australia (and New Zealand),  many boards were made based on Duke's design within one season.
Harris page 55.
Some of the Surf Life Saving became an established as centres of boardriding , the clubhouse being a storage facility for the boards, in a similar role to the Beach Clubs in Hawaii of the period.
The use of handboards was further expanded with the introduction in 1915 of thePaipo, a solid wood Hawaiian bellyboard, ridden prone, usually by juveniles .
The use of prone craft as an introduction to basic surf skills dates to pre-history and has had many variations.

Although Australian board construction and design were essentially static during this period, Hawaiian and U.S. mainland boardriders made considerable to improvements.
With the end of World War 1 in 1918, military technological developments such as the development of industrial glues and varnishes were able to be incorporated into surf craft construction.
First commercial application was by Pacific Systems Homes (USA) with their famous Swastika model constructed of a laminated pine, balsa and redwood blank, circa 1930.
The development of laminated plywood was essential in the development of the Hollow board.
Around 1925, Tom Blake began experimenting with hollowed boards,  and in 1931 he submitted a patent application for a ' Water Sled'.
See Tom Blake 1934

As Duke's keenest pupil, Claude West (initially at Freshwater Club, later moved to Manly) was one of the top boardriders for the next 10 years.
Starting on one of Duke's original boards (#100), he was an enthusiast who encouraged others (notably 'Snowy' McAllister of Manly and Adrian Curlewis of Palm Beach) and whose surfing skills were a great asset as a professional lifesaver at Manly Beach, where he often used a board for rescues.
Maxwell page 237.

Duke Kahanamoku's tandem partner, Isabel Letham, continued boardriding at Freshwater up to 1918 when she moved to the USA to work as a professional swimming instructor.
Other prominant boardriders in the Manly area were Steve Dowling, 'Busty' Walker, Geoff Wyld, Ossie Downing, Reg Vaughn (Manly), Tom Walker (Seagulls), Barton Ronald, Billy Hill and Lyal Pidcock.
Harris page 55.

circa 1915 Collaroy Surf Life Saving Club member, Alf 'Weary' Lee saw Duke Kahanamoku's Dee Why demonstration and built his own board according to Duke's design.
Since the board was stored in the club house, it was available for younger club members to be introduced to boardriding.
Brawley (1995), pages 33 - 34.
 

Boardriding was given little support by the Surf Life Saving Association.
Initially used a subjective method as a measure of perfomance at their carnivals - for example a headstand scored maximum points - designated as a demonstration.
With a growing emphasis on rescue techniques, paddling skill became the focus and the preference was for an objective race, a development deplored by Claude West.
Competitve records of the period are confusing.
Often board events were either not held or not recorded, and since the ASLA was in its infancy and basically a NSW organisation results were open to dispute.
The first offically recognised Australian Longboard Championship is 1946.
 

Circa 1915, seventeen year old Grace Wootton (nee Smith) was encouraged to try (prone) boarding at Point Lonsdale, Victoria.  Using a board brought to Australia by a Mr. Jackson and a Mr. Goldie from Hawaii.  After some basic instruction Grace Wootton became a proficient and enthusiastic surfer, and a local carpenter was commisioned to make her her own board for the following season.  The board  was solid timber, finless and approximately 6 ft x 16 inches x +1inch thick. The cost of 12 shillings included her initials (GW) carved at one end.  Photographs of Grace Wootton taken in 1916 show her surfing and her personally modified woolen swimsuit, purchased from Ball and Welch (Outfitters), Melbourne. Wells pages 157-158.  Image right :  Grace Smith Wooton and Win Harrison, Point Lonsdale, Victoria, circa 1916. Wells page 157

Grace Wootton-Smith retained the board in her Melbourne garage, circa 1982.
Several questions arise from this account...
Did Mr. Jackson and Mr. Goldie bring only one board from Hawaii?
Did Mr. Jackson or Mr. Goldie, or both men (estimated age 35 years), ride the boards?
 

Similar boards to Grace Wootton's were in already use in NSW and Queensland at this date, and they would were used worldwide up to the 1960's.  There are documented examples from Hawaii, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Bali, U.K. and South Africa.  See Catalogue entry right...

In Queensland, two copies of Duke Kahanamoku's Alaia design were procured by Greenmount Surf Lifesaving Club.
The increase in (mainly prone) boardriding raised issues of public safety, and in 1916 Coolangatta Town Council established restricted areas, infringements punishable by board confiscation.
The arrival of the two boards prompted further replicas made and surfed by Sid 'Splinter' Chapman, Andy Gibson and a surfer known only as Winders.
Prices varied from two shillings and sixpence to seven shillings and sixpence.
Harvey page 8
 

The first credited Australian surfing magazine was Manly Surf Club's The Surf, 1st December 1917. It ran for twenty editions, till 27 April 1918. Image Right:  Vol 1 #1 Cover  Margan and Finney, page 85.

See in depth article First Edition by Sandra Hall
in Longboard magazine Vol 5 Number 2 May/June 1997, pages 74 - 76.

The Deewhy Surfer was a similar publication, 1919-1920.

In 1919 Louis Whyte, a Geelong businessman, and Ian McGillivray visited Hawaii and purchased traditional Alaia solid redwood boards were  from Duke Kahanamoku.
The boards were ridden at Lorne Point, Victoria.
Thoms page 23.
One of four boards imported from Hawaii by Whyte, is held by Surfworld Surfing Museum, Torquay, Victoria. Catalogue #22

John Ralston, a Sydney solicitor and land developer, introduced surfboards at Palm Beach, Sydney in 1919. Maxwell, page 238.
Palm Beach is to become a favoured board riding beach, producing several champions and a strong pro-surfboard lobby within the ASLA.
Brawley page 57.
A solid wood board shaped by John Rawson is held by Quicksilver Australia, currently displayed at their George Street store, Sydney.

In February 1920 Claude West used his board to rescue a swimmer at Manly.
The patient was the Australian Goveror-General, Sir Ronald Mungo Fergerson, who presented his rescuer with his silver dresswatch.
Wells page 152

A newspaper report of 'Australian' Championships at Manly, March 1920 records the results of a
surfboard race as ...
1. A. McKenzie (North Bondi)
2. Oswald Downing (Manly)
3. A. Moxan (North Bondi).
Galton page 29.

A similar newspaper report of the Bondi Championships, April 1921 records the results of a surfboard race as 1. A. McKenzie (North Bondi)
2. A. Moxan.
Other starters were Oswald Downing  and Claude West (Manly).
Galton page 29.

By 1921, the Surf Life Saving Association printed their first handbook circa 1921. The book probably formed the basis for subsequent publications accredited as the Handbook of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia, see below. Image right: Photograph of displayed item. Between the Flags Exhibition, ANMM, Sydney 22 April 2007.

In the 1921-22 season,  Manly SLSC procured their third surfboat, the Johnnie Walker.  The boat was won by Manly topping the point-score for the seasons 1920-21 to 1922-23. Harris page 42 At the Australian Championships at Manly 1922, the board event (demonstration or race?) results were 1. Claude West (Manly),  2. A. McKenzie (North Bondi) 3. Oswald Downing (Manly) West, who had apparently dominated the demonstations, was soon to retire.  Oswald Downing was an early board builder and a trainee architect and had drawn up plans.  These are possibly the plans printed in The Australian Surf Life Saving Handbook, first edition circa 1923.  See details in the 1938 tenth edtion, image and link right.

Ossie Downing's board was later given to 'Snowy' McAlister.  The board was donated by 'Snowy' McAlister in 1974 to the SLSA . Galton page 33.  In 2002 it was relocated to the Surf Life Saving Museum, Surf House 1 Notts Avenue Bondi Beach NSW 2026 where it is on display. Image right For board details Catalogue #175, image and link right.

With the consistant increase boardriders, Manly Council considers banning surfboards in the interest of the public safety of bodysurfers. A review by three Councillors in 1923 witnesses a rescue by Claude West and board of three swimmers in high surf. In a reversal of policy, the Council commends the use of surfboards as rescue craft. Harris pages 55-56.

At the 1924 the Australian Championships, Manly, the surfboard display was won by Charles Justin 'Snowy' McAlister of Manly Surf Club.
He saw Duke Kahanamoku in 1915, and soon after began surfing on his mother's pine ironing board -
   I used to wag school and rush down to the beach with it. I got away with it a number of times,
                    but she eventually found out because I would come home sunburnt.

 This was followed by a self-made plywood board and his first full size board, a gift from Oswald Downing, see above.Galton page 35.

At a later date 'Snowy' made his own solid redwood board -

I used to go into the timber yards in the city and buty a ten by three foot piece of wood about two  feet thick (sic, inches?), which I had delivered to the cargo whalf beside the Manly ferry.
I'd lug it home, then carve it, varnish it overnight and try it out the next morning.
We were getting murdrered in those days.
The boards had no fins.
We'd go straight down the face of the wave instead of riding the corners as the Duke had done. When we saw him do that we thought he was just riding crooked.

 The start of a impressive competitive record, 'Snowy' McAlister won board displays in Sydney in 1923-24 (Manly), 1924-25 (Manly), 1925-26 (North Bondi) and 1926-27 (Manly, second Les Ellinson).
His record at Newcastle was even more outstanding with wins in 1923-24, 1925-26, 1927-28, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1934-35 and 1935-36.
All these victories were on solid boards.
He competed to 1938 and then made a  comeback at the 1956 Olympic Carnival, Torquay. Galton page 35.

Image left : Snowy McAlister, Manly circa 1928. Probably a Snowy McAlister shaped board, not the Downing board, Harris page 54 Image right : Snowy McAlister, Bondi, circa 1925. Possibly the Downing board. Harris page 54 Note that Harris dates this photograph as 1920, but that seems unlikely.

Circa 1923 Adrian Curlewis purchased a used 70 lb board from Claude West, to surf at Palm Beach...
 "owner in hospital owing to using same"-  West was injured while transferring a patient to a surfboat.
Maxwell page 238-9

This board was replaced by one of similar design in 1926 by Les V. Hind of North Steyne for five pounds and fifteen shillings, including delivery.
Brawley (1996), page 55, Reference : L. V. Hind to A.Curlewis, Curlewis Papers, SLSA Archives.

Curlewis became a noted surf performer, illustrated by a photograph printed in Surf in Australia magazine in 1936. Maxwell (1949) page 239.
The photograph was subsequently re-printed in Maxwell (1949) and Brawley(1996) page 55.

Adian Curlewis, Palm Beach, circa 1929. Maxwell, facing page 208. Note that the other boardrider in the phototgraph is female.	Frank Adler and Solid Board,  Maroubra, circa 1929. Pacific Longboarder Magazine Volume 1 Number 2, Page 62.

Sir Adrian Curlewis was born in 1901.
He graduated from Sydney University and was called to the Bar in 1927.
He served in Malaya in World War II and was a prisoner of war from 1942 to 1945.
His commitment to public service is also exemplified by his Presidency of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia from 1933 to 1974, his position as sole Life Governor of that Association from 1974, and his Presidency of the International Council of Surf Life Saving from 1956 to 1973.
He was a New South Wales District Court Judge from 1948 to 1971, retiring at the age of 70.

 Despite, or perhaps because of, his early board riding experience he was a noted 1960's opponent of the growth of an independent surfboardring culture.

At Coolangatta boardriding continued to expand during the 1920's.
Basic competitions (using a standing take-off) were organised and riders included Clarrie Englert, Bill Davies, 'Bluey' Gray and later, Jack Ajax.
'Bluey' Gray wrote to Hawaiian and Californian surfers in an attempt to be aware of current developments. Problems in sourcing suitable redwood saw 'Splinter' Chapman, by now considered the coast's top rider, use local Bolly gum to build boards.
The design remained a faithfull replica.
Sid 'Splinter' Chapman could still recall the dimensions in sixty years later  ...  because the design that the Duke used was the best.

Above : Clarrie Englet headstand , Queensland 1920's Harvey page 8. Right : Ken Mainsbridge and solid wood board, Queensland 1920's .Harvey page 8

Circa 1925 Sydney rider Anslie 'Sprint' Walker surfed at Portsea, Victoria.
Transport problems were overcome by leaving the board at the beach, buried in the sand.
The board was eventually donated to the Torquay Surf Live Saving Club, but was destroyed when the club house burnt down in 1970.
Subequently 'Sprint' Walker built a replica from Canadian redwood with an adze - the original method.
Wells page 153
See  Snow McAlister : Sprint Walker, Solid Wood Boards and Victorian Surfing
Tracks Magazine circa 1972. Reprinted circa 1973 in The Best of Tracks, page 191.

'Sawfish', Manly Surf Life Saving Club’s 4th surfboat, was financed by public showing of a 18 foot sawfish caught by club members on October 10, 1926.
Launched in December 1926, the boat was    designed by Fred Notting.
A double-ended clinker-built but with four thwarts (Oars Nos. 2 and 3 now offset), it was been the standard ever since.
The sawfish was accquired by the Australian Museum for exhibit.
Harris pages 42-43.

'Snowy' McAlister was the national (?) surfboard champion 1924 to 1928.
He visited England and South Africa ? on the way to the Amsterdam Olympics in 1928, accompanying another Manly Surf Club member Andrew 'Boy' Carlton.
Wells pages 159-160.

During the 1920's Russell Henry 'Busty' Walker  used a canoe to act as a judge at the buoys at Manly Surf Carnivals and others had used canoes in the surf at Bronte and Bondi.
Maxwell (1949) page 237; Harris page 90.
The use of these craft was a possible early influence on G.A. Crakanthorpe's development of the surf ski, circa 1930.
 

The North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club promoted their 4th annual carnival, scheduled for Saturday 19th December 1925 at 2.45pm, with a flyer printed by the Manly Daily Press. The noted "Surf and Beach Attractions" included: "1200 Competitors, 18 Leading Surf Life Saving Club's Participating Surf Boat Races, Thrills and Spills, Board Exhibitions, All State Surf Swimming Champions Competing". Image right: Photograph of displayed item. Between the Flags Exhibition, ANMM, Sydney 22 April 2007.

The Australian Surf Life Saving Association promoted their annual surf championships, scheduled for Saturday 27th February 1926 at 2.30 pm, with a flyer printed by the Mortons Ltd. Sydney. It noted : "Surf Boats, Surf Shooting and Surf Board Displays by Real Champions." Image right: Photograph of displayed item. Between the Flags Exhibition, ANMM, Sydney 22 April 2007.

"In the early 1920s, Chequer had been captivated by the likes of board riders such as Weary Lee, Chic Proctor and Ron Harris and made his first surfboard at 17 using a design similar to Buster Quinn's. As the years progressed, however, he refined Quinn's design, to produce a board which was the envy of many other board riders in the Club.  Dick Swift requested he build him a board (the board is still in the Club house) and with delivery of the board a flood of similar requests were forthcoming.  With little work in his father's building business, Chequer decided to try his hand at commercial surfboard building -one of the earliest such enterprises in the country. The cost of a Chequer board was £5 which included delivery.

A board took just on two days to build and was totally shaped by hand.
Once shaped the board was coated with Linseed oil, before two coats of Velspar yacht varnish was applied.
In his initial experimentation with the varnish on his own board, the yellow finish it gave off prompted the board to be known as the 'Yellow Peril'.
Boards were usually intricately marked either with a name, the initials of the owner, or with the Club emblem.

Chequer was soon supplyIng individuals and clubs up and down the New South Wales coast and as far away as Phillip Island in Victoria.
While the business was relatively successful, there was a downside for Chequer.
Because he was a surfboard manufacturer, making money out of what was now regarded as a piece of life saving equipment the Association claimed he was no longer an amateur by their definition.
He was therefore prohibited from surf life saving competition between 1932 and 1936."

In the late 1920's T.A. Brown and A. Williams used a corkwood board from Honolulu at Byron Bay NSW.  Eric Mallen purchased a cedar slab that was once the counter of the Commerical Bank, and had it shaped into a fouteen foot board by Jack Wilson. Proving to be too unwieldy, the board was later cut down, decorated and named 'Leaping Lena'.  On large days Eric Mallen would 'leap' off the end of the large jetty that ran out from Main Street to save paddling.  Harvey page 8   Image Right Eric Mallen, friend, baby and 'Leaping Lena',  Byron Bay NSW,  circa 1929 Harvey page 8

While Greenwell's drowning resurrected the debate on surf belts, there were two more immediate and positive developments from the drowning.
The first was an intensification of Association trials using waxed line to see if it would 'overcome the difficulty of seaweed'.
The other was the Association's endorsement of the use of surfboard as life saving equipment. In the Greenwell drowning itself, the surfboard had proved its usefulness in a heavily seaweeded surf.

In the 1920s surfboards had been used by a number of clubs as rescue apparatus.
While the line and reel remained the predominant rescue technique, the surfboard rivalled the surf boat for the number of rescues accorded to it each season.
Such use, however, had been against the wishes of the Association and, as noted, lifesavers such as Manly's Claude West were reprimanded for their use.
From the 1929/30 season the Collaroy Annual Report began to record rescues performed by board noting that two such rescues had been performed during the season.
The following season four such rescues were recorded.
The figure was probably in fact much greater, the surfboard often being used to assist a swimmer who may have been getting into difficulties.
While confined almost exclusively to surf club use, surfboards were usually only used by members who were not on patrol duty.

These declarations in club annual reports concerning the use of surfboards in rescues demonstrated to the Association that most clubs saw them as useful rescue craft.
Within the Association individuals such as Greg Dellit, Adrian Curlewis and Bert Chequer (who had joined the Board of Examiners) began to champion the surfboard.
It was soon agreed that they should be trialled so their usefulness could be gauged.
These trials were held in the swimming pool of the Tattersals Club in Sydney and proved very successful.
The usefulness of the board as a flotation device in a multiple rescue and for a lone lifesaver were quickly apparent.
The fact they mostly went over rather than through sea weed was also noted.
With the trials a success it was left to Greg Dellit, during a visit to the Cronulla clubs, to publicly announce that the surfboard would now be considered a piece of rescue apparatus by the Association. (#22 : SMH, 21 September 1931)

Interestingly the dimensions of the Association approved surfboard matched exacly the dimensions of a surfboard Bert Chequer had been manufacturing for a few years.

Three Solidwood Board Rriders, Collaroy circa 1932. Brawley (1995), pages 95 - 96 Note :     1. The low bouancy of the boards.    2. Unusual behind-the-break         photograph, taken from the pool.

The invention of the surf ski is normally credited to Dr. G.A.'Saxon' Crackanthrope, a stalwat of the Manly Club, circa 1930.
Dissatifiaction with his ability to ride a surfboard and the possible influence of surf canoes (see above) led to Crakanthorpe's development of the surf ski.
The original design was 8 foot x 28 inches x 6 inches thick with a 12 inches spring in the tail (tail lift), solid cedar planks and a double bladed paddle and footstraps(?).
Maxwell (1949) page 245; Bloomfield page 69; Harris page 56.

Other claims to the invention of the surf ski include ...
-  Bill Langford at Maroubra pre World War ll;

- a 1934 design recalled by Denis Green of oil impregnated canvas stretched over a timber frame, again at Maroubra
Galton page 43.

- a type of ski used by two brothers at Port Macquarie NSW on their oyster leases, and occassionally in the surf circa 1930
Wells page 160.

- a "first appearance on Newcastle beaches during the 'twenties, and came to Deewhy about 1932"
Thomas page 31.

In 1933 Jack Toyer of Cronulla and Dr. J.S. Crackanthrope registered a patent for the surf ski.
Wells page 155
 

The Surf-o-plane was invented by a Sydney doctor in 1933, Dr Ernest Smithers of Bronte NSW, who worked for eight years to develop it. A prone craft made of an inflated molded rubber, it was a immediate success. Apart from the ease of paddling and wave catching due to the buoyancy, danger to the rider and other bathers was mimimal. For this reason they were accepted in general bodysurfing areas, whereas wooden prone boards were limited to designated boardriding zones. Surfoplane Advertisement, circa 1935 Thomspage 40

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Palm Beach surfers with solid wood boards, circa 1932.
Brawley (1996), page 56.

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The Surf Life Saving Association of Australia : 1938 The Australian Surf Life Saving Handbook  Tenth Edition (Revised 1938) JNO, Evans and Son Printing Coy., 486-488 Kent Street Sydney, New South Wales Soft cover, 287 pages, black and white photographs, black and white illustrations, Index. * Highlights :  Specifications and 'Instructions for use of' solid wood Alaia surfboard pages 182 - 183 'Specifications for Surf Life Saving Boats' pages 161 - 167. Also note photographs... 'Propelling a sufboard' page 83,  Five riders and boards at shoreline (uncaptioned) page 102,  Surfskis (uncaptioned) page 180,  'Showing surfboard "shooters" taking a wave' page 181,  'The Rubber Surf Float' page 267

The first credited Australian surfing magazine was Manly Surf Club's The Surf, 1st December 1917. It ran for five editions, till 27 April 1918. Image Right:  Vol 1 #1 Cover  Margan and Finney, page 85.  The Deewhy Surfer was a similar publication, 1919-1920.

Making Money at the Beach in Popular Mechanics July 1934 Vol 62 No. 1 pages 115 - 117 Plans and specifications for a solid wood Bellyboard

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