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manufacturers : keyo surfboards

Nat Young riding a Keyo surfboard at Dee Why.
Surfabout Quarterly
Vol 1 #1 August 1962, page 7.

Note this logo includes the silhouetted surfboard,
similar to the original Hobie Surfboards decal.

A major manufacturer, the company maintained a high standard and a quality stable of shapers 1961- 1974. Originally started by Dennis (Denny) Keogh, the label was at the cutting edge in surfboard design 1965 to 1970. The securing of the Hobie Cat franchise in 1969 quickly saw the company divert its resources to this expanding market at a time when the surfboard industry was experiencing one of its many crises. Like many Australian decals the company logo is a copy of an American design, in this case Hobie Surfboards. The design was later used by Geoff McCoy when he left Keyo Surfboards and started his own company.One of the Brookvale Five - manufacturers with national sales and reputation in the ten years 1962 to 1972.

1960
19 Sydnenham Road Brookvale NSW Phone XF-1699
Denny Keogh; fibreglassed foam blanks, some balsa?

1962
Midget Farrelly
Gary Birdsall
"Started at Norm Casey Surfboards, Rockdale.
Then to Keyo Surfboards, Brookvale, circa 1962, where learnt shaping from Midget Farrelly.
Shapes included Midget's post Makaha Contest win International Custom model.
With financial backing by Peter Clarke, opened Wollongong shop, opposite to Byrne Surfboards current shop at Fairy Meadow.
Small number of boards produced here, later to Kenn Surfboards, Queensland."

- Personal interview, 13 December 2003
Thanks to Gary Birdsall

1963
International Custom Model - see below

1966
Tailor Made by Bob McTavish boxed decal, noted.

1967
Bob McTavish Plastic Machine
Kevin Platt Model
Advertisement, right:
Keyo Surfboards
19 Sydenham Road, Brookvale, Phone: 93 1699
Surf International
Volume 1 Number 1, December 1967, page 4.

1967
December Bob McTavish surfs his Keyo Stringerless Vee bottom Sunset Beach (Duke contest) and later at Honalua Bay, Maui. Extensive coverage in magazines and film. See The Hot Generation Part 6, and The Fantstic Plastic Machine.
Other Keyos are Nat Youngs' Deep Vee and Ted Spencer's Little Red.

1968
Manufactures/distributes? SafeSet Fin boxes, a copy of the WaveSet design.
Geoff McCoy

In early the summer of 1967-1968 the Keyo factory burnt down, but was quickly re-opened in premises behind the guttered factory.

Advertising text and image, right.
Surfing World
Vol. 10. No. 3 March 1968, page 36.

In the next issue Surfing World (Vol. 10. No. 4 April 1968, page ?) reported the Keyo fire and also noted, "coincidentally within a few hours of each other, though more than 600 miles apart", the gutting of the Klemm-Bell Surfboards factory in a suburb of Melourne.

IT TAKES MORE THAN A FIRE

... Right around the back is a brand new set-up,
functioning with all the design, brilliance and
construction detail that puts KEYO apart.

WE STILL DON'T BUILD SURFBOARDS ~~
... WE CREATE THEM !

KEYO Surfboards

19 Sydenham Road,
Brookvale. 93 1699

1968
Nat Young;
Dick van Straalen,
Phil "Monkman" Cooper

1969
Peter Cornish,
Geoff McCoy,
Hobie Cat franchise

1970
Col Smith (NN), Twin Fin 1
Jim Beardsley, Twin Fin 1 -Tracks Number 4, January 1971

1971
Neal Purchase

Errata
Jess Keogh emailed August 2006 -
"Just A quick note to inform you of an error in your website. Keyo surfboards was established by Dennis (Denny) Keogh not Danny Keogh. Awesome site though."
Thanks to Jess Keogh for the spellcheck (and the compliment).

Catalogue Entries

	1966 Keyo Malibu 9 ft 5" - Thin rail
	1968 Keyo Tracker 7f - Bob McTavish
	1969 Keyo Egg 5 ft 8 1/2 - Geoff McCoy
	1969 Keyo Side Slipper 6 ft 2 1/2" - Steve Lennard

Bob McTavish/Keyo Surfboards Plastic Machine.
Cut back, Long Reef Sydney circa 1967.
Photograph by Jeff Carter.
Surf Beaches, page 67

Advertisement : 1964

Notes :
1. Original logo includes the silhouetted surfboard, as in the original Hobie Surfboards Design.
2. The photograph, uncedited, features a young Nat Young at Dee Why Point.
He probably wss not sponsored by Keyo Surfboards at the time.

Decals and Other


*Keyo Advertisement, 1963.* Surfabout Magazine Volume 1 Number 5	*Keyo International Custom Surfboards, 1963.* Scalloped diamond, black script with Makaha International Trophy image. An obvious reference to Midget Farrelly's Makaha win, 1st January 1963.

*Keyo Yellow script*	*Hobie Surfboards script and diamond with silhouetted surfboard*, circa 1960.
	Image, Left *Nat Young and Keyo 8 ft Tracker,* *Malibu Summer/Mid-Later 1968* Photograph : Leroy Grannis The Australian Surfer's Journal Vol 1 # 4 Spring 1998 page 93 *Yellow script with black text and box.*
*Keyo red script,* this board shaped by Geoff McCoy	. *McCoy label circa 1970*
f	Image left, *Plastic Machine Red Circle, 1967.*
1963 Keyo International Custom 9ft 9'	'
1967 Keyo Plastic Machine 7 ft 7"

Image left:
Sydney surfboard industry representatives donate
surfboards to Australian
servicemen in South Vietnam,
July 1966.

Photograph courtesy of
Dennis McDonagh.

From left to right...
Mr. Platt: Platts Boardshorts, first local surfwear manufacturer.
Denny Keogh: Keyo Surfboards
Colonel P. Trancred: Australian Army.
Scott Dillon: Scott Dillon Surfboards
Bob Brewester: Manly Stor-a-Bord and Bower Boy Surf Wax.
Gordon Woods: Gordon Woods Surfboards
Denis McDonagh: McDonagh Surfboards
Bill Wallace: Wallace Surfboards
Barry Bennett: Barry Bennett Surfboards
Also see photograph: Australian War Memorial (SMT/66/01179/EC)
The photograph was circulated with the following press release:

SMT/66/179/EC July 1966

Nearly $500 worth of surfboard equipment, given by seven manufacturers, was handed over to the Australian Army on behalf troops in South Vietnam, at Victoria Barracks, Paddington, on Wednesday, July 20.

The equipment was received by the Acting Chief of Staff (Colonel P. Tancred).
Pictured receiving the boards, Colonel Tancred thanks Denis McDonagh (McDonagh Bros Surf Boards Pty Ltd, Harbord Road, Brookvale) , on behalf of the manufacturers.

The manufacturers with their gifts from the left are,
Messrs Lance Platt (L. and J. Platt, Surfrider Board Shorts, of Foam Street, Harbord),
Danny Keogh (Keogh Surf Boards Pty Ltd., of Sydenham Road, Brookvale) ,
Scott Dillon (Scott Dillon Surf Board Pty Ltd, of Vlinbourne Road, Brookvale),
Bob Brewster (Manly Surf Shop and Stor-A-Bord, Pittwater Road, Manly),
Grodon Woods (Gordon Woods Surf Boards Pty Ltd, Harbord Road, Brookvale),
Bill Wallace (Wallace Surf Boards, Winbourne Road, Brookvale),
Barry Bennett (Barry Bennett Surf Boards pty Ltd, Harbord Road, Brookvale).

Text courtesy of Dennis McDonagh.