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surfers : bob mctavish

Bob McTavish
(14 May 1944 - )

Home: Mackay, Queensland
Beach : Gold Coast, Queensland
Competitive Record
Queensland Champion 1966?
Duke entrant 1967 (in place of Nat Young),
Surfing
surfer, shaper, designer, writer, philospher, windsurfer,
Shaping
Joe Larkin Surfboards, Qld
Scott Dillon Surfboards, Brookvale 1962
Hohnesse Surfboards, Qld
Cord Surfboards, Qld
Keyo Surfboards, Brookvale 1965 -1967
Morey - Pope Surfboards (USA)1968
San Juan Surfboards, Byron Bay 1968
Bare NatureSurfboards, Byron Bay 1968
Dale Surfboards, Brookvale 1969
Bennett Surfboards, Brookvale 1970 -1973
Julian Rocks Surfboards, Byron Bay 1973?
Bluebird Surfboards, Byron Bay 1973
Sky Surfboards, Byron Bay 1974 - 1984
Classic Surfboards by McTavish, around 1977
Pro Circuit Boards 1990 :molded epoxy boards.
McTavish Surfboards, Byron Bay 1999
Other
Illegal immigrant Hawaii 1962,
Conversion to Jehovah Witnesses 1973?

REFERENCES
Catalogue Entries:

	1968 Keyo Tracker 7 ft #69
	1971 Bennett Tri Fin 6 ft 8 '' #9
	1972 Bluebird Pintail, 7 ft 1'' # 215
	1979 Sky Flyer Pintail, 6 ft 10'' # 22
	1980 Sky Mini Mal 7ft #23
	1999 McTavish Mini Mal 8 ft 2'' #80

Web Pages
McTavish Surfboards-Byron Bay, shaper Bob McTavish, since 1991
Mac-T Surfboards - softdeck/rail boards, manufactured by Outer Reef - soft foam beginners boards
Welcome to Surftech -high tech longboards with models by Dale Velzy, Reynolds Yater, Mickey Munoz, Robert August, Randy French,Wingnut, Michael Junod & Bob McTavish. California based
Santa Barbara Surfing - Tim Maddux's site centred on Santa Barbara, California.Featuring Rincon. George Greenough territory.
Snake's Surfing Page-personal page by Bruce Gabrielson on surfboard template history, coaching, surfboard repair, links, and wave pools. US. Alternative version of the Shortboard Revolution/development.

Books
Nat Young : History,pages
Nat Young : Nat's Nat , pages
Arhens : Good things Love Water , pages 102, 105 and 109.

Magazine Articles by Bob McTavish
Despite some dispute during the last 30 years about Bob McTavish's design ideas and his surfing performance ('the Spin-out King' - 1968), in the field of Surf Philosophy his contribution has been unequaled. An infectious sytle (reminiscent of the print contributions of Mickey Dora), intensive analysis and over-the-top enthusiasm for his subject has produced some excellent work. Examples of magazine
articles include...
1967
bob mctavish is in this wave. he probably had a plan to get out of it.
[Photograph, black and white: Outrageous left barrell - no surfer/board visible,no credit]
Surfing World January 1967 pp 15 to 21.
The definititive manual for longboard riding circa 1967 detailing turns (4), stalls (5), acceleration/speed (8) anda few tips (6).
Accompanying illustrative photographs (12, all of Bob McTavish) includes the much reprinted Headless McTavish, Alexandria Headlands 1965 by John Witzig (Figure 2.Curl Acceleration Turn).

1967
Bob McTavish : The Wild and Wonderful Days of Noosa , Part Two : National
Surfing World March 1967 pp 18 to 25.
Anaysis/comtemplation of one break (70%) and one wave (other 30%).
Black and white photographs include Bob McTavish at National Park sequence, bottom turn, top turn, noseride. p 23.

1967
Bob McTavish : Bob McTavish on a bit of what's going on
Surfing World August/September 1967 pp 37.
Performance and design circa 1967 (early-mid).
Notes Brian (sic) Simmons, George Greenough, Midget Farrelly, Ted Spencer and Bobby Brown.

1967
Bob McTavish : "WRITING in the sun is a cinch..."
SURF INTERNATIONAL Vol 1 No.1, 1967-8? p 9.
Performance, design and artifical reefs.
(The first three issues featured a one page article each titled and by Bob McTavish, Nat Young and Midget Farrelly)

1968
Bob McTavish : "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN OF THE SUN.."
SURF INTERNATIONAL Vol. 1. No. 2 1967-8? p 9.
Ground breaking analysis of surfing performance that rejects the accepted approach (Detailed in Bob McTavish is in this wave. He probably had a plan to get out of it. See above): and establishes the dictum "BREAK OUT FROM THE STRAIGHT LINE."..
In design this is achieved by: "Elimination of two feet of board."
Also note: "Farrelly, Spencer, Young, Platt and this kid were all riding considerably different styles of units at time of writing, six weeks before news-stands." - my emphasis.

1968
Bob McTavish : "A plastic drinking straw...."
SURF INTERNATIONAL Vol. 1 No.3 1968 p 11.
Bob McTavish's account of the Honolua Bay sessions, featured in Paul Witig's Hot Generation and Eric Blum's The Fantastic Plastic Machine
Vee bottom experiment Honolua Bay, Maui December 1967
Detailed wave analysis, the 'borrowed' (from Phil Edwards) much quoted/often parodied "A GIANT CATHEDRAL AND I AM THERE." and Dick Brewer shaping conference.
Also note:The demise of Ted Spencer's Little Red (see Photo 2. below) "Ted S. had his 8'9"pintail in one piece till it was two pieces."

Bob McTavish/Little Red, Honalua Bay '67. John Witzig.Click for Photo details.

Chis Brock, George Greenough, Dog, Garry Keyes and
Bob McTavish.
Wilderness factory,
Angourie - Byron Bay ?, 1969.
Surfing World Magazine,
Volume 12, Number 5, 1969.

Bob McTavish.
Wilderness Surfboards,
Angourie, 1969.
Surfing World Magazine,
Volume 12, Number 5, 1969.
Photograph : ?

1970
Bob McTavish : Alexandria Headlands 1953.
SURF INTERNATIONAL Vol. 3 No3 1970 pp 40 to 43.
Noosa Nostalgia 1963, with some notes about design and waves.

1970
Bob McTavish : "Well, California again. Didn't expect it, did enjoy it..."
SURF INTERNATIONAL Vol 1 No. 6 1970? pp 8 to11.
Mat riding Rincon with George Greenough, California.
Hawaii and Sunset Beach on a Ryan Dotson Design 7'10" x 19".

1970
Captions for photographs in Tracks magazine Vol1 No 1 1970.

1971
Bob McTavish : Streaks and Slugs - Surfer Tips
SURFER Number Forty Five (Vol.No.?) December 1971? .
Discussion Pocket Rockets versus Eggs, designs and technique.

1972
Pods for Primates Part 1 : A Personal History of Surfboard Design
Tracks magazine 1972?
Reprinted in The Best of Tracks 1973?
Informative and inspirational, a major influence on this site.

1972
Pods for Primates Part 2 : A Personal History of Surfboard Design
Tracks magazine 1972?
Reprinted in The Best of Tracks 1973?
Informative and inspirational, a major influence on this site.

1976
Bob McTavish : Classic Design
Backdoor No. 12 December 1976, page 40.

1977
Bob McTavish : Spoons 1977
Surfing World Magazine Volume 24 Number 4 January-February ? 1977, pages 64 - 65.

1977
Bob McTavish : Modern Malibu
Surfer Magazine Vol 18 No.4 1977, pages 102 - 103.

1978
Bob McTavish : Ace in the Hole : The Asymmetric Story.
Seanotes magazine August/Septerber 1978 pages 38 - 39.

1980
Bob McTavish : A Decade of Design
Tracks magazine January 1980

Magazine Articles About Bob McTavish
1. Eccentrics SW
2.Interview SW 1972
3.Paul Gross : in Surfer magazine
3.Australian Surfers journal
Magazine Advertisments Featuring Bob McTavish

Film (Appearances)
Hot Generation 1968
The Inner Limits of Pure Fun 1970
From Thoms :Surf Movies

#9p Bob McTavish Tri fin, Bennett's Factory 1971