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surfer : nat young

Nat Young
(Robert 'Nat' 'Young, originally 'Gnat', later 'The Animal' )
1947 -

Nat Young: Sunset Beach sequence, 1969.
Surfer, Volume 14 Number 3 page74, September 1973. Photo:Stoner

Catalogue Entries:
Home: Collaroy, Sydney
Beach : Collaroy, Sydney
Competitive Record
World Champion 1966, World Longboard Campion,
Surfing
surfer, shaper, author, filmmaker, windsurfer,
Other
politician, model, skier/snowboarder,

REFERENCES
Books
As at 2010, Nat Young has published more surfing books than any other surfer.

NAT YOUNG SURFBOARDS:

Magazines

Film
Fall Line 198?
The History of Australian Surfing 199?
Film (Appearances)
From Thoms :Surf Movies, above.

#69p Nat Young/Keyo Tracker, Malibu Mid-late
1968

Robert Young struggles to bring his board inside this curl at Wattego's.

John Witzig: Byron Bay.
Surfing World
Volume 2 Number 1, March 1963, page 7.

Nat and Midget.

The Bulletin, 1963.

Nat Wins Paddle Race, Sydney Harbour.

Daily Telegraph, 1965.

Sydney surfer Nat Young
shows the style that has made him
a world surfboard champion.

JUST GIVE NAT THE SIMPLE SURFARI LIFE
Australian Women's Weekly
Wednesday 27 May 1964, page 25.

Nat surrounded by some of the trophies
he has won.
He bought the llama-skin rug in Peru,
where he recently won a world surfing
title and was runner-up in another.

Nat Young, Bottom-turn, 1965.
Surfabout v2 n10 1965

Nat Young, The Kick, Collaroy, 1965.

Incorrectly accredited as Sam- first surf in Nat's Nat.

Nat Young and Model,
Promotional photograph for White Stag Wetsuits, 1965.
Union Jack representing the

Nat Young and Sam
World Contest, October 1966.

Nat and Sam - pre-contest training, Santa Barbara.

Nat's First Heat, Round 1, World Contest, 1966.

Nat Young hangs five on his way to winning the World Championship.
Here he is winning his first heat on the first day. The second day he tied up the championship, tough two days were remaining.
Photograph by Richard Graham, Onley and Graham: Kings of the Surf, New York, 1969, page 105

*World Contest Round 2, 1966.*	*Cut back, World Contest Round 2, 1966.*
Surfer January 1967 Volume 7 Number 6 Photographs by Ron Stoner Page 43 *Robert 'Nat' Young and ?*	White Stag Wetsuits, Portland Oregon.

John Witzig : We're Tops Now Surfer , May 1967. Page 47	**Here's the 'in-the-pocket' style of Australian 'Nat' Young, World Surfing Champion. Photos by John Witzig.**
Pages 48-49	Cover Shot (detail)

Nat Young, Australian Titles, Bells Beach, 1967.

Nat Young, Long Reef, 1967.

Nat Young rides his v-bottom over another surfer while Fred Van Dyke looks on, Haleiwa, 1967. Nat Young surf gear by Speedo Surf shorts with Velcro fly, draining wax pocket and T-shirts to match. Surfing World, October 1967 Volume 9 Number 5 page 44.
	Nat Young, Honolua Bay, 1967. Photos: John Witzig. Six Nats: Surfer Volume 9 Number 3 July 1968 (Warhol)

1968 Australian Championships, Sydney

Nat, Long Reef?
EB (Everybody's Magazine)
12th June, 1968.
Surfboard Champ's

1968 Color Souvenir.

Midget and Nat.
Photograph by Albert Falzon.
Surfing World
Volume 10 Number 6, page 41,1968.

Keyo Surfboards
Surf International
Volume 1 Number 10 page 47,
October 1968.

Nat Young, Youngblood, and
Keyo Tracker, 1968.

Nay Young, 1968 Australian titles.

Surf International
Volume 1 Number 7 page 8.
June 1968.

Nat Young riding a Tracker, Sydney-France? 1968.

Surf International
Volume 1 Number 11, page 15.
See.

Nat Young,
Weber-Young Ski,
Peurto Rico, 1968,

Surfer Volume 10 Number 1
March 1969.
Photo: Singletary

Surf International
Volume 2, Number 1, page 23
January 1969.
Photo: Witzig

	Nat Young and Jock Sutherland, Sunset Beach, December 1968. Photo: Leroy Grannis. *Nat Young, Sunset Beach, circa 1968.* Photo: Stoner
Nat *Young*, Sunset Beach, 1969. Photo: MacGillivray	Surfer Magazine Full Color Mural #33: Nat Young at Sunset Beach ($2.00 in 1970) *Nat Young Cutback, Sunset Beach, circa 1968.* Photo: Stoner
*Nat Young, Halewai, circa 1968.* *Nat* *Young Cut-Back, Haleiwa,* 1968.** Photos: Stoner	Surfer Volume 10 Number 3 July 1969.
Nat Young and Terry Fitzgerald, Pupukea, December 1968. Photo: Ron Stoner. Nat Young, Hawaii, winter 1968-1969. Photographs from a Weber Surfboards advertisement for Nat's Ski, 1969.

One of two boards shaped for Nat by Harold Iggy for the winter of 1968-1969.

Advertisement for the Ski,
by Weber Surfboards.
Surfer v10 n3 1969 July

Surfer Poll 1968: 1st Nat Young

Nat Young, France, 1968.
Surfer v9 n6 1969 January

Keyo Surfboards: Nat Young, 1969-1970.

Keyo Surfboards: Nat Young
Surfing World v13 n4 1970.

1969 Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Classic
Haliewa, Sunset Beach Hawaii
1st Joey Cabell (H).
No time element (?), movable contest site and 24 invited competitors.
Scheduled to start on the 17th December, the contestants stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, plus an expense account.
The contest started the next day, 18th December, at Haliewa with a 12-15 foot north swell.
Nat Young and Midget Farrelly were invitees.

Nat jams a cutback.

Surfing World
Volume 12 Number 1.
Story by Randy Rarick.
Photos by Peter French.

Hawaii, Winter 1969.

Page 55- Nat Young : Sunset Beach

Surfer v10 n6 1970 Jan

Page 66- Nat Young : Haleiwa

Nat Young, Australian Titles, Narrabeen, 1970.

Nat Young,
Weber / Nat Young Surf Design Decals
World Contest, Bells Beach, Victoria. 1970
Photo: Drew Kampion
Kampion: The Way of the Surfer (2003) page 72.

Nat Young with Pintail,
Skydog and Backhand
Square Tail, circa 1971
Photo: Albert Falzon
Originally published in
Tracks magazine
???

Nat Young and Pintail, Lennox Head, circa 1973.

Photograph : Ian Steed
Tracks Poster Book, circa 1975.

Of the many photographs illustrating Nat's cut-backs, this is probably one of the best.

Total commitment to a complete change of direction, under full control, at maximum speed.

SURFER Volume 10 Number 1March 1969
Nat Young article PEOPLE at the Puerto Rico WORLD CONTEST, page 52.
Add for the Weber-Young Ski
Also World Contest Facts and Figures article:
HAWAII AND AUSTRALIA TIE IN WORLD CONTEST But Australia Wins On Extra Digits, page 60.
Note Surfing Hdrodynamics Part II by Tery N???, page 80.

Nat Young, Hawaii, winter 1968-1969.

Photographs from a Weber Surfboards advertisement for Nat's Ski, 1969.

The text, reformated, appears below.

THE SKI, a symmetric waterfoil of perpetual motion. Australian inspired for clean water flow blending natural continuous curves. Turbulence, resistance, release, lift, friction drag, pressure drag, all the principles of hydrodynamics have been applied. A clean form with the width and thickness forward, rounded tail, extra planing surface, oval rail. S deck, with no straight lines, spots, or sections anywhere in the board. The Ski is a combination of curves working together to produce the total effect. An outline, bottom line, rail line, and deck line blending and complimenting each other.

A CLEAR OUTLINE with width and thickness slightly forward of half from which all lines are drawn in continuous flowing curves in all directions. With the widest part also being the thickest, and by placing this area forward of half, the balance is correct, stability is gained, and there is less drag. The outline tapers from this area aft to a low area tail section with a rounded tail. A rounded tail, slightly pointed where the two template curves, right and left. meet. A tail that will never catch, that can be rolled from side to side effortlessly. The Ski outline is a blend of natural curves, soft and clean.

THE SOFT, OVAL SKI RAIL is egg shape with an edge. High in the nose, tapering to 50/50 in the widest and thickest part of the board, and tapering from there to 3/4 in the tail. The rail edge, where the curve from the deck and bottom meet, is important in picking a direction, carving a line, and clean water release. Water from the deck and bottom meet evenly, air is not trapped, and turbulence is kept at a minimum. The Ski rail is a continuous curve blending softly with the deck and bottom line.

THE BOTTOM LINE relates closely to the rail, the two work together. The bottom is gradually curved lengthwise, dropping smoothly in the nose to meet the lift in the deck. Eighteen inches back from the nose there is a slight lengthwise curve to the tail, but this area, the center 12" is flat across except for the natural curvature in the meeting of the bottom and rail line, making 3/4 of the board a running surface. A relatively flat surface on the water, more planing area, and increased speed. A rail to rail curvature in the 18" nose section gives the nose a high rail line. The lifted nose breaks up small parts of chop so that by the time it hits the planing surface, the chop is broken down, minimized, and the running surface can do its job accelerating.

THE DECK LINE of The Ski has more noticeable curve than any other part of the board with its "S" deck. The deck, using soft gradual curves, tapers in the shape of an "S" to meet the bottom line to the tail. It is high in the nose, dropping to a low section, rising in the widest and thickest part of the board, and from there slowly and evenly tapering down again all the way to the tail. The deck, rail to rail is crowned with the roll in the deck tapering to an even rail. Combining the "S" and the crown, the thickness for flotation can be obtained without hurting the maneuverability of the board and you retain a responsive rail. Again, the deck is a blend of natural curves.

THE SKI, like all Weber boards, is a form to communicate. A form that will follow with never a hint of catching a rail, a form that will drive through the lip and down into it again, hold the turn still later, pull it on and aim for that pocket.

If further technical information is desired feel free to write to our design consultants: Nat Young, Dewey Weber, Harold Iggy, Mike Tabeling

SURFER Volume 10 Number 4 September 1969
Nat Young article Aminal On, Animal Out, page 78.
Compare and contrast with
Dick Brewer's Surf Clean, Shape Clean, page 86.
Double page add Animal Tracks for Weber surfboards, Nat backhand with added S-turn track.

Nat Young, Weber,
Haleiwa, 1969,
Photograph : Ron Stoner
George : 40 Years of Surfer, page 45

Nat Young Sam Decal. circa 1986.
Mike Davis Surfboards- Malibu designs, Dinosaur decal: Sam- An Old Friend

George Greenough and Nat Young
Crystal Voyager Still
Tracks, September, 1973.

Nat Young Surf Design, circa 1971.
Bennett Surfboards.
Photograph at Sydney Surf Auction,
Harbord Diggers Club,
22nd September 2007.
Thanks to Mick Mock.

1973?, decal thanks to Snazzy, June 2019.

*Nat Young Surf Design: Backdoor October 1977.*	*Lady and Flower (Nat Young Surf Design), circa 1975.*	*Handshaped by Nat Young, circa 1979.* *(Nat Young's) Fall Line, circa 1985.* Decal contributed by Daniel, November 2011.
Nat Young's Fall Line Surf and Ski 129 Pittwater Road Mona Vale Cnr, Burwood and Punchbowl Roads, Belfield	Nat Young Surf Design 6ft 3-4" Pin-tail with fin box, Number 87. The original owner, Phil, reported that he was present at the Energy factory in Brookvale board when Nat Young shaped board number #87. He also noted that the board is marked as 6'4", even though it actually measures 6'3". This might suggest that 6ft 4" was the bottom length?

Rip Curl - Born at Bells
The 1981 Bells Contest, A True Classic
Surfing World
July 1981
Volume 30 Number 2 Number 184.

Photos: Aitionn, Channon,Spence
Warren Powell
Nat and Wayne
Rabbit
Peter Harris
Cheyne Horan
Tom Carroll
Nat Young

Nat riding a wave at Bells Beach so large
that the crest is cropped out of the photograph.

Nat's Nat, 1998, pages 40-41.

When I actually thought about it, I didn't even know where his home beach was, all I knew about my hero was that he came from the Dee Why - Freshwater area and that he was the best surfer in the world.
How many times had I watched him as he slid through Collaroy in his previous car, a beige single-spinner Ford, usually on his own but sometimes with his girlfriend Tanya Binning by his side.
A few years later, we all saw some sexy beach shots of Tanya in a European film called Mondo Carne.
She was a pretty competent surfer but it was her long blonde hair, height and striking smile that were most memorable.
Henry and I once stumbled on them making out in the back seat of Midget's car at Ma Browns, a secluded beach near Long Reef.
We couldn't see much but it was enough, Midget had the style of a champion.

Surfing Magazine Covers : Nat Young

Surfing World v3 n5 1964 Jan		*International Surfing* Vol 1 #1, December 1964. 1964 US Championship Issue Cover : Nat Young. Photograph by ?
	Surfing World v8 n1 1966 Jul-Aug	Surfing World v8 n4 1966 [Dec]
Surfabout v3 n4 1966	Surfabout v3 n7 1966	International Surfing 1967 Dec
Surfer v7n6 1967 January
Surfer v8 n2 1967 May	Surfing World v9 n1 1967 April	Surfing World v9 n4 1967 Aug
Surfer v9 n4 1968 Sept	Surf International v1 n4	Surfer v9 n6 1969 January
Surfing World v14 n 1 1970	Nat Young, Angourie. Photograph: John Witzig
*Surf International* v2 n4 1969 Nat Young and friend, Bells Beach.	Tracks n4 1971 January Folded cover	Surfer v10 n3 1969 July

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Geoff Cater (2004-2022) : Surfer : Nat Young.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/sNat_Young.html