Surfer, Shaper, Flying Wing Maker; Al had done it all...
06/26/1916-02/09/2006 89
original hollow board construction
Dad was one of the original hollow board surfers on the California coast and of course made his own board. He continued the practice of designing, shaping, and riding his own creations till shortly before he joined the riders in the sky.
Dad liked to call his wet suite a red tailed baboon outfit. I preferred, calling him the red tailed ape. The board he is using here is his own design, has an almost flat top with 3.5 in of spoon in the front - just for fun he made it thick to see how it would ride. His designs included multi-fin swallow tailed concave on and off fin, and board leashes long before they were made commercially. He rode till his late 70's, mainly at Gladstone's{Sunset}, Topanga, and Point Dume.
Al's Red Tailed Ape Stance on a 6 footer off Gladstone's on the PCH.
