© 2012 California Surf Museum
New Exhibit
"Transitional Thinking:
A Short Story 1966-1972"
The change in 1966 was sudden. It happened in our culture -- in art and music and film. We were taking
a different look at the world -- and we took a different look at how we wanted to surf. This sudden
change in thinking made surfers reassess everything they knew about surfing.
CSM will present the story of surfing's most radical change in thought -- going to the very core of
surfing's esthetic and design -- shown on the back drop of the cultural upheaval of the time.
With big wood boards (pre-1940), surfing had been all about riding straight to beach; then it progressed
to turning and trimming and going faster (the Hot Curl, Malibu Chip, Velzy Pig and Classic Longboards).
However, in the mid-1960s, George Greenough's kneeboarding style -- using more of the wave face and
curl in his ride -- caught the attention of Australians Nat Young and Bob McTavish, and made them think
about how they could make surfboards perform the same way.
Over the next few years, average board length literally shrank by 3 feet and boards lost 15 pounds in
weight. These sleek new designs changed the sport of surfing forever.
In America and Australia, young men came back from serving in Vietnam, only to find a very different
surf world from the one they left. The times, they were a'changin'...
California Surf Museum's latest exhibit
"Clay to Urethane: Skateboard Transitions 1965-75"
New Exhibit:
Clay to Urethane:
Skateboard Transitions 1965-1975
It started with metal roller skate wheels until the mid-60s, then the ride was clay,
which was heaven. After years of raw elbows and knees, in the 70s Cadillac
urethane wheels brought a smooth ride to skateboarding. Then came Bahne,
Bennett and Tracker Trucks, and stability was added to the skateboard. In 1975,
the skateboard built with urethane wheels and high quality skateboarding trucks
became a quality sporting good item, not just a toy.
I worked with Dale Smith on the skateboard exhibit "Clay to Urethane:
Skateboard Transitions 1965-1975." It focuses on the companies that bridged
that gap. There are photos of Skitch, Logan, Torger, Tommy Ryan, Turners,
Nasworthy, Bahnes, the Z-Boys, Shufly, Skoldberg, Lance Smith, Yandall,
Dominy and more -- and even some video.
The skate exhibit mirrors the feature surfboard exhibit, "Transitional Thinking: A
Short Story 1966-1972" which chronicles the transition from long to short
surfboards.
Come, hang out, and support the California Surf Museum! Maybe I will see you
there!
-- Larry Balma
