The 1990’s
In the 1990’s the surfboard design started to refine a little. The longboard, which became fully accepted by the surf industry was re-launched into the market, but has been tainted with technologies and was being manufactured using much lighter materials than those used during the 50’s and 60’s. Surfboard designs also started to be directed towards certain styles of riding and certain wave types. Shapers also started to use computer software to create board templates, as mentioned before. There are plans underway to create a board making machine that will read software. The 90’s have also been a pivot point in surfing as a sport with the addition of tow in surfing. A tow in is usually required for waves that are bigger than 25 feet because the surfer is too slow to paddle into these giant waves himself.
Can’t Forget Some of the People who Made all this Happen!!!
The Kings/Queens of the waves
Duke Kahanamoku, “father of surfing,” has contributed more to the expansion of the sport than anyone else in the history of surfing. His exhibitions along the Hawaii coast and other places around the world brought surfing from the shores of Oahu to a worldwide spotlight.
Tom Blake, invented the addition of a fin to the end of a surfboard, airborne maneuvers you see today, and one of the first wind surfboards. He reduced surfboard weight by as much as 25 percent, also, revolutionized the sport and introduced aerobatic moves into the sport of surfing.
Joyce Hoffman, probably one of the most recognizable names in Women’s surfing. From 1964 – 1966, she was the top woman surfer in the world.
Bruce Brown, he will be forever remembered as the creator and narrator of Endless Summer, one of the most popular surfing documentaries of all time.
Margo Oberg, known as “the girl that surfed as good as a guy,” won 5 world titles that made her one of the top female riders in the world.
John Sverson, the founder of Surfer Magazine.
Bud Browne, brought the surf to the people with a 16mm camera for 30 years and made more than 15 surf films.
Tom Pratte, is one of the original founders of the Surfrider Foundation, an organization formed to protect the ocean for today’s surfers and for the generations to come.
Hobie Alter, his name is everywhere, on surfboards, catamarans, skateboards, and just about anything related to the ocean. He is a legend in the shaping industry. His advances in surfboard design and success in developing the first mass-produced polyurethane surfboard expanded surfing to a much larger audience.
Conclusion
Surfing is still a way of life. It has formed itself a culture. This culture is unlike no other around the world. Millions of surfers from hundreds of places use the same knowledge originated from Hawaiian roots. All of these surfers come together on the ocean and unit with the same styles, technics, and ethics. They ride the waves for the joy, thrill and be one with the ocean.
Bibliography
Http://www.surflink.com/learnsurf/history/history.html
Http://www.awezome.hypermart.net/surfinghistory.html
Http://members.iinet.net.au/~salt/make.html#shaping
Http://www.inoragnecounty.com
Http://www.surfart.com
Surfing, “Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2000
Http://ecarta.msn.com , 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation
Http://www.coffeetimes.com/surf.htm