Bob McTavish
Bob McTavish (born 1944) is an Australian surfboard designer and member of the surfing hall of fame.
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Bob McTavish | |
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Born | 1944 (age 79–80) |
Nationality | Australian |
Overview
[edit]Bob McTavish is an Australian surfboard designer who is often credited with the invention of the V-bottom surfboard and was one of a number of pioneering surfer/shapers considered instrumental in the development of shortboard surfing.[1][2] It has been suggested that without his contributions, the revolutionary nature of shortboard surfing wouldn't have been as effective.[3]
Early life
[edit]Born in Mackay, Queensland in 1944, McTavish began surfing at the age of twelve.[4] He dropped out of school at 15, and moved to Sydney.[5] In 1963 McTavish famously stowed away in an ocean liner bound for Hawaii.[6] He spent 5 weeks in Hawaii before being deported.[7]
In the 1970s, McTavish became a Jehovah’s Witness.[8]
Surfing
[edit]McTavish began surfing on a 16-foot (4.8m) plywood paddleboard.[9]
McTavish won the Qld State titles in 1964-66 and finished third in the Nationals behind Midget Farrelly and Nat Young, after which he abandoned competitive surfing.[10] McTavish was a dynamic surfer eschewing the longboard style of surfing that was dominant at the time.[11]
Shaping
[edit]McTavish was voted the most influential shaper of all time by Australia’s Surfing Life magazine in 1992.[12]
From 1961 onwards McTavish worked for surfboard labels including Scott Dillon, Dale, Hayden, Bob Davie, Morey-Pope, Keyo and Cord. He worked alongside the Australian foam-core innovator Barry Bennett at his factory in Brookvale in 1972.[13]
Meanwhile, he was developing his eponymous brand, 'McTavish'. His 1972 model, the 'Bluebird', has been described as the world's first production short-board, resulting in thousands being produced until 1979.[14]
In 1989 McTavish introduced Pro Circuit boards, which created machine-moulded replicas of the boards ridden by professional surfers.[15]
In the mid-1990s McTavish began producing 'Big M' longboards, which have a factory and retail operation in Byron Bay.[16]
McTavish was the inaugural recipient of the FCS Legend Shaper Award.[17]
Short Board Revolution
[edit]It is the generally accepted view that McTavish, influenced by California kneeboarder George Greenough, was responsible for starting the shortboard revolution with the development of the short, wide-tailed vee-bottom design of surfboard in 1966.[18]
The vee-bottom design allowed surfers to go up the face of a wave rather than simply race away from a breaking curl.[19]
Controversy
[edit]Hawaiian Dick Brewer claims the vee-bottom design originated with him in Hawaii.[20]
Midget Farrelly claimed he shaped a vee-bottom prior to McTavish, however McTavish's central role in the shortboard revolution is acknowledged by the American surfers Greg Noll, Skip Frye and Mike Hynson.[21]
Publications
[edit]Bob Mctavish (2009), Stoked!. Hyams Publishing. ISBN 978-097-757-986-0
Bob Mctavish (2013), More Stoked!. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-073-229-676-6
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Handmade_surfboard_%28Unsplash%29.jpg/220px-Handmade_surfboard_%28Unsplash%29.jpg)
References
[edit]- ^ Matt Warshaw, The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Mariner Books (7 November 2005), pg 376 ISBN 0-15-603251-1
- ^ Taylor, John (2 March 2010). "Surf wars - the short board battle". 7.30 Report. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Sydney. ProQuest 190363993.
- ^ "History Of Surfing Innovation Part 5 - Disrupt Surfing". Disrupt Surfing. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Revealing the long and short of surfing history". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Bob McTavish". Tracks. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ Carroll, Nick (17 July 2022). "Barry Bennett, 1931-2022: The quiet king of foam, and his life and times". Surfline. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ Australia, F. C. S. "FCS Shaper Awards 'The Legend' Bob McTavish". FCS Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ Warshaw, Matt (2005). The encyclopedia of surfing (1st Harvest ed., 2005 ed.). Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt. ISBN 0-15-603251-1. OCLC 63042216.
- ^ Murphy, Damien (8 May 2010). "Wave of nostalgia swells feud". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Revealing the long and short of surfing history". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ Murphy, Damien (8 May 2010). "Wave of nostalgia swells feud". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
External links
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