On Quality Surfboards

[Niau]

A little odd that he'd have a shop in Pasadena, so far from a beach. Not that there aren't plenty of shops that far away, but I just think it's unusual during that period.

America's first freeway in 1940 connected Pasadena to Long Beach. The breakwater that killed the surf in Long Beach came a few years later. A couple of decades further on I saw a live presentation of Endless Summer there. Also purchased a Wardy from his brick surf shop located in an alley.

"Fred Wardy was considered by Greg Noll as “probably the best shaper of his time”

 

[Veterano]

Top shelf.

 

[Surfnfish]

From a 60's Wardy price list, an eloquent description of a surfing board.

"A surfboard is less innocent than it looks" - classic!

thanks for showing this, sure brings back memories...first custom a 9'8 Wardy, ordered two years after first paddling out at 12, saving towards it by push mowing every lawn I could in a 6 block radius at 25 cents for front, 50 cents for front and back.
Ordered from the only Wardy deal in NorCal at the time, the Bamboo Reef dive shop in SF, owned by Al Giddings who would later become the go to water photographer for films starting with Jaws..."hell, kid, you gonna take all day or you gonna fill that form out" ....staring at the order form on the counter for an hour...sweating bullets..the completed order form for a:
9'8 Wardy
T-band center stringer
outside 1/8' stringers
7 piece wood/glass tail block
two thin diagonal black racing strips with Wardy sticker in between
first generation speed fin

Vet on the money about Fred...quit shaping around 67' and moved to NY to pursue his personal art career as a painter and sculptor, opened up the first co-op art gallery in NY. Last I heard he was living in back on the west coast in Long Beach.

During a sitdown lunch with Greg Noll a decade ago, he called Wardy the finest shaper of his time, no one was surprised when he bailed on the surfboard scene ...'hell, the guy's boards were like works of art'

 

[Surfnfish]

Pasadena is/was rich with Surfing History. The Lost and Found collection was found at the Pasadena Swap Meet.
Here's the Full Movie.

link?

 

[shapewright]

thanks for showing this, sure brings back memories...first custom a 9'8 Wardy, ordered two years after first paddling out at 12, saving towards it by push mowing every lawn I could in a 6 block radius at 25 cents for front, 50 cents for front and back.
Ordered from the only Wardy deal in NorCal at the time, the Bamboo Reef dive shop in SF, owned by Al Giddings who would later become the go to water photographer for films starting with Jaws..."hell, kid, you gonna take all day or you gonna fill that form out" ....staring at the order form on the counter for an hour...sweating bullets..the completed order form for a:
9'8 Wardy
T-band center stringer
outside 1/8' stringers
7 piece wood/glass tail block
two thin diagonal black racing strips with Wardy sticker in between
first generation speed fin

Vet on the money about Fred...quit shaping around 67' and moved to NY to pursue his personal art career as a painter and sculptor, opened up the first co-op art gallery in NY. Last I heard he was living in back on the west coast in Long Beach.

During a sitdown lunch with Greg Noll a decade ago, he called Wardy the finest shaper of his time, no one was surprised when he bailed on the surfboard scene ...'hell, the guy's boards were like works of art'

Carl “Tinker” West was one of Wardy’s shapers, my Sensei who guided me to where I am today.
Quality was job one at the Wardy factory, from shaping to the gloss rail seam.

 

[Niau]

Carl “Tinker” West was one of Wardy’s shapers, my Sensei who guided me to where I am today.
Quality was job one at the Wardy factory, from shaping to the gloss rail seam.

I’ve never heard who was shaping the boards on Oahu. I own a 9’9” semi-gun from Wardy, Hawaii. A re-pigment job covered up the number and anything else that may be written on the T band stringer. I may undertake a restoration someday.

 

[shapewright]

La

I’ve never heard who was shaping the boards on Oahu. I own a 9’9” semi-gun from Wardy, Hawaii. A re-pigment job covered up the number and anything else that may be written on the T band stringer. I may undertake a restoration someday.

Larry Felker is a possibility

 

[Veterano]

Larry Felker! Now there's a blast from the past. He shaped the mini-gun(sic) I took to Islands in '68. Everyone told me; "if you want a board for the Islands, go to Larry".

 

[shapewright]

Larry Felker! Now there's a blast from the past. He shaped the mini-gun(sic) I took to Islands in '68. Everyone told me; "if you want a board for the Islands, go to Larry".

Encinitas Surfboards has an early 60’s Felker gun hanging in their showroom

 

[Surfnfish]

I’ve never heard who was shaping the boards on Oahu. I own a 9’9” semi-gun from Wardy, Hawaii. A re-pigment job covered up the number and anything else that may be written on the T band stringer. I may undertake a restoration someday.

did I meet you at the Lincoln City Surfshop outside board swap some years back, you being the guy with the heavy white pigmented Wardy gun, me being the tall guy you showed it to?