| Item Summary | Chapter 38: Surf
OG Surf: Surfing is an old sport. It has been an important part of Hawaiian culture for hundreds of years, practiced long before the first wetsuit was donned or any sponsorship money was paid out. And while we will never be able to directly applaud the true originator—the first person to stand up on an opportunely shaped slab of driftwood—there are a few known pioneers to whom we can pay homage. One of these men is Walter Hoffman. An original big-wave charger, influential board builder, and surf-inspired textile innovator,Walter's contribution to surf culture cannot be overstated. As father to Dibi Fletcher and Joyce Hoffman, father-in-law to Herbie Fletcher, and grandfather to Christian and Nathan Fletcher, Walter has been generous in passing his gifts down to his family, whether by nature or nurture.
Modern Style Masters: High-performance surfing in the early '60s was all about smooth and stylish longboarding. Standing on the nose and hanging ten, making it look effortless. Drop-knee turn under a small section to run back up to the tip and squat into a cheater five. This was the time of the Pavilion on the pier in Huntington Beach, where small bands like Ike and Tina Turner, Dick Dale, and Stevie Wonder used to play while lowriders from Long Beach were cruising Coast Highway out in front. The outside world was being spoonfed the music of the Beach Boys, which they were led to believe was the anthem of the California surf culture.
High Performance: Alex Knost is from the new generation of longboard surfers. He's not like the '60s style masters, but something more along the lines of Popeye-meets-beatnik, with his anchor tattoos and band, Japanese Motors. 92 While surfing, he still strikes a pose, but it's backwards—hanging heels, arms extended perfectly out to the sides. It blew my mind when I was riding behind him and got that image: "Christ Heels." He surfs like he's on stage, holding the mic, dancing down the line, abstract moves hooked together to create a completely new and unique performance. | | Front: | Back: |  |  |
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