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aust. surfing kit co. : surfboard, 1965

Australian Surfing Kit Company :
How To Make Your Own Surfboard, 1965.

Extracts from
The Australian Surfing Kit Company: How to make Your Own Surfboard.
The Australian Surfing Kit Company,
6 Mount Strreet North Sydney, N.S.W.,
Box 3883 G.P.O., Sydney, N.S.W.,1965.

Introduction.
The very brief history of surfboard riding in Australia is one of the first to recognise James Cook's published account (actually by Joseph Banks) of Tahitian surfriding in 1769, before visiting Australia and the later discovery of Hawaii.
See Polynesian Surfriding uCHAPTER THREE: TAHITI 1767-1900.
The author also notes the importation of a board from Hawaii (by Charles D. Paterson, circa 1908-1910) and Australian copies, circa 1912-1913, preceeding the exhibitions by Duke Kahanamoku in 1914-1915.
See Before Duke 1890 - 1914.
Finally, the surf ski is identified as an unique Australian design of the 1920s which, although commonly credited to J. S. Crakanthorp, was originally designed by Harry McLaren at Port Macquarie, circa 1915-1922.
See A History of the Surf Ski.

Page 1

How Surfing Started
The first account of surfing recorded by a European was an eyewitness account by Capt. Cook in the "Endeavour" in 1769, before he discovered Australia.
But it was 143 years after his arrival before a surfboard found its way here. In 1912-13, Manly surfclub members made boards of their own from an imported Hawaiian board.

In 1915 the Hawaiian surfboard champion, Duke Kahanamoku, gave an exhibition at Freshwater which startled and thrilled the onlookers; from then on surfing really became accepted as a skilful form of sport.

There have been three distinct eras for surfboards:

1. The solid board, from 1912 to 1938;

2. The hollow board, from 1938 to 1956;

3. From America came the balsawood, Malibu board, fibreglass covered and fitted with a fin, from 1956 until today, when it is rapidly being superseded by the American-invented polyurethane/glass covered board.
The Malibu board weighs about 25 Ibs. against the solid board's 65-70 Ibs. and the hollow board's 45-50 Ibs.
The hollow board is still used for racing, but, although faster, it is not as easy to handle as the Malibu.

The surf-ski is 100% Australian, being designed and introduced by a Manly club member, Dr. J. S. Crackanthorp, in the early 1920's.

The Australian Surfing Kit Company:
How to make Your Own Surfboard.
The Australian Surfing Kit Company,
6 Mount Strreet North Sydney, N.S.W.,
Box 3883 G.P.O., Sydney, N.S.W.,
1965.

HOW TO MAKE OUR OWN SURFBOARD Advertisement
Surfing World Magazine
January 1965, page 35.
Image contributed, with thanks,
by Mick Mock, Manly, February 2008.

Geoff Cater (2008) : Aust. Surf Kit Co. : Make Your Own Surfboard,1963.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1963_Aust_Surf_Kit_Surfboard.html