surfresearch

Introduction
Perhaps not surprisingly, given Brad Mayes clear preference for the powerful, but fluid, surfing of Nat Young, he is critical of the side-slip, surfing's latest manoeuvre (along with the search for the then elusive 360°) in this interview.
The powerful, but fluid, surfing of Nat Young is featured throughout the magazine, including the remarkable cover photograph.
Without identifying Australia's top slide-slippers, Midget Farrelly and Terry Fitzgerald, he had seen Keith Paull use it to his advantage, and it looked really good.
Brad was the son of Bondi's famous Bluey Mayes.

The side-slip was first identified (as the Fin Drop Out Stall) in 1967 by Bob McTavish in an article titled bob mctavish is in this wave.
It came to prominence during1969, as demonstrated in John Severson's Pacific Vibrations (1970) where it side-slipping was particularly well executed by Jock Sutherland.
The film also featured Steve Barger riding a fin-less Bing Auga board doing multiple 360's at Lahaina Harbour.
This also involved the production of special surfboard designs, the Side Slipper, featuring flat bottoms, down soft rails, and smaller fins; ideally with an interchangeable fin box. with an became By 1972, the Bahne system became an industry standard and flat bottoms with down soft rails had become the universal by the mid-1970s.

Despite all predictions, side-slipping would re-appear in the late 1980's initially as the Floater, credited to Mark Sainsbury, where the rider disengages the fin and slides the board across the back of the crest in an extended re-entry.
This was unthinkable in 1969 without the recovery control provided by Simon Anderson's Thruster.
Along with the development of getting-air (circa 2004), modern surfing commonly incorporates variations of the side-slip and 360° is part of many expert's repatoire.

Corky Carroll's report on the 190 Bells Beach Easter Contest is unique, unfortunately plagued by probable errors in transcription and his American spellings.
His observations on the contest are buried in collection of quotations from 1960s pop songs, including the Beatles (Good Day Sunshine, A Day in the Life, Within You, Without You), Jimi Hendrix (Third Stone from the Sun, Foxy Lady, Are You Experienced?), the Doors, and future Nobel prize winner, Bob Dylan.
Corky ascribes the lack of competitive success of Californian surfers (including himself) because Australian technique is at present at opposite poles with the U.S.
With an entry fee of $3, there was a record of 250 contestants, 160 in the open division.
The final results were 1. Nat Young, 2. Ted Spencer, 3. Baddy Treloar, 4. Mark Warren (1970 NSW Junior Champion), 5. Keith Paull.

Midget Farrelly withdrew from the contest at the quarter-finals, despite John Witzig reporting that he surfed superbly in his first two rounds.
Notable absentees were Peter Drouyn and Wayne Lynch.
International competitors included Rodney Sumpter, from England but ex-Avalon Beach, and current US champion Corky Carroll and Dru Harrison from California.
Also see:
Surf International : Bells Beach Contest, 1970.

As evidence of the change to flat bottoms,one commentator on the contest notes:
Russell Hughes had an orange board, with a bottom as flat as a punt, and most of the time it worked like a real dog - but at Winkipop it really started to sing.

Page 6

Brad Mayes Interview

S.W: What do you think is the best thing that's happened in Australian surfing?
Brad: The best thing is the short board.
I think they'll be around for a long time.
But you can't go too short.
I think under six feet is definitely too short, way out.
You can't get a flow In your turns, out of them, especially on Sydney waves.
If you're up the coast on a fast Angourie wall the short board would be O.K.

S.W: What do you try and do on a wave?
Brad I just try and force it, and get more power. I like the feeling of forcing bottom turns and surfing (n long flow¬ing arcs. Some limes I like to surf in light arcs under curls.
I think I would rather surf around the wave than up and through it.

S.W: What do you like best about surfing?
Brad: I just like the feeling of the board flowing with me.

S.W: What kind of board do you ride?
Brad: I think the board must be flat with a long planing area.
About two thirds of the board being the planing area.
You've got to have width and stability for hard cutbacks, to hold the arc.
The rails should be fairly sharp, but I don't think they should be too hard.

S.W: What kind of surfing do you like?
Brad: I think really hard surfing is good.
I like Nat, powerful but fluid.
That's the kind of surfing I enjoy and it's the kind of surfing I like to watch.
I would prefer to watch Nat than some-one side-slipping or doing 360°'s, mainly because I just don't like that kind of surfing.

S.W: Why?
Page 7

"I just want to get more power."

Brad: Because I don't think it is surfing, and a lot of other people I know think the same thing.
Lots of guys are doing it though, but I think it'll just go on for a while then die out.

S.W: So you think it can be used as a functional manoeuvre?
Brad: Yes It can.
I've seen Keith Paull use it to his advantage, and it looked really good.
Then I've seen other guys doing 360°'s and they've been losing waves.

S.W: Do you think it would be a radical manoeuvre done in the curl?
Brad: Yes it would be radical that's for sure.
But I just don't like it.

S.W: Have you tried it?
Brad: Yes.

S.W: Have you pulled it off?
Brad: No.
I haven't pulled off a 360°.

S.W: What do you think about it?
Brad: I think it is a trick.

S.W: If the slide slip can be used as a functional manoeuvre, why do you call it a trick?
Brad: I'm talking more about 360°'s.
Side-slipping can be used O.K. but I still don't like it that much.

S.W: Don't you think that the whole thing in surfing is just to have fun and if you can have fun doing 360°'s or side-slipping, or whatever - why not do it?
Why can't you just let it be?
Brad: I don't like doing tricks, if they want to do it let them do it.
If it keeps them happy doing their thing let them do it.
I just want to do my thing and it's not tricks.

S.W: What is your thing?
Brad: Just good surfing.
I think there are a lot of other things to be done besides side-slipping.

S.W: What is good surfing?
Brad: Well I've watched guys side-slipping, I've taken a lot of notice of it.
They side-slip away from the curl instead of when they should be busting up through it.
Guys have been doing this for a long time now but it still looks good.
Coming through and under the curl, and busting up through it, then turning back into it.
The guys that are slipping and sliding away from the curl and are not getting the same chance of getting into the wave.

S.W: Do you think it would be better to stay back in the wave by using a side-slip as a stalling thing to do this; or going right out of it then coming straight back in?
Brad: On a six foot wave the side-slip would be better but I don't think you could use it as well on smaller waves, because the waves just haven't got enough power.
You're forcing your board all of the time.
But anything done at the right time and in the right place is O.K.
I think if you could do everything on the one board it would be great, but to have a board just for side-slipping is out.
I think Keith Paull handles both styles of surfing very well.

S.W: What kind of surfing do you like to watch?
Brad: Nat's style.

S.W: Why?
Brad: I like the way Nat turns.
He uses power and at the same time looks good.
His timing is right ON.
There are a lot of guys I like to watch, I just don't know their names.

S.W: What would you like to be able to do on a wave?
Brad: I'd just like to get the maximum power out of the wave.
Use the best part of the wave at all times.
Be in and around the curl.
To get a lot of power out of a cutback.
To cutback and comeback over the wave, down with it, and back out under the curl.

S.W: What do you think the main advantage of a short board is?
Brad: Manoeuvrability.

S.W: What do you think is the main disadvantage?
Brad: Lack of speed in slower waves.

Page 10

Page 11

Corky Carroll
(Bells Beach Easter Open)

"I was along
I took a ride.
I didn't know what I would find there.
Another road where maybe I could see another kind of mind there!"
And there I was in the Torquay Pub on the road to Bells and then with a violet explosion in my head.
....
"Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, I need to laugh, and when the sun is out, I've got something I can laugh about.
I feel good in a special way, I'm in love and it's a sunny day!"
Thursday was right on.
Bells freaked out and showed us her smile.

"Oh strange beautiful gross of green, with your majestic silken scenes, your mysterious mountains I wish to see closer, may I land my Kinky Machine."
Eight foot speed trip full on, had fun far back and right on through.
Good vibes and saw up high in tight full trim grinning Midget get it together.
It was so good that I just had to laugh.

With a sharp note on the clock Friday morning found a contest.
It was one big square hole into which the round peg was never to go, even though a general aroma of expanding consciousness lurked about along with some other various coloured hazes.

"Come you masters of war, you builder of guns, you builders of death planes, you builders of big bombs, you that hide behind walls, you that hide behind desks, I just want you to know that I can see through your masks."

Some morning waves for early birds but where am I, number nine high tide Harvy cliffbanger slows.
It came down that my longer momentum too I had to be stelled out to stay in and I never really wanted to explain our different tracks to those people.

"I ain't looking to compete with you, beat or cheat or mistreat you.
Simplify you, classify you, deny defy, or crucify you.
All I really want to do is baby be friends with you."

Obviously we took a different trip and "Far between sundown's finish on' midnightes broken toll we ducked inside the door-way thunder crashing.
And majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds - seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing.
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight.
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight.
And for each and every underdog soldier in the night.
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing!"

You see it's long drawn out arcs that we love, and the waves went down, and speed, and the waves went bad, and flowing movements, and it was no use at all.
"While you see it your way, there's a chance that we may fall apart before not too long.
We can work It out, we can work it out!"

Mad John went down to Torquay and Zig Zags went with him and even the claw was there.
It was a good weekend for giggeling, no doubt about that!

"Come together."
What kind of vibes did you get from it Trisha?
"Amazing, bloody amazing!"

Dru slid into it and said to me "I dooked up and it destroyed my brain!"
And the contest rolled on into Monday and the waves never did make the scene but the wind did.
It could have been worse though.
Nat was on the right wave length all the way through.

"I read the news today about a man that made the grade."
We clapped for the winner and meant it.

Deeper inside the thing there were small trips blending together in a tangle of cosmic threads!
"Come gather round people whenever you roam and admit that the waters around you have grown and admit that soon you'll be drenched to the bone, if your time to you is worth saving.
Then you better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone, for the times they are a changing."

All in all a heavy venture indeed.
"All right, now listen here baby, you don't care for me, I don't-a care about that.
Gotta new fool, ha! I like It like that.
I have only one burning desire.
Let me stand next to your fire."

The Judges were Cyclops but that is the game.
"You know you are a cute little heart breaker."

Nat was great.
Ted Spencer was aggressive.
"You may be a lover, but you ain't no dancer."

We were grooving with it and it was good.
A lot of people gave us good vibrations and a few didn't.
The Australian surfing technique is at present at opposite poles with the U.S. and this may have been realized at Bells to some, while to others we were out of it.
But so much might be gained if we might try to understand.

"We were talking - about the space between us all.
And the people who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion.
Never glimpse the truth - then its far too late - when they pass away.
We were talking - about the love we all could share - when we find it - to try our best to hold it there - with our love.
With our love we could save the world, if they only knew.
Try to realize it's all within yourself - no one else can make you change.
And to see you're really only very small and life goes on within you and without you.

We were talking about the love thats gone so cold and the people who gain the world and loose their soul, they don't know, they can't see, are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself - then you may find peace of mind is waiting there - and the time will come when you see we're all one, and life flows on within you and without you.

We dug you Bells Beach!
Did you, could you, can you, or will you dig us.
"If you can just get your mind together, then come across to me.
We'll hold hands and then we'll watch the sun rise from the bottom of the sea.
BUT FIRST, ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?"

Page 14

(Unknown, Photographer?) : Contest Report

...
If pure surfing is the sign of a pure philosophy surfers are really putting out something wonderful- because the performers have never been better.
Affinity with the ocean is at an intimate level - ugly people are doing beautiful things - there is a definite and sometimes fierce affair going on between the waves and the top performers.
Like a super ardent lover making advances to a bitchy mistress.

An aggressive approach - a stormy reception - all those provocative curves and angles to be negotiated - white water trying to slap you down - but in the end somebody wins - plenty of satisfaction - but only a truce until the next encounter.
On Good Friday the breeze was still from the West and the swell was reaching out to eight feet.
The point at Bells was fair - though tending to close on in the middle section - backside Bells looked great - and Winkipop was really moving.
I moved my camera round to Winki; down towards the end section, looking back into the curl.

Nat Young

Big sets were coming every ten minutes, and though there were riders of all levels of ability in the water, and drop-ins were frequent, some guys who were waiting way outside were making it thru all sections for the kind of surfing that would stoke them for a year.

Mark Smith from Maroubra was good - Midget with all his speed faculties operating made long rides - Nat Young, tearing at the rim of the lip with his hard rails, did wrenching flat, cutting arcs, breaking his board out of ot he wave rather swooping than downward.
Russell Hughes had an orange board, with a bottom as flat as a punt, and most of the time it worked like a real dog - but at Winkipop it really started to sing.
There was something in the Winki wave that had a message for it and Russell was really wailing.
I thought back to McTavish at the same place a couple of years ago, and the righteous aspects of such meetings entered my mind.

Many good surfers look good over short and challenging pieces of a wave, but it takes an understanding between a man and his machinery to really make the whole journey on a soulful (surf?) like Winkipop.
By Friday afternoon the wind went onshore and this part of the coast puts out a miserable feeling with a sea breeze.
Perseverance kept everything alive until nightfall and John Pawson up at the Torquay pub (?) became the entrepeneur.

Page 15

Owen Yateman lead an onslaught on a vivid medely of New Orleans and Dixie favourites garanteed to accelerate the intake and turn on all the switches.

At two dollars a head the dining room was uptight with people, and loud with the clinking and and gurgling with conviviality.
Around the town and caravan park and in many other less obvious places - the annual celebration that is part of Bells was coming on home.
Saturday was a weather blast out like no other - gales and hail and rain and mud and indoor warmth.
You took your pick and played your own games.
There was still Sunday to go and though Sunday came without sun, but with a wild and bumpy sea - it action went on.
Conversations on the day previous had been deep within the folds of philosophy - mysticism, hynotism and other self revealing psychologicial hangups, turned outward to the salt water cure waves.

A kid called Hardy from Tasmania surprised most with his ability - the Queensland brotherhood of Neilsen looked smooth and controlled - Nat was fast and involved - but not as deeply involved as Ted Spencer who is moving better than ever before.
Terry Fitzgerald continues to climp upward, and despite a limited surfing background is entering the upper ranks.
Wayne Lynch was nowhere to be seen, and Pawson and Law looked as good as the best out of Victoria.
David Treloar was superb, but is still improving his consistency rating.
North Narrabeen junior Mark Warren showed his class by pulling down a top place in the open event.

One could go on thinking and talking about our surfers - so many are so good.
But still it is the tried and true pressure men that are winning thru.
In surfing as in no other sport the strange combination of youth and experience plus ability, coming together in one person pays dividens.

Easter falls in April next year, and the possibility of flawless big waves is so strong that we will all be here once again, with our hopes high and our minds open.
Midget said to me just last week that he can't wait for next November and Sunset Beach, Hawaii.
Just in case we don't make it to the Islands this year - the best we can do is to pin our hopes on Bells.
I've already booked my slot - I suggest you do the same.