Introduction
A selection of surfboard designs used by visiting surfers at Honolua Bay on Maui in the winter of 1976-1977.
The shortest board was Michael Ho's 6ft 5" shaped by Sam Hawk for Brewer Surfboards.
The longest was an 8ft board shaped by Tom Parrish for South African, Michael Tomson, the only board he had over seven foot that had a leash plug.
Only just gaining credence in the demanding Hawaiian conditions legropes are also in evidence on Ho's board and those of visiting Australians Mark Richards (MR) and Terry Fitzgerald, while Peter Townend (PT)'s board appears to have a plug.
The powerful waves and rocky surf-line, particularly the infamous cave, could be punishing; Lopez riding a 7ft 9" after he broke his 7ft 4" in half and Michael Ho lost 5" off his Hawk/Brewer.

Fitzgerald, and Hawaiians Gerry Lopez and Randy Rarrick rode boards shaped by themselves.
Mark Warren rode a board shaped in Australia by his longterm sponsor, Geoff McCoy

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Michael Ho

Considering the size of some of the waves he pushed himself into, Michael rode a very small board. He traveled over from the North Shore with his 6ft 5" x 18" Sam Hawk/Brewer that he's been riding off and on for the last two years. He said that it worked alright, but admitted that he had a little trouble getting into a few of the larger sets. Comments Michael on the influence of the notorious cave, "It tore five inches off my board, but I was lucky; others went home with nothing."                                                                              Mark Richards Mark used what he considers to be one of the best boards has ever owned. It's a 7ft 8" single wing pintail shaped by Reno Abellira that he's ridden during the last two very successful winters in Hawaii. Mark: "The board worked unreal. Although it was a little long, it's a super loose board - lots of tail lift and 'V'. I reckon it's a magic surfboard." Dimensions: 11 1/2" x 19 1/4" x 11 1/4"; 3" thick.

                             Terry Fitzgerald                                                                                                          Mark Warren

Terry zippered around and through the spinning barrels on a  on a 7ft 5" pintail winger that he had been riding for two months prior to his ripping performance at the Bay. It's a rather racy stick to complement his full-speed style, with its widest point measuring 19 1/4", with a 12" nose and an 11" tail. Fitz was full-on stoked over the waves he got during the two-day, calling The Bay, 'An all-time shot!" and returning two weeks later with Merkel for a repent performance. Terry related that his board had its hangups "... but I'm pretty happy with it."

To best apply his very speedy and precise approach to the long wrapping waves of The Bay, 1976 Shirmoff winner Mark Warren chose a 7ft 4" piece of homegrown equipment shaped by-fellow Australian, Geoff McCoy. Geoff, who is one of the most respected designers/shapers in Australia today, has been working Down Under with Mark for quite some time on boards designed and built for Hawaiian conditions. The Bay was a testing ground for their efforts and according to Mark the board, " ... worked extremely well. On some of the larger sets it was a faction skittish and on the smaller waves bit too long, but on the medium sets; AWOO! I was stoked that a board made in Australia (by Australians) worked on those waves." Dimensions: 11 1/4" x 19 1/4" x 11 1/4", 3 1/4" thick.

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Michael Tomson Springbok Michael; the lone-wolf representative from South Africa, was riding a warehoused Parrish eight foot from last season "... because it was the only board I had over seven foot that had a leash plug (heard about the cliffs, right?)" It's one of the functional, no frills 8ft x 19 1/4" rounded pins that came about as a result of the Hakman/Parrish alliance, but with a few subtle variances tailored to suit the aggressive, driving MT approach. Michael: "Although it went well, it isn't an ideal surfboard for The Bay. It's not a wave which demands a big board. In fact, I would have liked to have ridden a board around 7ft 6".

               Gerry Lopez                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Randy Rarrick

Gerry Lopez Gerry surfed a 7ft 9" x 18'' x 3'' diamond tail that he's had as a part of his quiver for the past year. He shaped the board himself and commented, "The board worked OK, but was a bit too long for the walls which were ten-foot, smooth, hollow and perfect. A 7ft 6" would have done the job. The 7*4" I was riding earlier in the day was fine until it broke in half."   Randy Rarrick Randy, who shapes out of Surf Line Hawaii in Honolu (when he's not out hunting waves around the world as he has been prone to do for the last five years) took over a 7ft  10" diamond tail. The board would have to be described as being very dean and functional - an outgrowth of his travels and experiences with having to adapt to so many different types of waves. Randy's thinking was basically along the same lines as Michael's, but with one slight difference: "At The Bay you don't really need much over 7ft 6". However, to out-maneuver the crowd line-up it helps."

 PeterTownend

Pulling from his fleet of polished pinkies, PT chose a 7ft 2" Safari built by renowned South African shaper, Spider Murphy. The board was shaped in July of '76 when Peter was in South Africa for the Gunston and Hang Ten events. It was a better-luck-this-time effort after his first one broke in half at Jeffrey's. The board's dimensions are 19 1/2" at the wide point, with a 12 3/4" nose and 11 1/2" tail (round diamond). Thickness: 3 1/8".  PT had nothing but praise for the board's performance - especially in the tube, because of the edges under the nose to pull into the face a trick you learn after years of surfing Kirra sand tubes. It's a hot one, definitely a score in the PT quiver. It needs a few repairs at the moment, but It will be back in action in time for the Off the Wall animal sessions." Ian Cairns, Jean-Michael Vincent and Peter Townend.