HISTORY

Beau Day partying like it was 1999 from leekelly.tv on Vimeo.

Around 1990 Shark Island was a melting pot of high energy bodyboarding. On any given swell there was a hand-full of young riders who were pushing one another to go deeper and deeper. Names like Doug Robson, Youngy, Nugget, Dave Ballard and Wazza were redefining one of the worlds heaviest slabs that was purely suited to bodyboarding. Among this gifted crew was also Matt Percy in the pic below. Perce was the Black Knight of the sport in Oz  who started a movement to avoid competions held in crappy beach breaks. Photo Stroh Circa 90′s.

1980′S Manta Silencer 43″  with crecent tail and white slick bottom.

Mike Stewart and Keith Sasaki competing in Rio De Janairo in 1988 photo by Fernando Martin

Original vintage OWEN CHURCHILL swim fins.  These are some of the first pairs to come out of the plant in Los Angeles.

Patti Serrano is one of the unsung heroes of the sport of bodyboarding . Patti was the first  contest organizer, promoter, a mag editor and was there at the very beginning of bodyboardings humble beginnings. Heres just a brief insight into a life of incredible dedication of the sport. Below photo of Patti late 70′s during beach promotion.

Tom Morey and Patti met on the island of Kauai, Hawaii in 1970. “He used to come into my Health Food Bakery after surfing sessions” Patti remembers.Tom eventually moved to the mainland at Carslbad where he and Patti reunited when he was starting the Boogie Board company in 76 . Patti’s sister, Debbie Colwell (now of Custom X fame) and Patti began working for Tom in the factory. Patti’s early role was to just answer the phones, but Tom wanted her to take ove a marketing role by seeing accounts and selling. Patti went into promoting events with the shops as sponsors

The first comps were just Patti and 30 boards, a string of flags to rope off the area. Her goal was to introduce people to the “Boogie Board”.

The first compettion arena was the Western Boogie Association where many of the first Pros were launched. Names like Mike Lambresi, Tony Prince, Scott Evans and Roger Waller became the first Hot shots” and earned rewards like travelling to out of state events with me as the PRO Ambassadors.

Patti  went on to publish BIM - Bodyboarder International Magazine and Hard Core Bodyboarder Magazine (a newsprint pub) It became the mainstream mag after Western Empires BODYBOARDER mag folded in 1991. Patti wanted a mag that was published by bodyboarders. People like Pat Caldwell, Jay Reale and Regina Monetti helped create a mag for the masses.A few years later, Patti created the BIA - Bodyboarder International Association.

 Patti believes Tom Morey is the most inspiration surfer/inventor of all time. Never has anyone introduced more people to the ocean. And, that is of all ages. He is considered a genius and very “spacey” (in a good way)! He has created other products and today is in a jazz band playing the drums in Dana Point, California. (2012)

 “ In my wildest dreams I would have never thought the sport would get this big. Sometimes I stand out over the Pier and see all the boards on the beach and in the water and it is just really hard to wrap my head around the popularity. I feel so blessed to be an early pioneer of the sport.” Patti said.

Above Patti talking up the Morey Boogie at Cocoa Beach Pier. circa 1979

PODCAST:   http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/36729 < some historical interviews

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