Today we close 2022. A few significant happenings of this year for me as they come to mind…

My former partner “Blinky” being inducted into the Surfboard Builders Hall of fame. https://drsurfboards.blogspot.com/2022/10/

The passing of one of the big time surfboard shaper / designers the I had the pleasure of working for “Dick Brewer” https://drsurfboards.blogspot.com/2022/06/

I first got interested in surfing some 60 years ago. Plenty had happened in surfing before then, but at that the surfing industry was quite young…. So was I for that matter at 12 years old. We all have individuals we look up to in the surfing world and for me having years in surfing and surfboards I’m seeing a number of the individuals I looked up to sadly passing away.

Surfers Journal has a short video memorial of those that have left us this past year….

https://www.surfersjournal.com/editorial/passings-2022/ A lot of people in there and maybe a couple you might have looked up to.

I have always used Fins Unlimited fins and the “Bahne Fin Box” for decades of course. Bob Bahne is one in the video that I’d heard of passing just this month. Kemp Aaberg is listed, I didn’t know he had passed. Kemp was well known in the sixties in surfing. Seen in the early surf films and in pictures in Surfer Magazine. I didn’t know kemp but looked up to him and introduced myself to him at this event https://drsurfboards.blogspot.com/2007/05/book-signing.html. Then one summer day I was getting out of the water at inside point just as Kemp was coming down the stairs for a go out. Me just like a little kid seeing someone famous I had to stop him and strike up a conversation. I’ll always remember that.

Also in the video was Peter Cole. I didn’t know him but of course knew of. He was a key figure in surfing when I was growing up. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/hi/hawaii/surfing/2022/02/22/big-wave-surfer-peter-cole-dies-at-age-91

As for surfing in 2022 I’d say it was an ok year. I didn’t get in the water as much as I’d have like to. Seemed to not have enough time with the number of boards to make on my list. So, looking forward to hopefully getting more surf in this new year. We’ve been having a consistent string of swells for the past several weeks which might continue.

Also, I hope to make myself a new board. The model I call the DR Wing Nose. One of 3 boards I need in my quiver but haven’t gotten to yet.  Yeah, new boards are always good to look forward to. 

Happy New Year!

D.R.