Former Nedlands surfer Dave Beamish passed away Thursday 26 October 2017 from cancer on the East Coast.
Tony Beamish (Dave’s brother) – What can you say about your big brother who you loved and looked up to so much?
Although he described each surfing manoeuvre to the smallest detail I was always an attentive listener and picked up some great tips.
We use to surf together a lot in the 60’s and 70’s and I would have to be the spotter, as I could see, he couldn’t see more than about 10 meters, the call would come “ out the back” and he would scramble towards me, he was always sitting inside the break, so he could see the waves breaking.
He became very keen on golf while still surfing over the last 20 years, same dedication of how the game is to be played, more in depth analysis. More tips for me as I play to about an 18 handicap and needed the tips. His love for surfing, golf, car racing were intensive but nothing matched the love he had for his wife Mary. She was his soul mate and they were the happiest couple ever. He deserved that after some years that were emotionally tough for him.
I’m going to miss him greatly, rest in peace my big brother it’s a better place for him now than where he was.
Photo: 1960s young Dave Beamish at a Ball. Photo courtesy of Tony Beamish.
Geoff Berry NSW – Dave was an original member of the City Beach Surf Riders club and was a regular “down south surfer” in the 60’s 70’s.I understand his surfing mate Keith Campbell invented the “winged keel” in the 1960’s before Ben Lexcen!
Keith Campbell – Dave was my surfing buddy. I have great memories of his company at the best surfing spots.
The winged keel in the following photo was mass produced in plastic and was based on Ben Lexcen’ s America’s Cup keel used by Cheyne Horan in about 1983-4.
I did a version of this with fibreglass aerofoil wings slightly tilted down to the front of the board about 40mm outstand and 150mm long, each side of a normal fin back in 1966-7 when I did some designs for Peter Hawke at Hawke Surfboards, Osborne Park.
Photo: 1980 Dave Beamish with his “winged keel” surfboard at Cottesloe. Photo courtesy of Geoff Berry.
Peter ‘Spook’ Bothwell – Sorry to hear about Dave, he lived with us in Subiaco before his marriage to Janet Waddell, Mark’s sister.
Dave was an impressive surfer who did everything with style. Along with the best other home grown surfers from City Beach Terry Jacks and Keith Campbell they could surf as good anyone anywhere – mentors too many.
I have an instant memory of Dave standing upright in the tube at Cottesloe whilst I was paddling out, can remember thinking “how did he do that”.
Recently I went paddle boarding with Bazz Day at Halls head. The last time I went there was with Dave Beamish (he was of work and I waged school) in 1963 or 64. I remember him saying it reminded him of Byron Bay. I checked it over the years when passing on a big swell and have never seen it like that again.
When I won the ‘68 open men’s, Dave knew I was interested in board design and introduced me to Bob Gardiner (West-Coast) and the three of us designed a board which Bob made and I took to the ‘68 Australians. My recollections are he made one for Dave as well.
He was also in ‘69 a part of Craig Brent-Whites Sand n Sea team.
Dave was a terrific person, a meteorologist and a race car driver.
Image: 1966 Dave Beamish competing in State Spring/Winter Titles held at Scarborough. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
Ron Moss – This is very sad. Dave was an original City Beach surfer. His brother Tony was also a member of the City Beach board club.
He lived in Nedlands……the same street as Eleanor Proud. Dave lived behind me in Nedlands and we had some great talks over the back fence.
Dave was very interested in cars and used to race them.
Image: 1983 Dave Beamish competing Claremont Speedway. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
Tom Blaxell – Very sad news. What a top bloke. I always remember he had very poor eyesight but it didn’t stop him being a great surfer. I seem to remember a pic of him on the front page of the West, in the early days at Yalls doing a big sweeping bottom turn, feeling his way around with his hand on the water. Something I like to do now, when I can…
Image: 1967 Dave Beamish competing in State Titles Yalls. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
Mauro Ronzan – So many memories of surfing and partying at Dave’s place, especially at one rather dangerous cocktail party.
I will post a tribute photo in Surfin Perth on FB if anyone has any details that would be most appreciated.
The following photo of the group was taken for the Sunday Times in the early 80’s.
Sadly missed.
Photo: 1980 Group photo of Dave and his Cottesloe surfing mates courtesy of Geoff Berry.
L-R Dave Beamish, Keith Campbell, Paul ‘The Bear’ Brampton, Evan Ramsden, Mauro Ronzan and Bill Lockhart.
John Stevens – Shocked to read death notice for Dave “Beams” Beamish in the paper, it was put in by veteran surfer Keith Campbell.
Dave and I and David Allen were very close and used to go surfing together regularly during the week. He used to work at Perth airport and his Dad was a pilot with MMA airlines. I was told a few years ago that Dave was now living in Byron.
He was one of the best surfers of the time and a legend then, at least I thought so!
He surfed with me and Dave Allen and never had any problems with our limited ability.
Dave Aylett – Sad to hear Dave’s no longer with us. I remember him to be an intelligent true gentle man and always with a smile.
Stewart Bettenay –I remember Dave in the late 60s surfing Trigg Point. It’s a sad reminder that we all don’t go on forever and to make the most of every day!
Jim King – Dave was a talented surfer and a good waterman. In the mid 60s he told me Yalls was a right hander back when everyone went left at Yalls. He used to talk about his poor eye sight in the line-up, but still caught the best set waves. Dave also raced cars and did very well for a bloke with poor eye sight!
Brian Cleaver – That is very sad news as I knew Dave reasonably well in my very early days of surfing at City Beach.
Errol Considine –I remember when I first started surfing and ventured to Cottesloe, Dave was the King of the Cove ….he used to take off way deeper than anybody else on the right and I can remember his cool and stylish nose riding …. he was one of the guns in Cottesloe waves.…his younger brother Tony was a good surfer too.
Dave was friendly and helpful to us Scabs groms, even though he was a ‘gun’ in those very early days at Cove.
From memory, Dave was a forecaster at the Weather Bureau and worked a lot of night shifts so he could surf during the day.
Photo: 1980s Dave Beamish in his 40s relaxing at home. Photo courtesy of Tony Beamish.
Many thanks to Tony Beamish WA and Geoff Berry NSW for sharing their photos of Dave.
Former Nedlands surfer Dave Beamish passed away Thursday 26 October 2017 from cancer on the East Coast.
Tony Beamish (Dave’s brother) – What can you say about your big brother who you loved and looked up to so much?
Although he described each surfing manoeuvre to the smallest detail I was always an attentive listener and picked up some great tips.
We use to surf together a lot in the 60’s and 70’s and I would have to be the spotter, as I could see, he couldn’t see more than about 10 meters, the call would come “ out the back” and he would scramble towards me, he was always sitting inside the break, so he could see the waves breaking.
He became very keen on golf while still surfing over the last 20 years, same dedication of how the game is to be played, more in depth analysis. More tips for me as I play to about an 18 handicap and needed the tips. His love for surfing, golf, car racing were intensive but nothing matched the love he had for his wife Mary. She was his soul mate and they were the happiest couple ever. He deserved that after some years that were emotionally tough for him.
I’m going to miss him greatly, rest in peace my big brother it’s a better place for him now than where he was.
Photo: 1960s young Dave Beamish at a Ball. Photo courtesy of Tony Beamish.
Geoff Berry NSW – Dave was an original member of the City Beach Surf Riders club and was a regular “down south surfer” in the 60’s 70’s. I understand his surfing mate Keith Campbell invented the “winged keel” in the 1960’s before Ben Lexcen!
Keith Campbell – Dave was my surfing buddy. I have great memories of his company at the best surfing spots.
The winged keel in the following photo was mass produced in plastic and was based on Ben Lexcen’ s America’s Cup keel used by Cheyne Horan in about 1983-4.
I did a version of this with fibreglass aerofoil wings slightly tilted down to the front of the board about 40mm outstand and 150mm long, each side of a normal fin back in 1966-7 when I did some designs for Peter Hawke at Hawke Surfboards, Osborne Park.
Photo: 1980 Dave Beamish with his “winged keel” surfboard at Cottesloe. Photo courtesy of Geoff Berry.
Peter ‘Spook’ Bothwell – Sorry to hear about Dave, he lived with us in Subiaco before his marriage to Janet Waddell, Mark’s sister.
Dave was an impressive surfer who did everything with style. Along with the best other home grown surfers from City Beach Terry Jacks and Keith Campbell they could surf as good anyone anywhere – mentors too many.
I have an instant memory of Dave standing upright in the tube at Cottesloe whilst I was paddling out, can remember thinking “how did he do that”.
Recently I went paddle boarding with Bazz Day at Halls head. The last time I went there was with Dave Beamish (he was of work and I waged school) in 1963 or 64. I remember him saying it reminded him of Byron Bay. I checked it over the years when passing on a big swell and have never seen it like that again.
When I won the ‘68 open men’s, Dave knew I was interested in board design and introduced me to Bob Gardiner (West-Coast) and the three of us designed a board which Bob made and I took to the ‘68 Australians. My recollections are he made one for Dave as well.
He was also in ‘69 a part of Craig Brent-Whites Sand n Sea team.
Dave was a terrific person, a meteorologist and a race car driver.
Image: 1966 Dave Beamish competing in State Spring/Winter Titles held at Scarborough. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
Ron Moss – This is very sad. Dave was an original City Beach surfer. His brother Tony was also a member of the City Beach board club.
He lived in Nedlands……the same street as Eleanor Proud. Dave lived behind me in Nedlands and we had some great talks over the back fence.
Dave was very interested in cars and used to race them.
Image: 1983 Dave Beamish competing Claremont Speedway. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
Tom Blaxell – Very sad news. What a top bloke. I always remember he had very poor eyesight but it didn’t stop him being a great surfer. I seem to remember a pic of him on the front page of the West, in the early days at Yalls doing a big sweeping bottom turn, feeling his way around with his hand on the water. Something I like to do now, when I can…
Image: 1967 Dave Beamish competing in State Titles Yalls. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
Mauro Ronzan – So many memories of surfing and partying at Dave’s place, especially at one rather dangerous cocktail party.
I will post a tribute photo in Surfin Perth on FB if anyone has any details that would be most appreciated.
The following photo of the group was taken for the Sunday Times in the early 80’s.
Sadly missed.
Photo: 1980 Group photo of Dave and his Cottesloe surfing mates courtesy of Geoff Berry.
L-R Dave Beamish, Keith Campbell, Paul ‘The Bear’ Brampton, Evan Ramsden, Mauro Ronzan and Bill Lockhart.
John Stevens – Shocked to read death notice for Dave “Beams” Beamish in the paper, it was put in by veteran surfer Keith Campbell.
Dave and I and David Allen were very close and used to go surfing together regularly during the week. He used to work at Perth airport and his Dad was a pilot with MMA airlines. I was told a few years ago that Dave was now living in Byron.
He was one of the best surfers of the time and a legend then, at least I thought so!
He surfed with me and Dave Allen and never had any problems with our limited ability.
Dave Aylett – Sad to hear Dave’s no longer with us. I remember him to be an intelligent true gentle man and always with a smile.
Stewart Bettenay – I remember Dave in the late 60s surfing Trigg Point. It’s a sad reminder that we all don’t go on forever and to make the most of every day!
Jim King – Dave was a talented surfer and a good waterman. In the mid 60s he told me Yalls was a right hander back when everyone went left at Yalls. He used to talk about his poor eye sight in the line-up, but still caught the best set waves. Dave also raced cars and did very well for a bloke with poor eye sight!
Brian Cleaver – That is very sad news as I knew Dave reasonably well in my very early days of surfing at City Beach.
Errol Considine – I remember when I first started surfing and ventured to Cottesloe, Dave was the King of the Cove ….he used to take off way deeper than anybody else on the right and I can remember his cool and stylish nose riding …. he was one of the guns in Cottesloe waves.…his younger brother Tony was a good surfer too.
Dave was friendly and helpful to us Scabs groms, even though he was a ‘gun’ in those very early days at Cove.
From memory, Dave was a forecaster at the Weather Bureau and worked a lot of night shifts so he could surf during the day.
Photo: 1980s Dave Beamish in his 40s relaxing at home. Photo courtesy of Tony Beamish.
Many thanks to Tony Beamish WA and Geoff Berry NSW for sharing their photos of Dave.
————————————————————————————-
Share this:
Like this: