Tom Hoye story # 3. Cowaramup & Margaret River surfboard factories

Tom Hoye (age 75) has been manufacturing Precision Equip Surfboards in the Margaret River region for fifty years.

The Californian expat was one the first international surfers to relocate to WA’s South West after he saw Margaret River Main Break waves featured in Paul Witzig’s 1969 surf film Evolution.

Tom taught himself to shape surfboards with helpful tips obtained while working for US surf industry legend the late Jack O’Neill in the 1960s.

He is now a renowned designer and innovator of handcrafted surfboards and has been credited with introducing twin fin surfboards to Australia in 1970.

The ocean is an integral part of his life.

This is the third & final part of a series on Tom’s surfing life.

Series #3 Covers the period 1974 to present when Tom travelled Overseas chasing waves and returned to WA and established surfboard factories in Cowaramup & Margaret River.

It is based on SDS editor Jim King’s recollections of Tom’s talk stories. The photos are Tom’s unless stated otherwise.

In 1974 I sold my Smiths Valley surfboard factory and Surfside ‘Lurch’ shack at Yallingup to David ‘Dappa’ Plaistead of Sunrise Surfboards. And I travelled overseas chasing waves in South Africa, California and Hawaii.

This is a collection of holiday snaps from my 1974 surf trip to Jeffrey’s Bay in South Africa.

1974 Jeffreys Bay (J-Bay) South Africa. Mary Erickson (Marr), Mario and Tom Hoye with others outside traditional Rondavel hut.

1974 J-Bay South Africa. Rob Ward and Dave Patiance on bike.

1974 J-Bay South Africa. Mary on bike with J-Bay line-up in background.

1974 Sequence Tom smacking the lip at J-Bay.

I travelled to surf spots in California for 10 months but do not have any surf photos unfortunately.

In 1976, I lived in front of Sunset Beach on the north shore of Ohua in Hawaii for 8 months. My go to surf break was Backyards at 4-6ft and Off-The-Wall and Pipeline on smaller swells. My favourite wave was Sunset at 10 foot.

It was the biggest wave season in 15 years on the North Shore and hundreds of us witnessed Hawaiian big wave riders Kimo Hollinger and Roger Erickson surf 40ft waves at Waimea Bay. Kimo Hollinger had to be saved from drowning during the huge swell and it was written about in the Eddie Would Go book.

Editor: These Hawaiian comments are based on my recollections of Tom’s talk story. Tom plans to write a story of his Hawaiian adventures when he gets his act together 😊

1976 Hawaiian big wave riders Roger Erickson and Kimo Hollinger surfing huge Waimea Bay. Tom Hoye pic.

In 1977 I returned to the South West from my overseas surf trip and was knocked back for a bank loan to set up a new surf shop in Margaret’s because the Bankers told me Margaret River was not a good place for a surf shop.

To get started again, I converted an old shearing shed into a surf factory/shop at Cowaramup. It was located on the Corner of Caves Rd and Cowaramup Road. I made Precision Equip (PE) surfboards in the old shearing shed. Top WA surfer Craig Bettenay was sanding for me and shaping surfboards with me.

Stewart Bettenay – Craig shaped the boards at the house where he lived at North Treeton Road, Cowaramup and would take them to Tom’s shed/factory in Cowaramup for finishing. The boards had Precision Equip stickers/logos and it was around 1978.

1977 Precision Equip surf factory in old shearing shed at Cowaramup.
Left: Craig Bettenay with a PE surfboard.
Right: Tom and Kim Hunter with PE surfboards.

1978 ‘**A Hoye There**’ Tom Hoye profile by David Hattrick in **Tracks** surf magazine.
Ogden photos were taken in Tom’s PE surf factory at Cowaramup.
Pic left. Tom air spraying David Hattrick’s new PE board with David in the background.
Pic right. David Hattrick holding a square on the entry concave with David Seward in the background.

In 1978 I bought the newly built Bali Hai Surf Hut at Yallingup from John Malloy and set up my retail surfboard business from the shop.

1978 Bali Hai surf shop at Yallingup with Tom’s PE surfboards on display out front.

1980 Precision Equip Surfboards advertisement published in WA Surf Magazines.
Advert features **Neil Strong** surfing Injidup Carpark. Photo by David Sheen

In 1979 I convinced the bank that a surf factory in the South West was a viable proposition and received a bank loan. I had previously purchased a property in Margaret River industrial zone and with the bank loan commenced building my surf factory.

In 1985 when I felt comfortable that I could make a living selling custom boards direct from my Margaret River factory I sold my Bali Hai retail shop at Yallingup to Drew Brent-White, later Mark Hill’s ‘Hillzeez Surf Shop’ took it over.

**Precision Equip** surf factory at Margaret River.
Top: 1979 PE surf factory under construction.
Bottom: 2015 Completed PE surf factory.

I think Margaret River became a surf town in 1978 when Kevin Merifield and his business partners Allan Cough and Pat Begley built the Margaret River Tavern, so the surfers could have somewhere to have a beer, maybe it was a little before that.

Margaret River was a surf town before the first retail surf shop went into the main street, which I think occurred around 1983.

In 1980 I commenced making Precision Equip (PE) surfboards in the new surf factory at Margaret’s.

1980 Tom hand shaping PE surfboard at Marg’s.

Thrusters came in around 1979/80 and boards went back real short, then surfing very quickly turned into what it is today.

1980-81 PE short boards.
Left: 1980 PE asymmetrical surfboard. Phil Woods collection
Right: 1980-81 PE Thruster by Tom Hoye, paint by Mark Simms. Owner Tim Wallace.

1980 Tom doing a backhand snap under the lip at Lefthanders on a 6’10” PE Thruster.
Image courtesy of Tom Hoye.

The Thruster shown in above photo was my last. I now ride 5 fins Da Claw boards.

In the 80s I started making and riding windsurfers in South West waves.

Click on this link to view 1983 Cowaramup Bay Shark Story by Tom Hoye published Surfing Down South 22 May 2019.

1986 Tom going windsurfing at Surfers Point, Margaret River.

I like to think that today there are enough people surfing and shaping around this area that the influence will start going out from here. This is a tough coast. We love it!

More than 50% of the boards I make today have 5 fins (Da Claw) short boards, guns and Malibu’s. Da Claw goes good everywhere!

2017 Tom with a framed photo of his 1970 twin fin and ‘Da Claw’ big wave boards at his surfboard factory. Mike Bosich pic

Click on this link to view Tom Hoye. Why stop at Four? 2019 article by Stu Nettle on Swellnet.

In February 1989 ‘Surfing Magazine’ (USA) published an article titled “Shapers: A Family Tree”. It traces the roots of surfboard shaping from 1910s to 1990s. Tom is listed on the Shaper’s Family Tree with connections to US surfing legend Phil Edwards and Jack O’Neill.

1989 **Shapers: A Family Tree** showing Tom’s shaping connection with USA surfing legends Jack O’Neill & Phil Edwards. Image courtesy of Surfing Magazine.

Extract from **Shapers: A Family Tree**, Tom’s shaping links highlighted in red middle of doc.

Since the 1990s I have also been specialising in finely tuned guns for surfing big wave bombies and other solid waves in the South West.

2020 Tom with custom 9’6in gun at PE Margaret River factory. Jim King pic.

1991 Sequence of Tom surfing Margaret River main break on PE surfboard. Hughes pics.

2000s sequence Jeff *‘Camel*’ Goulden surfing solid Margaret River Main Break on an 8ft 7in Da Claw PE Surfboard. Alister Spong pics.

2015 Campbell Chambers paddling over a bomb at Cow Bombie WA on a 10ft Tom Hoye PE board. Image courtesy of Tom Hoye.

In 2005 Tom survived a terrible accident when he was washed off rocks and wedged his legs on a ledge at Sugarloaf Rock near Cape Naturaliste. The accident seriously damaged nerves in his legs and has impacted on his surfing capabilities, but not his passion.

For more details click on Shape shifter: Surfing legend Tom Hoye story by Tom De Souza in Your Margaret River Region Magazine No.17 Autumn 2020.

2008 Tom Hoye hand crafting PE surfboards at Marg River factory. Chris Warrener pic.

2009 Tom with shaped blank waiting for glassing & custom design. Chris Warrener pic.

2010s Tributes to Santa Cruz surfers who shaped surfboards between 1940 to 1969 by Terri Morgan. Extracts from Rails to Rocker Santa Cruz Style USA Magazine.

**Tributes to Santa Cruz surfers who shaped surfboards between 1940 to 1969**.
Left: Jack O’Neill Surf Shop
Middle: Tom Hoye
Right: Plaque to be erected to honour the shapers

Tom was inducted into the Len Dibben Award for his ‘Shaping services to the Surfing Industry’ at the 2009 Western Australia Surfers of the Year Awards.