Mike Singleton (from Vintage Surfboard Collectors West Oz Facebook group): “Hi Jim. I just found the following image in my photos. I’ve always wanted to ask you about it. Says you shaped for Blaxell for a while with Kev Ager and Steve ‘Sheepdog’ Cockburn. Sooo cool. When you have time could you elaborate on it at all please. I think it’s terrific.”
1972 City Beach surfer Phil Henderson featured in Blaxell Surfboards advt. Photo Ric Chan.
This is my response to Mike’s inquiry in words and images.
Hi Mike
That Blaxell advert appeared in WA surf mags in 1972.
I started shaping surfboards by buying a damaged blank of Tom Blaxell circa 1969. I shaped, glassed and finished the board in my backyard in Subi using a paper template and basic sanding tools. The board was an orange colour with a large black yin and yang symbol on the deck covering a defect in the blank. 😊 I rode it once at Inji car park but didn’t like it and sold it. The new owner told me he was happy with the board…all’s well that ends well 😊
In the early 70s I was a team rider for Blaxell Surfboards and allowed to provide input on board designs etc.
1970 Blaxell advert in Country Surf Mag #1
Tom also allowed me to design a basic (non-flower power) surfboard logo using Letra-Set for his boards.
Circa 1970 Blaxell Surfboard logo designed my myself. Image courtesy of Troy Hatchett.1970 Jim King & Rodney dog with short single fin Blaxell board at Subi. King family pic.1970 Blaxell team rider Jim King surfing Gallows in SW. Photo courtesy Tom Blaxell
In 1970 Tom and I drove to the World Surfing Titles at Bells Beach Vic in his white Blaxell Surfboards HK Holden panel van. We stayed in a shared house at Jan Juc with US East Coast champion Claude Codgen and Hawaiian surfer Dana Nicely. A fun time was had by all:)
1972 Greg ‘Egory’ McDonald, Bruce Elliot & Tom Blaxell with Blaxell panel van on the old Bears track from Yallingup. Photo Jim McFarlane
After the seeing the 1970 World Titles in Vic and all the different types of surfboardsavailable, I became interested in shaping and Tom allowed me to shape boards in his Osborne Park factory at night-time. I worked as a finance officer at the State Treasury during the day.
Initially, I shaped a board with yellow rails that Tom & staff were happy with, but that got stolen from the factory before we could use it. I tried to make another the same, but version 2 was too narrow for me and I moved on.
Then one night I was shaping myself a 5’11” rounded pintail with full concave and I discovered I was sharing the premises with former Californian shaper Tom Hoye. He was shaping for Tom with Tony Hardy at the time. Tom & I became friends and caught up again later in the Southwest. Tom was a craftsman and I was overwhelmed by his shaping skills and speed, he shaped three boards in the time it took me to shape one…..and I soon realised my shaping skills were limited!
1971 Tom Hoye & Tony Hardy shapers Blaxell Surfboards in Osborne Park. Tom Blaxell pic
I eventually finished shaping my little board and left it with Tom and his staff for finishing. Then to my surprise on Christmas Eve, Tom dropped the new single fin board off at my place. It had a bright multi coloured swirl design on the bottom that I later discovered had been introduced to WA by Tom Hoye. I added two small side fins to the single fin and it became my favourite board. A year later the late Allan Cough bought it off me for his son. Alan thought it was a special board too😊
While I only made a few boards, I did meet some interesting people and make some people happy, including myself. And I’m grateful to Tom for providing me with the opportunity!
After my brief shaping experience, I went back to having my boards custom made by Tom’s specialist shapers.
1971 Steve ‘Sheepdog’ Cockburn, Vin Nolan & Tom Blaxell at Blaxell Surfboards factory Osborne Park. Photo Ric Chan.
By 1977 Blaxell Surfrider had a flotilla of top shapers.
1977 Blaxell Promotional poster
By 1983 WA surfing champion Mike McAuliffe had joined the Blaxell shaping team.
1983 Blaxell Advert in West Coast Wind & Surfer Mag.
Mike Singleton (from Vintage Surfboard Collectors West Oz Facebook group): “Hi Jim. I just found the following image in my photos. I’ve always wanted to ask you about it. Says you shaped for Blaxell for a while with Kev Ager and Steve ‘Sheepdog’ Cockburn. Sooo cool. When you have time could you elaborate on it at all please. I think it’s terrific.”
This is my response to Mike’s inquiry in words and images.
Hi Mike
That Blaxell advert appeared in WA surf mags in 1972.
I started shaping surfboards by buying a damaged blank of Tom Blaxell circa 1969. I shaped, glassed and finished the board in my backyard in Subi using a paper template and basic sanding tools. The board was an orange colour with a large black yin and yang symbol on the deck covering a defect in the blank. 😊 I rode it once at Inji car park but didn’t like it and sold it. The new owner told me he was happy with the board…all’s well that ends well 😊
In the early 70s I was a team rider for Blaxell Surfboards and allowed to provide input on board designs etc.
Tom also allowed me to design a basic (non-flower power) surfboard logo using Letra-Set for his boards.
In 1970 Tom and I drove to the World Surfing Titles at Bells Beach Vic in his white Blaxell Surfboards HK Holden panel van. We stayed in a shared house at Jan Juc with US East Coast champion Claude Codgen and Hawaiian surfer Dana Nicely. A fun time was had by all:)
After the seeing the 1970 World Titles in Vic and all the different types of surfboards available, I became interested in shaping and Tom allowed me to shape boards in his Osborne Park factory at night-time. I worked as a finance officer at the State Treasury during the day.
Initially, I shaped a board with yellow rails that Tom & staff were happy with, but that got stolen from the factory before we could use it. I tried to make another the same, but version 2 was too narrow for me and I moved on.
Then one night I was shaping myself a 5’11” rounded pintail with full concave and I discovered I was sharing the premises with former Californian shaper Tom Hoye. He was shaping for Tom with Tony Hardy at the time. Tom & I became friends and caught up again later in the Southwest. Tom was a craftsman and I was overwhelmed by his shaping skills and speed, he shaped three boards in the time it took me to shape one…..and I soon realised my shaping skills were limited!
I eventually finished shaping my little board and left it with Tom and his staff for finishing. Then to my surprise on Christmas Eve, Tom dropped the new single fin board off at my place. It had a bright multi coloured swirl design on the bottom that I later discovered had been introduced to WA by Tom Hoye. I added two small side fins to the single fin and it became my favourite board. A year later the late Allan Cough bought it off me for his son. Alan thought it was a special board too😊
While I only made a few boards, I did meet some interesting people and make some people happy, including myself. And I’m grateful to Tom for providing me with the opportunity!
After my brief shaping experience, I went back to having my boards custom made by Tom’s specialist shapers.
By 1977 Blaxell Surfrider had a flotilla of top shapers.
By 1983 WA surfing champion Mike McAuliffe had joined the Blaxell shaping team.
Happy days indeed 😊
Cheers Jim
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