Cottesloe surferDave Kennedy (‘DK’) launched the Star Surf Shop in March 1980, and it operated as WA’s first core surf shop for 25 years. Renowned for its wide selection of surfing equipment and central location, the shop was influential in promoting the local surfing culture and sponsoring top surfers such as Dave Macaulay, Mike McAullife and Chris Fullston. Star Surfboards also organised the annual “Star King of Da Point” competition at Trigg Point in the early 2000s.
Dave and his wife Jo were dedicated supporters of WASRA, supplying competition tee-shirts to state teams and regularly engaging in organisational activities. He was a Life Member of Surfing WA and was a big supporter and contributor to the development of surfing at all levels and disciplines in WA..
Dave passed away from leukemia in 2005 at the age of 51.
1980s Dave manning the phone Star Surfboards Perth city shop. Photo Ric Chan.
Simon O’Sullivan spent eight years working alongside Dave Kennedy in the retail surf industry. Simon, now working at Yahoo Surfboards in Dunsborough, shares his memories of Dave below.
96 FM Surf Report– duration of 25 years, Nat Fuhrmann, Peter Hayes, Tom Hoye, Beach Life Surf Shop (Neil & Helen), Lancelin Surfsports (Keith & Webby), Windsurfing Perth (Reg) and myself contributing over the years. Three live on-air reports very day, 365 days a year, and a phone info line call in.
Regal Theatre Surf Movies – Dave from about the Storm Riders era (1982) helped promote Jack McCoy’s movies on the big screen (before VHS) at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco. Eager young grommets and old ones too, would gather to share the stoke of watching their surf heroes strut their stuff.
Barry Young Agencies – Dave worked for Barry Young in the mid to late 70’s before starting Star Surf Shop, working as a Sales Rep selling Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Ocean & Earth, Morey Boogie and a bunch of the fashion labels of the time.
Len Dibben – in the earliest days Dave used to hang out at Len Dibben’s Surf Shop in North Fremantle as the grommet sweeping out the shaping bay for Len.
DK was an absolute legend and a huge mentor for me, but aside from that such a great bloke. I think about him often and miss him a lot.Simon O’Sullivan
In the early 80s West Coast Surfing magazine ran a story on Dave Kennedy. See below.
Early 1980s Dave Kennedy Story featured in West Coast Surfer magazine. Extract courtesy Yahoo Surfboards.
In July 1980 Dave formed a Star Surfboards Allstars Surf Team with Mike McAuliffe. Mitch Thorson and Chris Fullston riding boards prepared by a team including Ken MacKenzie, Alan Bean, Robert Conneeley, Greg Laurenson and Dave Ellis. Team members wins in every major contest in 1980.
1980 Star Surfboards ‘Allstars’ advt in West Coast Surfer magazine.
In 1981 Star team rider Mitch Thorson won the coveted Duke Kahanmoku Trophy for the most emerging surfer at the National Surfing Titles held at Bells Beach Victoria.
1980 Star Surfboards advertisement featuring Mitch Thorson & Greg Laurenson. Courtesy West Coast Surfer Magazine.
1980 Surfboard shaper Greg Laurenson and Dave Kennedy from Star Surfboards in Yallingup car park. Ric Chan pic.Sadly, both surf industry icons are now deceased.
1980 Greg Laurenson, Dave Kennedy, Tony Harbinson and Mitch Thorson in Yallingup car park with Harbo’s dog Prince. Ric Chan pic.
1980 Dave Kennedy with Star Surfboard in Yallingup car park. Photo Ric Chan.
1980 Mitch Thorson & Dave Kennedy going surfing at South Point. Photo Ric Chan.
1980 South Point Dave Kennedy & Mitch Thorson with Star Surfboards. Photo Ric Chan
1980 Dave Kennedy (seated at the back) and friends relaxing in front of Cowaramup General Store. Photo Ric Chan.
1981 Star Surf Shop advertisement featuring Dave Kennedy in West Coast Surfer magazine.Photo Ric Chan.
In 1987 Western Mail Newspaper published a Surf Industry profile on Dave Kennedy. See below.
1987 Surf industry profile Dave Kennedy Star Surfshop. Image courtesy Western Mail newspaper.
1991 National Longboard Titles Gold Coast Queensland. Image courtesy Mick Marlin. L-R Mick Marlin, Vinny Williams, Dave Kennedy, Dave Stedman, Rod Hatchett, Doug Polain. Seated- Kevin Anderson, Natalie Furman, John Guest.
Doug Polain. “I was WA team manager in 1991. Dave Kennedy was a team member & judge and took Mick Marlin and I to meet the Nielson brothers at their new megastore in Surfers Paradise. One of them has since passed away and I recently bumped into his widow on the beach in Wannanup WA. It is a very small world! Dave was a great bloke. R.I.P.
2004 Resurgence Longboarding article WA Newspapers. L-R Len Dibben, Bill Mitchell, Dave Kennedy, Warwick Gerard, Mick Marlin, Dave Ellis and Kim Standish. Photo Rod Taylor
Cottesloe surferDave Kennedy (‘DK’) launched the Star Surf Shop in March 1980, and it operated as WA’s first core surf shop for 25 years. Renowned for its wide selection of surfing equipment and central location, the shop was influential in promoting the local surfing culture and sponsoring top surfers such as Dave Macaulay, Mike McAullife and Chris Fullston. Star Surfboards also organised the annual “Star King of Da Point” competition at Trigg Point in the early 2000s.
Dave and his wife Jo were dedicated supporters of WASRA, supplying competition tee-shirts to state teams and regularly engaging in organisational activities. He was a Life Member of Surfing WA and was a big supporter and contributor to the development of surfing at all levels and disciplines in WA..
Dave passed away from leukemia in 2005 at the age of 51.
1980s Dave manning the phone Star Surfboards Perth city shop. Photo Ric Chan.
Simon O’Sullivan spent eight years working alongside Dave Kennedy in the retail surf industry. Simon, now working at Yahoo Surfboards in Dunsborough, shares his memories of Dave below.
96 FM Surf Report – duration of 25 years, Nat Fuhrmann, Peter Hayes, Tom Hoye, Beach Life Surf Shop (Neil & Helen), Lancelin Surfsports (Keith & Webby), Windsurfing Perth (Reg) and myself contributing over the years. Three live on-air reports very day, 365 days a year, and a phone info line call in.
Regal Theatre Surf Movies – Dave from about the Storm Riders era (1982) helped promote Jack McCoy’s movies on the big screen (before VHS) at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco. Eager young grommets and old ones too, would gather to share the stoke of watching their surf heroes strut their stuff.
Barry Young Agencies – Dave worked for Barry Young in the mid to late 70’s before starting Star Surf Shop, working as a Sales Rep selling Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Ocean & Earth, Morey Boogie and a bunch of the fashion labels of the time.
Len Dibben – in the earliest days Dave used to hang out at Len Dibben’s Surf Shop in North Fremantle as the grommet sweeping out the shaping bay for Len.
DK was an absolute legend and a huge mentor for me, but aside from that such a great bloke. I think about him often and miss him a lot. Simon O’Sullivan
In the early 80s West Coast Surfing magazine ran a story on Dave Kennedy. See below.
Early 1980s Dave Kennedy Story featured in West Coast Surfer magazine. Extract courtesy Yahoo Surfboards.
In July 1980 Dave formed a Star Surfboards Allstars Surf Team with Mike McAuliffe. Mitch Thorson and Chris Fullston riding boards prepared by a team including Ken MacKenzie, Alan Bean, Robert Conneeley, Greg Laurenson and Dave Ellis. Team members wins in every major contest in 1980.
1980 Star Surfboards ‘Allstars’ advt in West Coast Surfer magazine.
In 1981 Star team rider Mitch Thorson won the coveted Duke Kahanmoku Trophy for the most emerging surfer at the National Surfing Titles held at Bells Beach Victoria.
1980 Star Surfboards advertisement featuring Mitch Thorson & Greg Laurenson. Courtesy West Coast Surfer Magazine.
1980 Surfboard shaper Greg Laurenson and Dave Kennedy from Star Surfboards in Yallingup car park. Ric Chan pic. Sadly, both surf industry icons are now deceased.
1980 Greg Laurenson, Dave Kennedy, Tony Harbinson and Mitch Thorson in Yallingup car park with Harbo’s dog Prince. Ric Chan pic.
1980 Dave Kennedy with Star Surfboard in Yallingup car park. Photo Ric Chan.
1980 Mitch Thorson & Dave Kennedy going surfing at South Point. Photo Ric Chan.
1980 South Point Dave Kennedy & Mitch Thorson with Star Surfboards. Photo Ric Chan
1980 Dave Kennedy (seated at the back) and friends relaxing in front of Cowaramup General Store. Photo Ric Chan.
1981 Star Surf Shop advertisement featuring Dave Kennedy in West Coast Surfer magazine. Photo Ric Chan.
In 1987 Western Mail Newspaper published a Surf Industry profile on Dave Kennedy. See below.
1987 Surf industry profile Dave Kennedy Star Surfshop. Image courtesy Western Mail newspaper.
1991 National Longboard Titles Gold Coast Queensland. Image courtesy Mick Marlin.
L-R Mick Marlin, Vinny Williams, Dave Kennedy, Dave Stedman, Rod Hatchett, Doug Polain.
Seated- Kevin Anderson, Natalie Furman, John Guest.
Doug Polain. “I was WA team manager in 1991. Dave Kennedy was a team member & judge and took Mick Marlin and I to meet the Nielson brothers at their new megastore in Surfers Paradise. One of them has since passed away and I recently bumped into his widow on the beach in Wannanup WA. It is a very small world! Dave was a great bloke. R.I.P.
2004 Resurgence Longboarding article WA Newspapers. L-R Len Dibben, Bill Mitchell, Dave Kennedy, Warwick Gerard, Mick Marlin, Dave Ellis and Kim Standish. Photo Rod Taylor
Rest in Peace Dave.
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