Surf N' Wear Online
Tom Blake Surfboards: A Classic 1940s Rogers and Blake Mahogany Paddle Board
Tom Blake Surfboards in Surfing History Thomas Edward Blake (1902-94) was a pivotal figure in surfing history, and possibly the most influential individual in the history of wooden surfboards. He was an accomplished swimmer and surfer whose experiences with ancient Hawaiian surfer culture blended with his background in Malibu water sports to produce unprecedented surfboard designs. In the 1920s and 30s, Blake's experiments and innovations resulted in lighter paddleboards and surfboards, as well as alternative construction techniques, the introduction of the fin, and a basic leash. Tom Blake surfboards and the designs they influenced are credited from advancing surfing from its Polynesian origins to a national ocean sport in the US.Blake's significant contributions began in 1927 when he and Sam Reid pioneered surfing in Malibu, California, while at the same time working on a replica Olo surfboard in Hawaii. This massive fifteen-foot board, weighing approximately 150 pounds, underwent extensive modifications by drilling hundreds of holes through the deck to reduce weight, a technique that enabled Blake to win numerous paddleboard races. His experimentation progressed to chambering solid boards, carving out internal sections, and eventually developing a skin and frame construction method, revolutionizing the industry with significantly lighter boards, as light as 40 pounds. Although construction techniques have evolved over the years since Blake patented his design in 1931, his original concepts endured for decades, used globally as lifeguard rescue boards and commercially produced by various manufacturers.Blake pushed surfboard innovation further in 1935 when he added an aluminum skeg salvaged from a speedboat to the bottom of his cedar surfboard, encasing it in wood for protection. This precursor to the surfboard fin was a modest one-foot-long, four-inch-high addition provided Tom Blake surfboards with directional stability, enabling surfers to navigate tighter angles on waves and initiate turns effectively. Blake's relentless quest to improve surfboard design forever altered surfing, and modern surfboard shapers owe a significant debt of gratitude to his pioneering spirit and innovative techniques. Tom Black Rogers Co. Mahogany Paddle Board circa 1940 This hollow paddleboard circa 1940 in the Surf n' Wear classic surfboards collection was designed by Tom Blake in partnership with The Thomas Rogers Company of Venice, California, which also manufactured airplane wings. Blake patented his designs, which were produced by the Rogers Company, and exhibited similar design attributes with airplane wings. Most significantly this design approach reduced the weight of solid-wood surfboards, making surfing accessible to a broader audience. This board has a hollow structure with a ribbed interior, reinforced transversely. Blake, in close collaboration with Rogers, oversaw the production of some of the earliest commercially manufactured surfboards and paddleboards. Lifeguards and racers mostly used paddleboards, which they also used for leisure surfing. You can just picture it, gliding across the waves in Malibu... Come on down to the Beach House board room to check out more classic boards in our surfboard collection. Shop our in-house collection of surfboard shaper apparel and stickers, including Yater, Santa Barbara Surfshop, Andreini Surfboards, and Greenough Designs.
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Mr. White Owl: Tales of the Incomparable Jeff White, Founder of Surf n' Wear
Surf n’ Wear surf shop founder Jeff White (1938-2010) is remembered in the history of Santa Barbara surfing as a wise mentor with a golden heart whose steadfast support of local innovation in the craft of surfing elevated the careers and lives of many. White glossing a board at the original White Owl Surf Shop in Summerland, 1962 White moved to Santa Barbara in 1956 from Hermosa Beach to study engineering at UCSB. He lived at Miramar, near Hammonds, where he earned the nickname “White Owl” when a friend saw him puffing on a White Owl cigar at a college party on Miramar Beach. During his time as a student, White worked as a lifeguard at Carpinteria State Beach and took up dory racing. White surfing Hammonds in 1964 In a 2008 interview with local Santa Barbara surfer and filmmaker David Pu’u, White recounts getting his first surfboard at the age of 12 in 1951 in Venice Beach from shaper Bob Simmons. He and some friends bought some old World War II balsa life rafts in San Pedro and brought them to Simmons to shape for $5 a piece. The boards were about 8’ or so. White and his dad glassed the boards themselves at home. He bought his next surfboard a year later from Dale Velzy: a redwood board with a detachable fin. The Summerland White Owl shop in 1962 (Brian Bradley, Stan Veith, Jesse, Jeff White, and Steve Scofield) In 1961, White set out to launch a boat-building business. He used a small business loan to rent shop space at 2320 Lillie Avenue in Summerland, next to Renny Yater’s shop. The space was attached to Shanty, a popular local burger joint. Instead, he enlisted Brian Bradley, and local Carpinteria grom surfer Stan Veith, to help him use the space to shape surfboard blanks. And so White Owl Surfboards was born, with the tagline “Fine surfboards by craftsmen who care.” Other local shapers soon joined the team, including Bruce Fowler, Curtis Jackson, Tom Rowland, Brian Bradley, and eventually Marc Andreini. By 1963, the name evolved to become just Owl Surfboards. In 1964, White opened a second Owl surfboard shop in Santa Cruz, California, at 24 Front Street. Veith moved up to Santa Cruz to run the shop, which began to sell more and more boards and rent boards for $5 a day. White Owl Surf Shop Summerland in 1966 Meanwhile, White expanded the Lillie Avenue shop to include surf apparel and wetsuits for sale. The shop grew as a hangout spot for young surfers from Carpinteria, Summerland, and Montecito. Local Hammond’s surfer Greg Tally tells a story about his mom dropping him off at the Owl shop as a kid, where he would hang out with other local surf groms, Peter and Marc Andreini. White taught the kids how to do ding repair and recruited them for an informal White Owl surf team. Marc Andreini recounts, “Jeff was so good to us... We were just little kids finding our way. But he took us in and made us a part of his deal. He really cared about people and about kids. When somebody has that kind of outlook on life, it makes things happen.” Marc Andreini surfing in a White Owl surf contest at Stanley's in 1966 In 1965, White made his next enterprising move in the local Santa Barbara surf scene when he founded a downtown surf shop named Surf n’ Wear on Carrillo Street, which focused on selling surf apparel and accessories as well as surfboards. By 1974, Jeff had opened Surf n’ Wear surf shops in San Luis Obispo, San Jose, and Goleta. Around this time, he asked Marc Andreini if he would shape boards under the Owl label. In 1975, Roger Nance started working at the Goleta Surf n’ Wear shop and eventually became manager. Nance had moved to Santa Barbara from Santa Cruz to attend UCSB. He remembered White with admiration from the Santa Cruz shop. Nance and White formed a partnership in 1978, which led to the opening of new Surf n’ Wear shops in Thousand Oaks and Santa Maria. They also briefly partnered with Matt Moore of Rincon Designs to run a shop in Carpinteria. That same year, Nance and White kicked off the annual Rincon Classic surf contest. A few years later, all Surf n’ Wear shops except for the flagship downtown shop were sold. Roger Nance at the Carrillo St. Surf n' Wear in the 1970s In 1987, White and Nance seized on a timely opportunity to open another downtown store on the waterfront at 10 State Street. The stars aligned at this spot in 1991 with the return of Marc Andreini, who resumed shaping boards under the Owl surfboards label to sell in the new Surf n’ Wear’s Beach House location. By 1993, White and Nance had bought Williams’ share of the business and expanded the board room at the shop to sell Yater surfboards as well as some Bradbury boards. In 1999, Surf n' Wear's Beach House became the official Yater Surfboards showroom. Jeff White soaking in the ocean air circa 1985 White’s love of swimming and ocean sports ultimately had a profound healing effect as White began to suffer from multiple sclerosis. With his characteristic positive and grateful spirit, White defied his physical limitations to swim in the ocean in front of his Carpinteria home every day. His love of community and the ocean lives on in the surfing history legacy he created through the simplest of things. As White recounted, “I really liked making surfboards. It wasn’t like going to work. It was like playtime. You liked the people you were surrounded with, you liked what you were doing. It’s a thrill to sell a surfboard.”
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Things to Do in Santa Barbara
Between the waves, the mountains, and the city, Santa Barbara has something to do for every kind of visitor! Santa Barbara is known for its Spanish architecture and influence, its wineries and craft breweries, its laid-back surf culture, its array of entertainment and culture options, and all the things you can do outside in the perfect year-round weather! Here are a few of our local tips for things to do in Santa Barbara. Most of them are within minutes of the Beach House Surf Shop. Go to the Beach Santa Barbara is a beach town - so you should definitely go to the beach! Santa Barbara's most recognizable beach is East Beach, located at the end of State Street and home to Stearn's Wharf. East Beach is next to the Funk Zone, located within walking distance from many popular hotels, and close to playgrounds and cafes. You can walk, run, or bike alongside it. There are also volleyball courts - you could join in on a game! But the beaches don't end there. For a serene sunset, head over to Butterfly Beach in Montecito, where you can sit on a ledge above the sand and watch the sun go down. If you're a dog lover, go to Hendry's Beach on the Mesa, where everyone in town brings their dogs to run around off-leash. You can also go to The Boathouse for lunch or dinner if you're hungry, and there's a stand with snacks, as well. Leadbetter Beach, down the street, also has a restaurant on the beach, and depending on the time of year offers some good waves for beginner surfers. Spend A Day in the Funk Zone Photo Credit @thefunkzone Santa Barbara's Funk Zone is one of its most vibrant and evolving areas. Tucked into a corner between State Street and East Beach, the Funk Zone is home to tasting rooms, breweries, culinary experiences, live entertainment, galleries, and boutique shopping. Catch some live music at Pali Wine Co. or Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., or grab some beer and a bite at Lama Dog, Topa Topa, and The Nook. Try McConnells' famous ice cream at their new Funk Zone location, and grab some tacos at Mony's! All of these gems are just minutes from our surf shop. Whale Watching Santa Barbara The Santa Barbara Channel is one of the best places for whale watching, as its waters are nutrient-rich. Spotting both whales and dolphins is a regular occurrence. Try the Condor Express (a larger boat with an 120-person capacity), the Sunset Kidd (a smaller yacht with a 15-person capacity), Captain Jacks, or Celebration Cruises. The World Cetacean Alliance and World Animal Protection International recently designated the Santa Barbara Channel as the 9th Whale Heritage area in the world. This makes the Santa Barbara Channel the 2d Whale Heritage Area in the United States. Visit the Santa Barbara Zoo Located just two miles from State Street, the Santa Barbara Zoo offers wildlife experiences for everyone in the family. This 30-acre park is home to over 146 species. Spend the day enjoying exotic views, taking in the wildlife, and walking through the lush park. The zoo is open every day from 10am to 5pm, occasionally closed for special events. Admission is $19.95 for adults (age 13+) and $11.95 for children (age 2–12). Admission is free for children under two years old. Parking is $11/vehicle. Watch a Show At the Arlington Theater The Arlington Theater hosts comedians, artists, and films. If you visit in January, you can go to any number of events held by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival - maybe you'll even get a photo with Brad Pitt! Have a Picnic at the Historic Mission The Santa Barbara Mission was founded by the Spanish Franciscans in 1786, and is known worldwide for its beauty. Bring a delicious picnic and enjoy the view of the Santa Ynez mountains in the Mission's rose garden. The Mission stills operates as an active parish church. The Mission is open daily for self-guided tours from 9:00 a.m to 4:15 p.m. Admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and $7.00 for youth 5-17. The Santa Barbara Mission was founded by the Spanish Franciscans in 1786, and is known worldwide for its beauty. Bring a delicious picnic and enjoy the view of the Santa Ynez mountains in the Mission's rose garden. The Mission stills operates as an active parish church. The Mission is open daily for self-guided tours from 9:00 a.m to 4:15 p.m. Admission is $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and $7.00 for youth 5-17. Go Wine Tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley The Santa Ynez Valley is home to a wide array of wineries, each nestled on their own peaceful plot. Enjoy events during the summer, local harvest in the fall, laid-back tasting in the winter, and a spring festival to start the whole cycle again. You can find a (long) list of wineries to visit here. Sun Stone, Firestone, Bridlewood, and Demetria are good places to start. Photo Credit: Flickr, Flickr, Flickr, Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash, Flickr, George Wolf on Unsplash
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Surf n’ Wear’s Beach House History
A History of Surf n' Wear's Beach House from the Early Days of Surf n' Wear and White Owl Surfboards In 1961 Jeff White and Brian Bradley opened the Owl Surf Shop in Summerland, California, at 2320 Lillie Ave, next store to the Yater Surf Shop to the present-day shop on State St. in downtown Santa Barbara.
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The Shortboard Revolution: A Turning Point in Santa Barbara Surfing History
The shortboard revolution of the late 1960s was a landmark period in the evolution of surfing. Santa Barbara played a pivotal role in shaping this transformative era as a hub of design innovations that characterized the shortboard revolution and ushered in a new global notoriety for Santa Barbara surf spots like Rincon, as well as for the pro surfers pushing uncharted boundaries in the sport on some of the local area’s most famous waves. The Santa Barbara Surfing Connection During the late 1960s, Santa Barbara became a breeding ground for innovation and experimentation in surfboard design. In the mid-1960s, local surfer George Greenough gained notoriety surfing short kneeboards that enabled him to do top-to-bottom surfing, which got surfers aspiring to do the same, but standing up on the board. In 1964, Greenough visited Australia for the first time, where he encountered surfboard shaper Bob McTavish, who was intrigued with the abilities of Greenough's kneeboard with a new type of fin. Back in Santa Barbara, Greenough continued to experiment with his friend, local shaper John Eichert of Ike Surfboards. Greenough shaped his first kneeboards at Ike's surfboard shop at 24 East Cota St. in Santa Barbara. During this period, Greenough and Ike continued to experiment with this new type of fin, shaped like a tuna fin. Ike and Greenough tested the new fin styles with a variety of boards to find a solution that would allow the type of surfing they were trying to achieve. In 1966, Australian surfer Nat Young won the World Surfing Championship in San Diego riding a 9'4" board outfitted with one of Greenough's tuna-shaped fins, which allowed him to achieve sharper turns. 1963 Greenough Spoon Kneeboards In 1968, McTavish visited Santa Barbara and stayed for the winter. Greenough, Renny Yater, and McTavish spent the time shaping boards, testing them out, and figuring out which designs worked best in a season of epic Rincon Point swells. These local pioneers pushed the boundaries of traditional longboard design and effectively ushered in the shortboard revolution, along with 1960s local shapers Tom Roland, Brian Bradley, Tom Hale, and John Thurston. In one year's time from 1967 to 1968 boards shifted from an average of 9'6" length and weight of 26 pounds to an average length of 6'6" and 10 pound weight. These collaborations and progressive ideas led to the development of shorter, more maneuverable surfboards that would forever change the sport. Catalyzing Change in Surfing Culture The shortboard revolution in Santa Barbara had a profound impact on surfing culture. The shift from cumbersome longboards to shorter, lighter boards ignited a new era of high-performance surfing. Local Santa Barbara pro surfers, such as Tom Curren and Kim Mearig embraced the agility and responsiveness of shortboards, showcasing innovative maneuvers and redefining the possibilities of wave riding. Their influential performances inspired a generation of surfers and contributed to Santa Barbara's reputation as a hotbed of progressive surfing. 1974 Channel Islands board, shaped by Al Merrick, glassed by Marc Andreini Surfboard Design Innovations and Breakthroughs Santa Barbara surfboard shapers and their team riders played a vital role in pioneering significant surfboard design innovations that are the hallmarks of the shortboard revolution. Santa Barbara's influence in shaping the design elements of shorter boards included reduced length, increased rocker, and refined outlines. Local Santa Barbara surfboard shapers such as Al Merrick, founder of Channel Islands Surfboards, and Marc Andreini of Owl Surfboards took design advancements of the shortboard revolution to the next level. Next generation local shapers the likes of Matt Moore, Bob Duncan, Bob Krause, Bruce Fowler, John Bradbury, Dave Johnson, David Pu'u, Rich Reed, Clyde Beatty Jr., Randy Cone, John Perry, Steve Brom, Allan Gibbons, Davey Smith, Wayne Rich, Michael Cundith, and Allan Freeman, among others, accelerated the shaping breakthroughs that were crucial in unlocking the full potential of shortboards and revolutionizing the way surfers approached waves in the 1970s and early 1980s. Tom Curren riding a CI board in Ventura, 1980s. Photo Credit Jimmy Metyko The Enduring Legacy in Santa Barbara Surfing The shortboard revolution in Santa Barbara left an indelible mark on surfing, not only in the region but globally. The innovations and performance capabilities pioneered during this era continue to influence contemporary surfboard design and shape the future of the sport. Santa Barbara's surfing community remains a vibrant hub of talent and creativity, continuously pushing the realities of what is possible in wave riding. The enduring legacy of the shortboard revolution in Santa Barbara serves as a testament to the area's ongoing influence and contributions to the evolution of surfing. SB-raised surfboard shaper Pyzel short boards in Beach House showroom A Living Surfing Legacy Santa Barbara's profound impact on the shortboard revolution solidified its place in surfing history. The collaborative surf culture spirit, shapers’ innovative designs, and influential surfers from this coastal region continue to inspire and shape the sport, leaving an enduring legacy for generations of surfers to come. Come on down to the Beach House boardroom to check out our vintage board collection, which includes some of the most iconic boards of the shortboard revolution!
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Al Merrick and Channel Islands Surfboards
Al Merrick is a renowned surfboard shaper from Santa Barbara. Merrick’s Channel Islands surfboard shop was at the forefront of revolutionary advances in the sport of surfing during the 1980s.
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The Ultimate Surf Gear Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, our surf gear guide has everything you need to make the most of your time in the water. Gear up for hitting the waves with these top tips
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Marc Andreini and the Evolution of Surfboard Shaping in Santa Barbara
Marc Andreini is a renowned Santa Barbara surfboard shaper who has been creating boards locally for over five decades. His designs are known for their unique shapes, high-performance capabilities, and innovative construction techniques.
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40 Years of the Rincon Classic Surf Contest
The first Rincon Classic Surf Contest took place in the winter of 1979, founded by Roger Nance and Jeff White, owner of the original Surf n’ Wear surf shops in Santa Barbara. It is the first Santa Barbara Surf Contest in local surfing history.
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