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Bob McTavish

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Bob McTavish (born 1944) is an Australian surfboard designer and member of the surfing hall of fame.

Bob McTavish
Born1944 (age 79–80)
NationalityAustralian

Overview

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Bob McTavish is an Australian surfboard designer who is often credited with the invention of the V-bottom surfboard and was one of a number of pioneering surfer/shapers considered instrumental in the development of shortboard surfing.[1][2] It has been suggested that without his contributions, the revolutionary nature of shortboard surfing wouldn't have been as effective.[3]

Early life

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Born in Mackay, Queensland in 1944, McTavish began surfing at the age of twelve.[4] He dropped out of school at 15, and moved to Sydney.[5] In 1963, McTavish famously stowed away in an ocean liner bound for Hawaii.[6] He spent 5 weeks in Hawaii before being deported.[7]

In the 1970s, McTavish became a Jehovah’s Witness.[8]

Surfing

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McTavish began surfing on a 16-foot (4.8m) plywood paddleboard.[9]

McTavish won the Qld State titles in 1964-66 and finished third in the Nationals behind Midget Farrelly and Nat Young, after which he abandoned competitive surfing.[10]  McTavish was a dynamic surfer eschewing the longboard style of surfing that was dominant at the time.[11] Greg Noll, Joe Quigg were instrumental to him in his surf board shaping.[12]

Shaping

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McTavish was voted the most influential shaper of all time by Australia’s Surfing Life magazine in 1992.[13]

From 1961 onwards McTavish worked for surfboard labels including Scott Dillon, Dale, Hayden, Bob Davie, Morey-Pope, Keyo and Cord. He worked alongside the Australian foam-core innovator Barry Bennett at his factory in Brookvale in 1972.[14]

Meanwhile, he was developing his eponymous brand, 'McTavish'. His 1972 model, the 'Bluebird', has been described as the world's first production short-board, resulting in thousands being produced until 1979.[15]

In 1989 McTavish introduced Pro Circuit boards, which created machine-moulded replicas of the boards ridden by professional surfers.[16]

In the mid-1990s McTavish began producing 'Big M' longboards, which have a factory and retail operation in Byron Bay.[17]

McTavish was the inaugural recipient of the FCS Legend Shaper Award.[18]

Short Board Revolution

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It is the generally accepted view that McTavish, influenced by California kneeboarder George Greenough, was responsible for starting the shortboard revolution with the development of the short, wide-tailed vee-bottom design of surfboard in 1966.[19]

The vee-bottom design allowed surfers to go up the face of a wave rather than simply race away from a breaking curl.[20]

Controversy

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Hawaiian Dick Brewer claims the vee-bottom design originated with him in Hawaii.[21]

Midget Farrelly claimed he shaped a vee-bottom prior to McTavish, however McTavish's central role in the shortboard revolution is acknowledged by the American surfers Greg Noll, Skip Frye and Mike Hynson.[22]

Publications

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Bob Mctavish (2009), Stoked!. Hyams Publishing. ISBN 978-097-757-986-0

Bob Mctavish (2013), More Stoked!. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-073-229-676-6

Handmade surfboard (Unsplash)

References

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  1. ^ Matt Warshaw, The Encyclopedia of Surfing, Mariner Books (7 November 2005), pg 376 ISBN 0-15-603251-1
  2. ^ Taylor, John (2 March 2010). "Surf wars - the short board battle". 7.30 Report. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Sydney. ProQuest 190363993.
  3. ^ "History Of Surfing Innovation Part 5 - Disrupt Surfing". Disrupt Surfing. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  4. ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  5. ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Revealing the long and short of surfing history". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  8. ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  9. ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  11. ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Bob McTavish Interview". Liquid Salt. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Bob McTavish". Tracks. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  14. ^ Carroll, Nick (17 July 2022). "Barry Bennett, 1931-2022: The quiet king of foam, and his life and times". Surfline. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  16. ^ "bob-mctavish-421534". Tracks Magazine. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Bob McTavish, b. 1944". National Portrait Gallery people. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  18. ^ Australia, F. C. S. "FCS Shaper Awards 'The Legend' Bob McTavish". FCS Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  19. ^ Warshaw, Matt (2005). The encyclopedia of surfing (1st Harvest ed., 2005 ed.). Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt. ISBN 0-15-603251-1. OCLC 63042216.
  20. ^ Murphy, Damien (8 May 2010). "Wave of nostalgia swells feud". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Revealing the long and short of surfing history". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  22. ^ Murphy, Damien (8 May 2010). "Wave of nostalgia swells feud". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
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