Bob McTavish

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

Overview

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

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

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]

Shaping

McTavish was voted the most influential shaper of all time by Australia’s Surfing Life magazine in 1992.^[12]

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.^[13]

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.^[14]

In 1989 McTavish introduced Pro Circuit boards, which created machine-moulded replicas of the boards ridden by professional surfers.^[15]

In the mid-1990s McTavish began producing 'Big M' longboards, which have a factory and retail operation in Byron Bay.^[16]

McTavish was the inaugural recipient of the FCS Legend Shaper Award.^[17]

Short Board Revolution

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.^[18]

The vee-bottom design allowed surfers to go up the face of a wave rather than simply race away from a breaking curl.^[19]

Controversy

Hawaiian Dick Brewer claims the vee-bottom design originated with him in Hawaii.^[20]

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.^[21]

Publications

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

References

External links

• Bob McTavish personal blog
• Interview with Bob McTavish