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Some notes on the names of surfing magazines. See Surfwarez.com, Surfbooks.com, and
AllAboutSurfing.com for a large listing of surfing magazines and other items. Listed below
are articles published in surfing magazines from around the world that
the Paipo Research Project has been able to obtain in our effort to
document segments in the history of paipo boarding. Articles are
organized chronologically by magazine. Contributions are welcomed.
- International Surfing (ISM).
(Dick Graham) In 1974, Lopez Publications dropped "International" from
their name to create "Surfing Magazine." The publishers noted, "When
we, Richard Graham and Leroy Grannis, received word that Petersen's
Surfing magazine was no longer being published as a monthly, we began
looking around for backers to enable us to continue the magazine." This
quote from the editorial herewith sums up how the present-day Surfing
Magazine started so many years ago. Vol 1 (1964) through Vol. 9 (1973).
- Petersen's Surfing Magazine (PSM). Petersen published the first Surfing Magazine in December 1963 (Vol. 1, No. 1) and the last in the series was published November 1964 (Vol. 1, No. 8).
- Petersen's Surfing Yearbook. xxx add more here.
- Surf Guide. (Bill Cleary, former editor; John Van Hamersveld, former art director; Larry Stevenson, former publisher.) 1963-1965.
- Surfer Magazine (SMQ). Also known as The Surfer Quarterly, The Surfer Bi-Monthly, Surfer.
- Surfer's Path, The (TSP). Started publication in 1997 in the UK. According to Wikipedia,
"The Surfer's Path is an international surfing journal which is
published every two months. Founded in 1997, the magazine is a bit of
an anomaly in the surf-publishing world. Based in the United Kingdom,
the Path is low-key and philosophical. From the start, its
Caribbean-born editor, Alex Dick-Read, aimed the mag at the
environmentally and culturally conscious global surf traveler. The
magazine has its international headquarters in Oxon in England with
publishing offices in New York City. An American edition of the
magazine was formerly edited by Drew Kampion from Washington State. The
magazine's website has full information and upates: click-surf to www.surferspath.com."
- Surfing Action (SAP). Published by Petersen, 1968-1972, also known as Surfing. Petersen
Publishing decided to make another go at it with this magazine,
according to Tim DeLaVega, author of the Surfing Collectibles Guide.
Editor Richard Graham started off with America's first shortboard cover
and this magazine covered quite a bit of the new counter culture
movement. The magazine barely made in into the 70s before Petersen
finally gave up in 1972.
- Surfing Illustrated. (Walt Phillips)
- Surfing Magazine (ISM). In 1974, Lopez Publications dropped "International" from their name to create "Surfing Magazine." In
1974, Lopez Publications dropped "International" from their name to
create "Surfing Magazine," which has become a household name in surf
mags and SURFER's primary competitor for the last 30 years. This
publication should not be confused with "Petersen's Surfing," which
thrived in the 1960s. Vol 10 (1974) to present.
- Surfing World (ASW). Vol. 1, No. 1 was published during Summer 1962. First issue was titled The Surfing World Monthly and The Australian Surfing Magazine, and is also known as Australia's Surfing World.
- The Surfer's Journal (TSJ). Published
by Steve Pezman (former Publisher, Surfer Magazine) and Debbee Pezman
(former Marketing Director, Surfer Magazine), the Journal was founded
in 1992.
- Tracks. Published since...
Articles |
International Surfing Magazine
- Val Valentine (1965, October). Paipo Nui. International Surfing Magazine, x(x). Story
about how John Waidelich evolved from being a bodysurfer to becoming an
avid paipo boarder. He gradually improved the board from a basic slab
of marine ply to a highly articulated board with a scooped nose and a
larger planing area in the aft section resulting in a delta shape.
Commercially, this shape became known as the Paipo Nui and went on to
be ridden on the famous North Shore breaks, including Waimea Bay. Article with photographs, pp. 50-52. Click on the link to the article pages here (JPG): Page 50 - Page 51 - Page 52.
- Ron Haworth (1965, October). Surfing Girl of the Month: Nina Cherry. International Surfing Magazine, x(x). One
page cameo on water woman Nina Cherry. An accomplished bodysurfer, she
was also a paipo rider, stand-up surfer and a member of a wahine
paddling team at the Outrigger Canoe Club. Click on the link to the article pages here (JPG), Page 55.
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Petersen's Surfing Yearbook
- Petersen's Surfing Yearbook Number Two. (1965). "Belly Boarding: You've got to have the stomach for it..." Los Angeles, Calif.: Petersen Publishing Co.

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Excerpt from the section titled Offbeat Surfing: You name away - somebody's already tried it. Article with photographs, pp. 192-195.
Click on the link to the article here in PDF [4.5MB]. |
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Surfer Magazine
- Unknown (1965). Bellyboarding a sport!!! Surfer Magazine, 6(4).

Click on pic for a PDF version. Hi-Rez image files: page 1, page 2, page 3.
Summary:
- Unknown (1967, September). The Unsung Body Surfer. Surfer Magazine, 8(4). Excerpt of article cameo of Bob Gardner. Article with photographs, pp. 100-103. Click on the link to the article here in PDF [5.5MB].
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Drew Kampion (1969, September). one step beyond... The Legend of Spyder Wills. Surfer Magazine, 10(4). Article with photographs, pp. 100-103. Click on the link to the article here in PDF [5.5MB].
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Unknown (1970, May). Toward Unencumbered Flight. Surfer Magazine, 11(2). Introductory pages 110-111. Link to the introduction and the three supporting articles is here in PDF [6.5MB].
- Gary Crandall, "Potato Chip Thrills In a Washing Machine," page 112.
- Ron Romanosky, "A Wilderness of Knees and Spoons," page 113.
- John Ramuno, "Specifications for the Revolution," pp. 114-117.
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Surfer's Path, The
- Carson, David and Kenvin, Richard. (2009/2010, December/January). Deaf Musicians and Silent Dancing: Wave Riding with Richard Kenvin. The Surfer's Path, 75, 40-53. Article with several photographs. Below is an excerpt from the article that discusses paipo boarding. Also see this section in PDF format.
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Surfing Action
- Shipman, Chuck (1969, September/October). Heritage Series: Surfing at the time of Capt. Cook. Surfing Action, 2(5), 68-70.
My reading of the article is that a board similar to what is now called
the Alaia was most popular and that this board was usually ridden
prone. There is a mention of some very skilled riders that rode on
their knees or standing. Certainly provides a good departure point for
some serious research.
Click here for a PDF version [2GB] and Hi-Rez image files: page 1, page 2, page 3 [200KB each].
- Newell, Skip. (1970, January/February). Paipo Part I: It's not how long you make it... . Surfing Action, 3(1), 56-59.
First in a 3-part series focused on the paipo board. Click here for a PDF version [400KB].
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Bob Simmons built a modern day balsa paipo around 1950.
Skip Newell produced the Newport Paipo. Con Colburn also shaped for Newport Paipo board builder.
Bud Hulst is the manufacturer of the El Paipo "spoon" shape.
Jack Hokanson, of Jack's Surfshop, was the
first to market mass produced belly boards.
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| "Almost twenty years ago,1 some
work in the development of a board having a surfboard-like shape was
begun by Bob Simmons, the man who created many innovations in the
design of the surfboard as we know it today. He built a paipo board
that had contoured rails, two fins, and was shaped of balsa." Newell
then notes that the small board concept lay dormant for many years
until the advent of foam/fiberglass construction. However, these boards
were rather large and the excessive floation made paddling out
difficult in large wave conditions. However, the boards were small
enough to ride waves on beaches that did not allow surfboards. |
"There was a need for a very thin and very fast paipo board that could
adapt to any wave of any shape in the country. A series of foam, hand
shaped, high peformance paipo baords were introduced by the author
early in 1966. Known as the Newport Paipo, they has a flat bottom which
ended in a a realse area at the tail. They were designed to produce as
little turbulence in the water as possible. The rails were hand shaped
and turned down sharoply towards the rear. The idea worked out quite
well becasue with two fins, aka Bob Simmons, the Newport Paipo rode
higher in the wave and never spun out on hollow tubes." Newell goes on
to note that he experimented with different bottom countours (e.g.,
"V," concave, convex, slot) before settling on a concave bottom, naming
this design the Newport Paipo Concave Vector.
Newell takes some credit for the popularity of kneeboarding with Rick
Newcomb riding his paipo design at The Wedge, and hence the evolution
of the "Knee Machine." Then the bluring between paipo riding (prone)
and kneeboarding -- the paipo board basically meaning "short board"
regardless of whether ridden prone or on the knees, or even stand-up
style. Newell goes on to write, "The paipo offers the surfer tremendous
speed and involvement with the wave, whether ridden prone or as a knee
machine." Jack Hokanson famous quote: "Belly boards
will soon outnumber surfboards."
1Editor's Note: ca1950.
- Newell, Skip. (1970, March/April). Paipo Part II: Greenough-Man in Motion. Surfing Action, 3(2), 62-63. Second in a 3-part series focused on the paipo board. The author notes
Greenough's influence on riding waves, from mat surfing to erectile
boarding riding, in particular kneeboards. There is no mention of
Greenough riding a paipo (notwithstanding riding a "soft" paipo, aka a
surf mat). Newells states, "What Greenough gave us is more than a new
concept, it is a new impetus to develop the paipo board or knee machine
to further degrees of refinement for more and more people." Click here for a PDF version [450KB].
- Newell, Skip. (1970, May/June). Paipo Part III: Wave Test. Surfing Action, 3(3), 66-68. Third in a 3-part series focused on the paipo board. "To
bring this rapidly growing segment of surfing into clearer focus,
SURFING Magazine conducted the most comprehensive research and testing
program ever attempted. Performance, design, and specification tests
were made both in and out of the water on the contemporary boards
available on the market today. The results and evaluations are now
available for publication."
Click here for a PDF version of the entire article (2.5MB) or the Table of Boards (250KB). Medium-resolution image files: page 1, page 2, page 3.
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The Surfer's Journal
- Gault Williams, Malcolm. (1997, Winter). Surf Drunk: Wally Froiseth. The Surfer’s Journal, 6(4), 105. [PDF, 170KB]. Picture of Wally Froiseth riding a paipo board vertically
at Makaha - no other references to paipos in the article.
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Other Magazines (from the non-surfing press)
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Coming soon...
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Also see my Bibliography for Paipo Research, Annotated Bibliography and
General Acknowledgments, Sources, Places, Citations, Contributors... |
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