Well not exactly but whilst searching around for the book that TB spoke of I came across a quote that you McTav lovers may enjoy. Clearly he spent some time surfing the lovely waves of TB's home town. Can you remember TB?
Bob McTavish told BeachLife: “I shaped for Bob Davie for three months in 1966. We surfed everywhere. The best were Pipeline, The Island, Makas, Mahia. My memories of that time are the pubs with the Maoris, huge flagons of beer, local wines and wonderful happy people. Surf, surf, surf and surf – and a new surfbreak around every corner. Unbeatable.”
Bob Davie was one of the legend shappers in NZ when I grew up. My second board was one of his - my first was a 5'10" Mt Woodgie with deep tail channels that my cous brought back from Qld when he used to do the legendary kiwi boys surf trip.....fly to Aust with 3 mates. Register for the Dole, buy yrself a holden 186 SW then crusie down the coast from Nossa to Sydney.
Sadly I never got to do one of these govt sponsored surf trips as by the time I was old enough to do it I had been brain washed on the joys of University and needed to spend my summer holidays working to pay for the next year. Ahhhhh Can not complain though as I have now done many a roadie in this lovely country - I have just had to pay for them myself - as one should!! I for one would never condone such behaviour......for this years roadie its back to the SW for 3 weeks and I can not wait......
Anyway back to boards and those lovely things......I got my Mt Woodgie right around the time Jason Buttonshaw was in every surf mag pulling into the lovely coloured kirra barrells in boardshorts no less! We were envious. In Hawkes Bay you needed a wetsuit 11 months of the year. Its a shame I never got to the point of giving that board the justice it deserved.
Anyway its good to hear that Mct loved Mahia - we had a family batch there and around those parts was the first time I got to make it to the shoulder and flap my arms around endlessly in excitement. It was a cold day at Black's Beach and an Americian on a fluro green board and equally bright wetsuit was ripping it up. It was the first time I ever saw someone pull in and make it out in real life. I was just elated to make the drop on a few and shuffle sideways!! Those were the days.
Cheers for that Ted,nice little read oh they lived the life back then.
Mt Woodgie based at Tugun was the go to back for a smoking SB.
Some of you would know Lacey,well Lacey hang out in the same pubs
and clubs as me and my crew,he had his own crew of super cool guys.
We being a tab younger looked up to his gang and would have a chat
and move on,same as we surfed the same spots,nod the head short chat
and move on.Oh they were truly the days.
Lacey's mate would double me up the Mt on the back of a trail bike on a dirt
track,if you drove a car up there it would be covered in scratches the track was
tight.My first custom came from the Mt.
That was a good read Ted my, first board was a Bob Davies but there was no channels around when I started or leg robs for that matter . Some time after reading Bob Mc s book I found that I infact lived next door to were he & Davies were shaping boards for 10 or 12 yrs , I still own the property have tenants in it . They would have surfed the pipe a lot its only a two hundred mtr walk from there.I also was lucky enough to live in Mahunga(Mahia) for two years , unfortunitly there was not a lot of surfing done then I was working in Napier & Gisborne a bit stressful at that time . This is still the best area in NZ if you want a surfing live style and I'm working on getting to spend more time in the water while still can
Mahunga - classic - thats where we always stayed! You may know a cousin of mine who still has a place there I believe. The lefts off the corner at the northern end, last hope when it was small and the reefs towards the spit when the swell was from the E or NE provdied lots of fun sessions. On the S days we used to head to Blacks or Rolling Stones........Pt A was a little scary taking off next to that rock face when we were groms but we still tried......Tracks was just a myth for many yrs until one day we got it smoking! Although there were always a few hazards to dodge.
I could happily live there the rest of my days but sadly the partner loves warm weather and she has told me in no un-certain terms that the only place we are moving to from where we are now is further north.........ahhhhhh I got offered a nice gig down in Tassy 18 mths ago and was really keen on the move but she shut me down before I could even get out of first gear. Tough one. Thats why she is known as The Captain as she skippers a tight ship.
Ted the locals are still just as agro there, Logan has some great shots of down there in his book, last chance is the name of the northern break, had a couple of great summers there it's only an hour from here but don't seem to get there these days . I have thought of going bck there to retire but the old girl is not keen .
Mania my aunty lives there I spent one week of the Xmas holidays there when I was 10 or so I only ever was allowed to swim in the lagoon there but can Remember seeing some bug surf.
cant even drink on this great day off sport. casey stoner...world champion,woooo hhhhoooo
. aussies smashing kiwis in league now getting ready for the big one,even though i dont like union much. yet i cant really brag about league. boys at the grand are going to be sad that im not there. iam...very sad wont say come on aussies cause thats too porn like.
so smash them chokers boys
so where have you gone two balls black and white,oops im mean tow ball black and white roasting a sheep or just loving it
yeah, nice story Ted.
PS - it seems most of us are busy with other stuff (not Seabreeze!)... Work, surf, Rugby, Moto GP in Phillip Island, etc.... Family, kids, thinking about that next board!...
Rugby - Game Over! 20-6 and S B Williams back on... GAME OVER!
PS - because of my passion for AFL, and rants from Aussie Rugby Fans, I am extremely neutral on this game, verging on All Black Fan... Archetypical Aussie Rugby Fan hates AFL so much, that they force me to give little credit in return... Sorry!
you are no longer my uncle, simgromdo me to on the board thing mate, i have one on order but am now thinking i do like the look on those bobsleds i should maybe look elsewhere cause those thieves from mc t are exxy what your thoughts people.
First up Chrispy,what board do you have on order
Secondly that board I spoke about the other day from
a local Byron guy was 1700 for tint,the guy was huge
some 115kgs tall guy buffed and I was impressed at the
gild he got on small waves so had a chat with him in the
carpark,he gave me a card but I cant find his link
The surf was the best its been for a very long time today
not my lads one anymore... and the other, ooops that wasnt suppose to come out till it was finished... i did tell you a day before the order though so lets just wait a couple of weeks and you will all see.
Sorry TB I am back. It's been a big day out. Tom will be a long day....lucky there is no swell as I will not be making it up for the early. I took the sweet potato out today....normally on a day like this I would have stayed in bed. There was one bloke on a big fat arsed long board loving life....at least I had enough board to enjoy as well....He did get more than me though my yield was low in comparison but I did sneak a few.
Mac - as Doggie wd say ....no pics or it didn't happen unless boobs were involved.
Lol did have grandson working here ,the guys in the Engineering shop down the road called him little ball Used to be an Irish man at a local saw mill that called me tow bar two balls lol
roasting a sheep or just loving it
Not buying the camera one , what you think doggie? better lift your leg
Select to expand quote
PS,Chrispy they are shooting the face of the gold coast in my store right here right now, they've been here all day
should have told me mate..i love chicks that can squirt i hope you got a towel nearby to clean up that face of the gold coast
On Mct,dropped in for a chat with Dave at the factory,asea you shouls see his new board OMG,its a FB pintail triple stringer with a UFO nose,yellow tint with a white and black wrap like the photo below.
