Hey all.

I have been asked by a photographer if anyone would know who is the man that appears in the 1980's Solo Man Windsurfing commercial?

Any help would be great Thanks

Someone who is now about 60 years old

This is showing my age but I think remembering him being called Mr Ace as he was the boyfriend/partner of our English teacher in high school, Year 7 or 1st form for the older generation.
Oops, I checked and the Mr Ace I remember is the Solo man in the kayak/rubber ducky white water ad.
They look alike with the mo's. It was 1986 too.

Was he a stunt double, not the rider

I don't know who the moustacheod guy is at the end but I am guessing the shots of the sailing were taken in Sydney. Is the rider say Greg Johns, Greg Kelly, Bobby Wilmot or ? I think it is Greg Kelly or Greg Johns and the booms seems to be a wooden boom so it is before 1986 early 1980 or 1979 more likely.Note also the absence of the harness (not being used back then) making it an older windsurfer than Wilmot and the size of the rider suggests it is not Wilmot's time of prominence making it more likely to be Kelly or Johns. Someone else on seabreeze should be able to confirm and pinpoint the answer.

Hows the front foot for'ard of the mast base!

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shoodbegood said..

Hows the front foot for'ard of the mast base!

The stinkbug stance necessary to keep the board bearing away, as conditions may create rounding up due to lift of centreboard and help to handle the leverage of the rig at the same time. It is possible a storm "surf" daggerboard was in use in this video but it is unclear. I would assume the storm daggerboard is being used.

Greg Kelly is the guy windsurfing, I don't know who the Solo man is. 1977-78. No windows in the sail.........scary !!

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AUS4 said..
Greg Kelly is the guy windsurfing, I don't know who the Solo man is. 1977-78. No windows in the sail.........scary !!

Yes that makes sense back in 1977-78 Greg Kelly was one of the owners of Sailboards Australia the windsurfer manufacturers with Roger Dulhunty.If it is that old I expect no storm daggerboard was used.

Thanks all. I have passed on the info. If anyone knows anymore info about Greg Kelly that would be great. Thanks again.

After seeing the add a few days ago, I have now consumed a carton of Solo in 3 days - on the belief I will be able to grow a Mo and early 80's hair-do, then put my gear on the rocks and have a drink break during sailing!!!!!

The 80's have a lot to answer for!!!!!!

I like how he can shove the plastic board on some sharps rocks, sit in it and have a drink and probably no damage to the board!! Legendary board construction.

Also I like how he takes on surf with that setup and some people today make excuses that they don't have the "right gear" or setup to be able to do stuff. Just get out there and give it a crack!! (And chug a solo at the same time).

I am Spartacus.

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Jono77 said..
I like how he can shove the plastic board on some sharps rocks, sit in it and have a drink and probably no damage to the board!!

Imagine what he's like around the home.

Campfire burning in the lounge room. A hammock setup in the bedroom. A pet crocodile in the bathtub. Has no visible source of income. He has no lady to hold him down. He doesn't play by "the rules". He is untameable. That's why he's a solo man.

God that looks like hard work. It's a wonder windsurfing took off at all.
They bred them tougher in those days.
He probably sleeps in paper bag in road.

I used to in a small shoebox in the middle of the road.

Working hard to be a SOLO man ,you've got to take the LEAD and let the others follow.
Working hard to be a SOLO man ,and when you've got a thirst for it, you've got to crack a SOLO
SOLO , light on the fizz so you can slam it down fast.