The passing of another legend- 
[https://www.ocregister.com/2021/12/20/iconic-surfboard-shaper-hap-jacobs-dies-at-91/
[https://www.ocregister.com/2021/12/20/iconic-surfboard-shaper-hap-jacobs-dies-at-91/
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Hap Jacobs RIP
- Thread starter One-Off
- Start date
His early lessons were old school-
(from Velzy)- get outta here or we're gonna run over ya.
(ffrom Hoppy Swatz and Leroy Grannis)- if you get into any trouble, we're not taking you again.
But his most important life lesson- not to argue with the wife.
ps link is to a good website with intersting articles created by a guy who is a local at my local...
(from Velzy)- get outta here or we're gonna run over ya.
(ffrom Hoppy Swatz and Leroy Grannis)- if you get into any trouble, we're not taking you again.
But his most important life lesson- not to argue with the wife.
ps link is to a good website with intersting articles created by a guy who is a local at my local...
Memories of Hermosa Beach pioneer surfer and surfboard builder Hap Jacobs
by Mike Purpus [Editor’s note: Pioneer surfboard builder Dudley “Hap” Jacobs passed away Saturday, Dec. 19, at his home in Palos Verdes. He was 92.] Hap Jacobs learned to shape in 1953 from his good…
easyreadernews.com
"Met" him and Eaton at the same time when they were dropping off boards at Wise Surfboards in the 1990s. Really all I did was say thanks for the boards over the years (having owned a few Eaton bonzers/zingers) and shook their hands.
Friend #1 had a great 9'0" beach break ready longboard from Hap Jacobs. A bit more rocker, heavier glassing, and somewhat of a diamond tail or rounded pin. Alas, it died a horrible death when a strap on the roof rack broke and the board flew off and went right into roadside boulders.
RIP Mr. Jacobs.
Friend #1 had a great 9'0" beach break ready longboard from Hap Jacobs. A bit more rocker, heavier glassing, and somewhat of a diamond tail or rounded pin. Alas, it died a horrible death when a strap on the roof rack broke and the board flew off and went right into roadside boulders.
RIP Mr. Jacobs.
Very 1st "surf shop" that I got to hang around at was Hap's shop on PCH in Hermosa. Vassek Pollack Motors Imports & Porsche was across the street at the street lights.Golden Bear Muffler Shop was next door to Haps.
Henry Ford, was the up front guy when you walked in the door. Henry's known lifeguard experience gave credit for his sales pitch. Woven, square shaped matt pieces sewn together covered the large showroom floor. Shiney, newly shaped longboards covered one wall standing upright, 3/4 inch dowels in 2 x 4's that were screwed to the cement wall, separated each board. All the surfboards had 3/4 inch redwood stringers, the norm for the time period. Glassed in wooden fins for each board with a clear "halo bead" to protect, the wood fin. Assorted pigment colors adorned each one.
Behind the door to Henry's left, were 2 shaping rooms. One for Hap and one for Larry Felker. Larry not the tallest, nor biggest of people, Larry had been to the Islands, loved the time he had spent in Hawaii and had hoped to return one day. He spoke of his times in the 1950's. meeting the Waikiki Beachboy's, surfing Waikiki's easy going combers and his opportunity and joy in riding in an outrigger canoe several times. "The best ever," Larry claimed. Larry's Son, reached out some years back and thanked me for my kind words. Larry, was a good soul.
Kenny Tilton, from Hawaii would later take Larry's spot in the shaping room and Donald Takayama as well. 442 Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach was on the main thoroughfare for surfers heading north or south and always worth a stop to look at all the shiny new surfboards.
Bing Surfboards, Greg Noll Surfboards would all be in close proximity. Dale Velzy had gone South, down the coast to open a shop. Velzy and Jacobs Surfboards had parted ways.
Hap Jacobs carved out a a legacy for himself in being a quiet gentleman, an astounding surfboard shaper and came from a generation of men being men.Hoppy Schwartz, John McFarlain, LeRoy Grannis, Henry Ford, Greg Noll, Mike Stang, Bob and Bill Miestrell from Dive and Surf and many more. Trying to name Haps Friends, would take pages. Hap's character, was true.
I was more an "acquaintance" than a "friend" but Hap always, gave me a nod, a smile and a solid handshake and a "howdy Peter" whenever I had the chance to see him. Huge Man, with a quiet grace.
The evolution of surfing and surfboard shaping has changed throughout the decades, Yet Hap Jacobs, was at the spear point of surfboard production.
RIP Hap!
Henry Ford, was the up front guy when you walked in the door. Henry's known lifeguard experience gave credit for his sales pitch. Woven, square shaped matt pieces sewn together covered the large showroom floor. Shiney, newly shaped longboards covered one wall standing upright, 3/4 inch dowels in 2 x 4's that were screwed to the cement wall, separated each board. All the surfboards had 3/4 inch redwood stringers, the norm for the time period. Glassed in wooden fins for each board with a clear "halo bead" to protect, the wood fin. Assorted pigment colors adorned each one.
Behind the door to Henry's left, were 2 shaping rooms. One for Hap and one for Larry Felker. Larry not the tallest, nor biggest of people, Larry had been to the Islands, loved the time he had spent in Hawaii and had hoped to return one day. He spoke of his times in the 1950's. meeting the Waikiki Beachboy's, surfing Waikiki's easy going combers and his opportunity and joy in riding in an outrigger canoe several times. "The best ever," Larry claimed. Larry's Son, reached out some years back and thanked me for my kind words. Larry, was a good soul.
Kenny Tilton, from Hawaii would later take Larry's spot in the shaping room and Donald Takayama as well. 442 Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach was on the main thoroughfare for surfers heading north or south and always worth a stop to look at all the shiny new surfboards.
Bing Surfboards, Greg Noll Surfboards would all be in close proximity. Dale Velzy had gone South, down the coast to open a shop. Velzy and Jacobs Surfboards had parted ways.
Hap Jacobs carved out a a legacy for himself in being a quiet gentleman, an astounding surfboard shaper and came from a generation of men being men.Hoppy Schwartz, John McFarlain, LeRoy Grannis, Henry Ford, Greg Noll, Mike Stang, Bob and Bill Miestrell from Dive and Surf and many more. Trying to name Haps Friends, would take pages. Hap's character, was true.
I was more an "acquaintance" than a "friend" but Hap always, gave me a nod, a smile and a solid handshake and a "howdy Peter" whenever I had the chance to see him. Huge Man, with a quiet grace.
The evolution of surfing and surfboard shaping has changed throughout the decades, Yet Hap Jacobs, was at the spear point of surfboard production.
RIP Hap!
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Henry Ford and his crew surf down at Ogro's a lot.... I didn't know he was dialed in to Hermosa...I thought maybe Ogro knew him because he was from Dana Point or something.Very 1st "surf shop" that I got to hang around at was Hap's shop on PCH in Hermosa. Vassek Pollack Motors Imports & Porsche was across the street at the street lights.Golden Bear Muffler Shop was next door to Haps.
Henry Ford, was the up front guy when you walked in the door. Henry's known lifeguard experience gave credit for his sales pitch. Woven, square shaped matt pieces sewn together covered the large showroom floor. Shiney, newly shaped longboards covered one wall standing upright, 3/4 inch dowels in 2 x 4's that were screwed to the cement wall, separated each board. All the surfboards had 3/4 inch redwood stringers, the norm for the time period. Glassed in wooden fins for each board with a clear "halo bead" to protect, the wood fin. Assorted pigment colors adorned each one.
Behind the door to Henry's left, were 2 shaping rooms. One for Hap and one for Larry Felker. Larry not the tallest, nor biggest of people, Larry had been to the Islands, loved the time he had spent in Hawaii and had hoped to return one day. He spoke of his times in the 1950's. meeting the Waikiki Beachboy's, surfing Waikiki's easy going combers and his opportunity and joy in riding in an outrigger canoe several times. "The best ever," Larry claimed. Larry's Son, reached out some years back and thanked me for my kind words. Larry, was a good soul.
Kenny Tilton, from Hawaii would later take Larry's spot in the shaping room and Donald Takayama as well. 442 Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach was on the main thoroughfare for surfers heading north or south and always worth a stop to look at all the shiny new surfboards.
Bing Surfboards, Greg Noll Surfboards would all be in close proximity. Dale Velzy had gone South, down the coast to open a shop. Velzy and Jacobs Surfboards had parted ways.
Hap Jacobs carved out a a legacy for himself in being a quiet gentleman, an astounding surfboard shaper and came from a generation of men being men.Hoppy Schwartz, John McFarlain, LeRoy Grannis, Henry Ford, Greg Noll, Mike Stang, Bob and Bill Miestrell from Dive and Surf and many more.
I was more an "acquaintance" than a "friend" but Hap always, gave me a nod, a smile and a solid handshake and a "howdy Peter" whenever I had the chance to see him.
The evolution of surfing and surfboard shaping has changed throughout the decades, Yet Hap Jacobs, was at the spear point of surfboard production.
RIP Hap!
I dusted off my pic of Tommy today...I still have one of his flannels hung on the wall in the hallway
Yeah. I know. They used to go to Costa Rica a lot. Now they choose closer environments.
First stepped into Jacobs shop in Hermosa in '69 as a young grom drooling over the new boards. Actually first REAL surfboard shop I went into. Rick and Weber were just up the Coast hwy a few blocks later into the 70's. Not 100% sure they were there in '69? The address in Hermosa on the Coast Hwy was similar to my home address in South Redondo on the Coast Hwy, so thought that was cool.
But Jacobs seemed to be the premier shop in Hermosa at that time during the short board revolution (very late 60's/very early 70's). I think they became the "official" Bay Cities board distributor at one point, but PPK may know if that's true or not. The Bay Cities shop was down in the little industrial park area off 2nd street or so, near the old RR tracks, if I remember right?
A couple surf buds of mine growing up both got new Jacobs boards for Christmas in 1970 or '71. Both near identical shapes, but totally different color combos. Blue/green Acid splash on one, and the other orange with a fat black stripe. Most of the grom crew were jealous of these slightly older groms good fortune. These were short boards for the era and around 6' 4" or 6' 6" with thin noses an lots of kick, and fairly pinny tails. Perfect for launching very high flying kick-outs (before leashs) in the Redondo close-outs.
I'll always remember the smell of brand new boards and that BIG poster above the board racks of a very large day at what looks like El Porto/Manhattan viewed from up one of streets a block or 2. The poster was at least 6-8 feet across (maybe bigger?) and a giant Porto bomb stretching across the full length of it.
RIP Hap, a true So Bay surf legend.
But Jacobs seemed to be the premier shop in Hermosa at that time during the short board revolution (very late 60's/very early 70's). I think they became the "official" Bay Cities board distributor at one point, but PPK may know if that's true or not. The Bay Cities shop was down in the little industrial park area off 2nd street or so, near the old RR tracks, if I remember right?
A couple surf buds of mine growing up both got new Jacobs boards for Christmas in 1970 or '71. Both near identical shapes, but totally different color combos. Blue/green Acid splash on one, and the other orange with a fat black stripe. Most of the grom crew were jealous of these slightly older groms good fortune. These were short boards for the era and around 6' 4" or 6' 6" with thin noses an lots of kick, and fairly pinny tails. Perfect for launching very high flying kick-outs (before leashs) in the Redondo close-outs.
I'll always remember the smell of brand new boards and that BIG poster above the board racks of a very large day at what looks like El Porto/Manhattan viewed from up one of streets a block or 2. The poster was at least 6-8 feet across (maybe bigger?) and a giant Porto bomb stretching across the full length of it.
RIP Hap, a true So Bay surf legend.
Redwood 3 stringer with a redwood tailblock ~ 3 stringers, just added that bit of class, to a surfboard! Manufacture??
it’s a hobie. serial number 2547 - i know hobie’s serial numbers are all over the place, but i figure it’s maybe a 1961 or ‘62, judging by the d fin (?).
i got it at the end of a furniture auction in nj. bidding started at $125, i got it for $300.
pretty close to mint, not even any sand scratches on the fin... it weighs a fckn ton !
got it maybe 4 years ago, and it sits on my living room floor. i just like to look at it.
gf thinks i’m an idiot...
...oh, 9’8”
looks kinda distorted in that pic, but it’s
a charles eames (for herman miller) lcw...
(lounge chair wood)
google “eames lcw” for full details...
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