An early Tiki

Martin sent in these photos of his Tiki singlefin, which I think is the earliest one we've had on the blog. He got it from a garage in North Devon where he now lives. Its an 8ft long transitional teardrop shape with pintail, shaped by Tim Heyland, and the label gives the address as Abergavenny in Wales, which predates their move to Devon. Martin thinks it must be one of the last boards made there before the move, dating it at around 1967.

'It surfs like a dog and with no rocker so it has a tendency to pearl. Still it's a little bit of North Devon surf history and is safely stashed in my shed awaiting renovation.' Looks like the renovations underway by the photos.

In 1967 Tim set up Tiki with Dave Smith, who he had met at a London boat show. They started shaping from a very cheap old wool warehouse in Abergavenny, South Wales. Tim and Dave blew their own foam, making the moulds out of wooden blocks, wedged under the beams of the warehouse. 'The roof would raise two inches under the pressure as the foam blew !' said Tim.

By '68 Tiki had moved to Barnstaple and later Braunton, and were producing Aussie inspired 8 footers with Tiki's own Castle foam. These details of Tiki's early days are taken from Roger Mansfield's 'a Surfing Tribe'.

Tim Heyland, watergate bay 1969

A flying Tiki in those fun pre leash days, Langland 1968. Photos from british surfer.