Dump find Devon

Another great board plucked from the tip, this time in North Devon. This was the 1983 personal board of Welsh absolute legend Carwyn Williams, who worked his way up to the world pro tour on a shoestring and at his best could surf to a level equalling and sometimes beating world champions. Added to that a classic character making friends wherever he went and partying hard. To find one of his old comp boards any any sort of good condition is very rare, and there's apparently a photo of Carwyn holding this board in an old Surf Scene , but its one I don't have.
Just as Carwyn was hitting his stride on the tour he was involved in a major car crash in France (1990 ) which injured his knee so badly doctors thought he would never surf again. After surgery, physio and a lot of grit and determination he made a successful comeback on the European tour and frustratingly missed qualifying by one place twice for the ASP world tour.
He later moved to his favourite area Hossegor and became a team trainer for his sponsers Billabong.

As you can see by the big sponser decals on this board he was in the Alder team, which were dominant in the early 80s and also included Paul Russell , Richard Carter and Simon Tucker. The team to beat. In 1983 , which I think is the year the board was made , Carwyn won the Welsh,British and European junior titles ! The board is shaped by Craig Hughes, who was Carwyn's shaper all through the 80s and early 90s and became Wave Graffitti. This 2 1/2 fin set up was quite typical at the time in the run up to the universal use of the thruster. From what I can remember the board is around 5'8x 19 1/2 or 20 in wide.

Thurso '82, by Alex Williams

1983

1985. This ad makes me laugh. Advertising then wasn't quite as slick as it is now.

Surf Scene '83. No of years surfing 4 1/2 ,favourite tv show Grange Hill.