Chris Ash 60s photos

You may remember seeing some 60s skateboarding photos from North Devon surfer Chris Ash. Now we can see some of his classic old surfing photos - when diy wetsuits and empty lineups were the order of the day. I like the surfing wedding too.

 

Chris with his home-made wetsuit, 1966. `I made a big mistake, cut out 2 left sides ! Made of un-lined neoprene, so I had to coat it inside with talcum powder to get it on.`

 `my first board, which I got off the maker, Paul Blackwell`.

 `Harry`s woodie, a Morris Minor, at Redruth in 1966 `.

 `Landsend, 1967, looking down on the Torrey Canyon disaster. Clockwise from top left : "Ginger", my girlfriend Pat, Flipper Stacey, Merv Beard..... the last two formed Chapter Surfboards a few years later`.

 `Gwithian, 1967; my custom Bilbo (L) and Pat`s Bilbo popout (R). Pat was a very enthusiastic surfer - in fact she still meets up with her fellow surfer-girls for re-unions .` Great to see a photo of Gwithian/Godrevy from the 60s.

 `In 1968 I bought a Westcoast shortboard off Fitz in Woolacombe ; Merv and I had just seen Wayne Lynch and Nat Young surfing La Barre in France, this board re-created the Lynch board which we had examined in detail . Pat`s holding my old Bilbo, and the brand new Westcoast on the day I first tried it out.`

   Pat & Chris last week, holding the 1968 Westcoast.

 ` Riding the board at Putsborough`

 ` I found I could still hang five, even after losing 18 inches of board .`

 ` Pat & I married in 1970, & had an arch of boards at the church. Pete Evans with longboard (L) and Anthony Meryam (R) with long & short boards.`The board on the right has one of those Westcoast Surfboards type seahorses on.

  `Jim Elliott at Puts., early 70`s . This wave snapped his fin in half`.

 ` Perfect 6` offshore day at Bantham, early 70`s. No-one else out, had the place to myself, as happened a lot back then. Pat took the photo as I paddled out`.

 The board`s still in pretty good nick..... just like it`s owners ! Thanks to Chris and Pat Ash for sharing their photos and to Tony for sending them over.