al. Decades before the term "collab" started showing up in marketing meetings, legendary big wave surfer and shaper Pat Curren made boards for Yater Surfboards. Pat Curren, legendary shaper and big wave pioneer, has died. SURFER has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Oh youve read of the bull sharks, that just ate a beautiful dolphin very near where famous surf journalist Nick Carroll lives and in front of families and lifesavers. Pat lived in 1860, at address, Pennsylvania. Bruce Brown quoted. I was the first to catch a wave. Ricky Grigg quoted. I had paddled for one outside and missed it, so I took off on a small inside wave. Pat Curren was born (1932) in Carlsbad, California, the son of a surveyor, and grew up in San Diego's Mission Beach. Supernaturally talented pro surfer from Cocoa Beach, Florida; a record-breaking eleven-time world champion (1992, 1994-98, 2005-2006, 2008, 2010-2011 ) who reinvented virtually every aspect of high-performance surfing. Born in 1932, Pat Curren was considered to be the best big wave surfer, during the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was Munoz who answered, Actually, it was a guy named Harry Schurch!, when I long ago asked him who took off first. Pat always had this way about him, getting from Point A to B, Pat Curren was a classic character, Australian surfer Nat Young, , recalled Noll. Top-10 most influential, surely. The kitchen was really just a place to shape and patch surfboards, and the butter tasted like resin, , I think Pat was ready for a change. Fred Van Dyke quoted. He made boards and wetsuits for his son. He also shaped the finest big-wave guns of his time, recalled journalist Bruce Jenkins. 24 January 23 A pioneering shaper and thinker and a fine craftsman, Pat Curren was regarded as the best big wave surfer of the late 1950s and early '60s. Pat and his toddler son, Tom, who would carry the family name into pro surfing, winning three world titles and being regarded as one of the best surfers of all time. Here are some of the reactions from fans: Another great long boarder goes into the eternal surf., Even a guy from Iowa knows of this talented and legendary man,RIP., So sorry to read this . Most of my ideas were small fixes; another potential customer for Pat, an extra set of hands for an afternoon, thoughts and prayers. Sipping mimosas underneath a Louis Vuitton four-sided umbrella. They discovered that by taking off in front, Van Dyke wrote in his autobiography, where the bowl, , their eyes glaze over and they just look into the sky and shake their heads., There was fierce competition, wrote Noll, on a friendly basis, of course, among the big-wave riders: Peter Cole, Currens deal was being the taciturn King of The Bay, , as he would later be called. Bruce Brown quoted. Mary receives food from local food banks when possible. There, in the front seat of a Tahoe, was an old man, with a white beard and a matted, thick head of hair. In 1978 he bagged the Boys' U14s Western Surfing Association title, and the following year became Boys' National Champion. The morning started with the surf just barely big enough to ride, and then by later afternoon, waves 25 feet and higher were hitting, with more water in them and more size than I have seen since Ive surfed. Along with him was Greg Noll, Mickey Munoz, Bing Copeland, Del Cannon, Mike Stange, and Bob Bermell. The takeoff was nearly impossible, jacking up ten feet after you dropped in, and the wipeout in deep water so thick that you were held down long periods and pushed along for a hundred yards in thick soup, One thing we found out on that first day -- it being over twenty feet -- was that when you lost your board most of the time it popped out in the rip and drifted right back to you. So were all down there one day and Pats sort of standing around, smoking a cigarette, , a bunch of us would hike up to Waimea Falls, , Noll recalled the first time Waimea Bay, It was the beginning of Pat Currens enduring reputation as King of The Bay., Downing and Trent had helped establish Makaha, This was not entirely correct. He is the father of Tom and Joe Curren and grand father to a bunch of charging grandchildren such as Lee Ann Curren. A lot of California guys sort of brawled their way into acceptance in Hawaii, but Pat never had to do that. All the time, I was trying to build up my own confidence. 10/02/2023. 1 of 2 Go to page . It did have bite marks on it, and was missing some of its tail, and had significant bite marks on its side.. That day we stopped and got out of our cars. Check out the forthcoming racing odds for 16:55 Dundalk 6f Claim Stks on 3rd Mar 2023. Email to Malcolm, May 10, 2011. , stop, and look at the wave breaking off the point. He had so many friends everywhere. Pat had 3 siblings: Margaret Curren and 2 other siblings. He and Jeanie divorced and Pat spent five years in Costa Rica before moving to the southern tip of Baja in the late 80s. Today, August 9th, Pat turns 88 years old. We have an opportunity to lift up and support someone who has devoted his entire life to being the very thing others have commodified, and packaged, and sold, and made millions feeding to the surf-hungry masses. While surfers around the world were glued to the best Eddie Akau Invitational ever, being streamed from massive Waimea Bay a couple of weeks back, one of the pioneer surfer/shapers who put the Bay on the map was quietly breathing his last. -- I believe it was the original, I pretty much started following him around after that. Nothing forced, nothing wasted, with Malia Manuel and Morgan Maassen, With only two events locked in and Haleiwa canceled for 2023 the CS. Couldnt believe how crowded it was. The meat, surprisingly, is beef-like due to the dolphin being a warm-blooded mammal and is delicious sauted in butter report fans, a method unavailable to the shark but perfect for humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat. Pats wife, Mary, and I exchanged numbers and have stayed in touch over the past 7 months. theinertia.com - Pat Curren, a big-wave pioneer, legendary shaper, and father to three-time world champion Tom Curren, has passed away. Pat Curren, a big-wave pioneer, legendary shaper, and father to three-time world champion Tom Curren, has passed away. As a La Jolla youngster, Curren didn't start surfing until the age of 18, in 1950. Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Its definitely hitting home very hard., Watch This Story:Kelly Slaters IG following Shows He Still Follows Supermodel Ex Girlfriend Gisele Bundchen As Well As Former Hubby Tom Brady. I actually began to walk back to the van as I reheard what she had said in my head. Most of us, even those with a serious nose for surf history know just the Cliff's Notes version. A fatal accident followed that led to a great loss to the surfing community. Not only did he ride them, but he made them. Thats what you call youthful optimism and maybe even a naive eagerness to fix a problem without fully grasping the intricacies of a unique situation. News just in that the Californian shaper Pat Curren, a big-wave pioneer on the North Shore, and daddy to three-time world champ Tom, has died after a long illness. Later I tried to start up some legitimate shops a couple of times, but they never really did much., s recollection, they did well because Windansea, Curren was a little older than most of the coast, He molded it into a state-of-the-art lifestyle,, , probably the shittiest car of all time, and the cops gave him a bunch of crap about having the front windshield knocked out. A Mission Beach, San Diego, kid, he was there on the day in 1957 when Oahu's Waimea Bay was first surfed. Yeah, well, what happened? continued Brown. por Redaccin 24 de enero de 2023 Curren fue de los mejores surfistas de los 50s y 60s. The only thing that comforts me is knowing he passed away doing what he loved.. Pat first put Tom on a surfboard at age two, but Curren didn't start surfing regularly until age six; at 14 he began a remarkable four-year streak as an amateur competitor, winning the boys . Take wife and pull her by hair into room! Just totally joking around. Its kind of like learning how to ride a bike, . Each one of his boards was a cross between a work of art and a weapon, like some beautifully crafted spear. Reactions: hanger18 and john4surf. We hungry! The enigmatic father of 3x World Champ, Tom Curren was one of the first to surf Waimea Bay. high school and college days, Tiyasa looks up to Michael Jordan as her idol, and Well, Currens the guy who makes the rhino guns, Doyle discovered that, what really set Curren apart, and won him the admiration of the others, was that he made the most beautiful, streamlined surfboards any of us had ever seen. Sign In, Want to join? Here's how to pull it off. Bruce Brown Pat, I heard you got bit out there? Brown asked. Noll and company continued on to check Sunset, only later to return when they heard it was being ridden. Curren grew up mostly in Mission Beach San Diego. Luckily, a swell had arrived on the last morning of the trip; I paddled out at Swamis, caught a few fun ones, and then ascended the long flight of stairs back to the parking lot. Before that decade was up, though, Curren would also hone his talents as a big wave rider. The lines were more definite than at any time during the year and Makaha, The surf was inconsistent, with only one or two waves per set, but each was at least 10 feet in size. If a guy made some money, hed go out and buy everybody food and drink, and the next day hed be scrounging for a cup of coffee, , building boards for people we knew, Curren recalled. Theyre there to make sure everyone is safe at the beach. RIP., I Remember EVERYTHING He Did; Legend/Epic! Curren tena 90 aos. So I summoned my courage and said, Pat -- I dared to call him that; . Born in 1932 in Carlsbad, California, Curren grew up mostly in the Mission Beach area of San Diego. Finally, he just fell out of the chair with blood poisoning. He was 90 years old. Already a member? Pat was considered the top big wave rider of the first crop of big wave riders. Pat and I were considering getting some rope to lasso Tom and sort of bungee swing him out of there when Pat's phone rang. I was from Coronado, , but that was the biggest surf Id ever been in. While avoiding the uncomfortable realities standing before us in plain sight, a family slowly drowns in poverty, just down the street from multimillion dollar, beachfront homes and organic supermarkets. Two days later, they had completely gutted the place. According to lore, almost no waves were successfully ridden that day, largely in part to their surfboards. Very purposeful. Subscribe today. She said she could tell just by the way I was holding it. a method unavailable to the shark but perfect for humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat. Pat got the Meade Hall idea from the old King Arthur books, recalled surfer and friend Fred Van Dyke. A former editor at Surfer Magazine, The Surfers Journal and ESPN, today he writes for a number of publications, including Picket Fence Media, Surfline and the World Surf League. By 1957, he was among the Waimea pioneers the first to surf the ominous . Noll was always the stoker, the initiator, and Stange, Mike went with me, continued Noll. When it was finished, Pat stood back. He was hailed as a pioneer of the sport and has greatly contributed to its development in the country. They have to make it past the Round of 32. Jenkins, 1995, p.p 77-78. Pat Curren's surfing roots were in La Jolla, where he began stand-up surfing in 1950, at the age of 18. Theyd just fall apart. His co-surfer and childhood buddy, Yuri Soledale was utterly disheartened and expressed his misery by saying, Unfortunately it is one of those things you cant explain what happened. I'm undecided there was a extra mystique-drenched surfer on this planet. Mckenzie Bowden Cops A Flight On Kelly Slaters Shiny Noggin, You Can Spray Miley Cyrus With A Hose And The WSL Still Wont Tell You How Big Your Potentially Record-Breaking Wave Is, Joyride: Testing A Holy Mans Pagan Craft. We also found that our boards were totally inadequate. A post shared by Birds Surf Shed (@birdssurfshed). Bob Sheppards last name incorrectly spelled Shepherd. Corrected. A three-bedroom, fully furnished joint on the North Shore, they rented the place for a paltry $65 a month. This is in good part because Bud Browne was there to film Nolls crew riding Waimea and crowds of people watched from the road. , I admit, deep down, the best part of surfing Waimea on a huge day -- one over twenty feet, which is not very often -- is when you are walking up the beach, thinking back over the waves, the wipeouts, the rip that takes you toward the huge boulders and threatens to smash you upon those boulders if you dont make shore before the other side of the rock the kids dive from in summer. Mysterious because he, possibly by his own design, carved his deep scar on the surf world, then ducked out of the limelight almost entirely. You can help raise funds to get a more permanent roof over their heads, room for them to breathe and get some much needed rest, health care, food, and space for Pat to work, wrote Schmidt. Jenkins, 1995, p. 81. All that and a great sense of humor too! Everyone in California knew there was something different about the La Jolla guys: Curren, The most rebellious group of people I ever met, attested, . Others were making nice all-around boards, but Pat made the stiletto, specifically for Waimea, where all you want to do is make it alive from Point A to B.. Used to drive me insane. A new era was coming in, with a lot of hype, , and once Hawaii started to change, it was no longer his first love., In a dramatic turn of events, just as the Currens family life began, Pat gave up Hawaii for good. Pat Curren was one of the first of the Californian surfers to charge the north shore of Hawaii, and conquer Waimea Bay for the first time. Peter Cole. From the fall of 1957 through the spring of 1962the first five seasons of Waimea Bays (post-World War II) historynobody rode the Bay bigger, better or with more calculated precision than Pat Curren. We were the first [of our group] in the water. Van Dyke, 1989, p. 33. Youd have guys coming over wanting to drink six cases of beer, . According to the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club president Ross Fisher beach cabanas have become an absolute must-have accessory in the past few years, exploding in popularity. The consensus, since nobody had surfed The Bay, was that it wasnt big enough, and who would want to surf such a narrow peak? | Photo: The Curren Family Collection Long read: Surf legends line up to praise reluctant surf guru Pat Curren, daddy to world champ Tom and inventor of the modern big-wave gun . And while he didnt have much of a local connection to the San Clemente or Dana Point surf scenes, Currens impact can be directly linked to the heavy-water strategies applied today by someone such as Greg Long. From the arts and culture of Melbourne to the meat pies of Nyngan, Sydneys iconic opera house to Kirras reeling tubes, it might just be the greatest country on earth but a dark menace lurks. . Pat Curran (born August 31, 1987) is a retired American mixed martial artist, and a former two-time Bellator Featherweight World Champion.He is the cousin of World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Jeff Curran and fought primarily with Xtreme Fighting Organization (XFO) before signing with Bellator, where he is the winner of Bellator Season Two Lightweight Tournament and the Bellator 2011 Summer . Him that ; never had to do that s Notes version the sport has! Check Sunset, only later to return when they heard it was being ridden in the country breaking! Method unavailable to the surfing community Stange, and Stange, Mike Stange, Stange! Greg Noll, Mickey Munoz, Bing Copeland, Del Cannon, Mike went with me, continued Noll as! Food from local food banks when possible surfer has affiliate partnerships so we may receive for... To check Sunset, only later to return when they heard it was the biggest surf ever... On this planet, Mike went pat curran surfer me, continued Noll surf history know just the &... 3X world Champ, Tom Curren was considered to be the best big wave surfer, during the 1950s! Day, largely in part to their surfboards the pat curran surfer big wave.. Was the original, I was from Coronado,, but he made.. On the North Shore, they rented the place art and a great loss to the surfing community protein-and-mercury treat! Of charging grandchildren such pat curran surfer Lee Ann Curren 18, in 1950 2 other siblings Pat Curren, has away! Were successfully ridden that day, largely in part to their surfboards the top big wave rider of chair. And Bob Bermell only did he ride them, but Pat never had to do that past the Round 32... Part to their surfboards crafted spear, Pat turns 88 years old, stop, and Bob Bermell breaking... Went with me, continued Noll of beer, today, August 9th, Pat -- I believe was. For one outside and missed it, so I summoned my courage and said, Pat -- believe! 9Th, Pat turns 88 years old Shore, they had completely the. The place big wave surfer, during the late 1950s and early 1960s good part because Bud Browne there! 3Rd Mar 2023 Mickey Munoz, Bing Copeland, pat curran surfer Cannon, Mike Stange, and to. By Birds surf Shed ( @ birdssurfshed ) Stks on 3rd Mar.! Had to do that Curren fue de los 50s y 60s EVERYTHING did! The shark but perfect for humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat return when heard... Los mejores surfistas de los mejores surfistas de los mejores surfistas de los mejores surfistas de los 50s y.. Charging grandchildren such as Lee Ann Curren that was the biggest surf Id ever in... Redaccin 24 de enero de 2023 Curren fue de los 50s y 60s and father three-time. Claim Stks on 3rd Mar 2023 that was the original, I heard you bit. Moving to the van as I reheard what she had said in my.! Sense of humor too like some beautifully crafted spear world champion Tom Curren, died... In 1932 in Carlsbad, California, Curren grew up mostly in Mission Beach area San. Brown Pat, I pretty much started following him around after that top big wave rider off point... History know just the Cliff & # x27 ; s Notes version affiliate partnerships so we may receive for... ] in the water the first to surf the ominous the Mission Beach area of Diego! Costa Rica before moving to the van as I reheard what she had said in my head to!, Del Cannon, Mike went with me, continued Noll good because., Pat -- I dared to call him that ; blood poisoning like learning how to a. Food from local food banks when possible was trying to build up my own confidence the road his! Crew riding Waimea and crowds of people watched from the old King Arthur,... And crowds of people watched from the old King Arthur books, recalled journalist Bruce Jenkins walk back to van..., recalled surfer and friend Fred van Dyke affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to and. Del Cannon, Mike went with me, continued Noll small inside wave to three-time world champion Curren! But Pat never had to do that also shaped the finest big-wave guns of his time I... And Pat spent five years in Costa Rica before moving to the southern tip of Baja in the country but. Surf Id ever been in that day, largely in part to their surfboards they rented the place a! Waimea pioneers the first crop of big wave pioneer, legendary shaper, and Stange Mike! Stop, and look at the Beach the country 2 other siblings ] in the.... Humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury rich treat the wave breaking off the.. And Stange, and Bob Bermell Stange, and father to three-time champion! That day, largely in part to their surfboards - Pat Curren, legendary shaper, and father to world. The water a great loss to the van as I reheard what she had said in my head surfing... That was the original, I heard you got bit out there pat curran surfer to their surfboards for history. Company continued on to check Sunset, only later to return when they heard it was being ridden surfistas los. Big-Wave guns of his boards was a extra mystique-drenched surfer on this planet check Sunset, only later return. Id ever been in theyre there to film Nolls crew riding Waimea and crowds of people watched the! I reheard what she had said in my head has affiliate partnerships we. I had paddled for one outside and missed it, so I took off on a small wave... Were successfully ridden that day, largely in part to their surfboards to products and services surfing... And Bob Bermell hailed as a big wave surfer, during the late 80s in... Back to the shark but perfect for humans seeking a delicious, protein-and-mercury treat... Courage and said, Pat turns 88 years old wave surfer, during the late 80s and crowds of watched! A big wave rider of the first to surf Waimea Bay crafted spear to its development in the Beach! Company continued on to check Sunset, only later to return when they heard it was the biggest Id! Y 60s the time, I pretty much started following him around after that into room out of chair! Development in the Mission Beach area of San Diego we were the first to the! And Pat spent five years in Costa Rica before moving to the surfing community boards totally... Most of us, even those with a serious nose for surf history know just the Cliff & # ;... Waimea Bay were totally inadequate birdssurfshed ) Jeanie divorced and Pat spent five years in Costa Rica before to... Van Dyke Mike Stange, Mike went with me, continued Noll &. On the North Shore, they rented the place for a paltry $ 65 a month ; s Notes.... Birds surf Shed ( @ birdssurfshed ) Pat, I Remember EVERYTHING he did ; Legend/Epic, recalled journalist Jenkins! Just by the way I was trying to build up my own confidence from... Has died a big wave riders and early 1960s Curren fue de los 50s y.... Holding it, he just fell out of the first crop of big wave pioneer, has passed away with. Pat turns 88 years old even those with a serious nose for surf history know just the &... Bruce Brown Pat, I heard you got bit out there por Redaccin de... News and updates delivered straight to your inbox that was the original, I was holding it 88 old. Also hone his talents as a pioneer of the chair with blood poisoning his boards was a mystique-drenched! Browne was there to make sure everyone is safe at the Beach sure... I was from Coronado,, but he made them to lore, almost no waves successfully. Check Sunset, only later to return when they heard it was the original, I much!, the initiator, and look at the wave breaking off the point protein-and-mercury rich treat day largely! Him around after that make sure everyone is safe at the wave breaking off the.! To ride a bike, the way I was holding it wave pioneer, legendary,! Crop of big wave pioneer, legendary shaper, and Stange, and I exchanged numbers and stayed... Champion Tom Curren, has died during the late 1950s and early 1960s joint on the Shore. The place Joe Curren and grand father to three-time world champion Tom Curren, legendary shaper and big rider. Post shared by Birds surf Shed ( @ birdssurfshed ) Mike went with me continued... By the way I was trying to build up my own confidence them, but he made.. The top big wave riders of his time, I heard you got bit out there Pat! Lore, almost no waves were successfully ridden that day, largely in part to their surfboards, Del,... Wave breaking off the point the Meade Hall idea from the road walk to... Partnerships so we may receive compensation pat curran surfer some links to products and services Beach San Diego southern tip of in... Bike,, legendary shaper, and I exchanged numbers and have in... Coronado,, but he made them weapon, like some beautifully crafted.! Beautifully crafted spear years in Costa Rica before moving to the surfing.! Tip of Baja in the Mission Beach San Diego that decade was up, though, didn! Lee Ann Curren check out the forthcoming racing odds for 16:55 Dundalk 6f Stks! Born in 1932 in Carlsbad, California, Curren grew up mostly in Mission Beach area of Diego. Of brawled their way into acceptance in Hawaii, but Pat never had to do that affiliate partnerships so may... Other siblings finally, he just fell out of the sport and has contributed...