Skurfing: Byrne, Darby. 70s, 80s

[trackshound]

PLease Help!

Does anyone have any info on the early days of Skurfing with Alan Byrne or Geoff Darby?

I am writing a book that includes the true history of wakeboarding. There has been a common misconception in the US that wakeboarding began with Tony FInn in CAlifornia the 1985. I have traced it back to New Zealand and Australia.

Byrne wrote a story for "Best of Tracks" in 1980. The originally appeared in what year? maybe 1976 or 1979.

This book will become part of the permanent record at USA- Water Ski, the governing body in the US.

I have already been in contact with Bruce McKee and his McSki.

If anyone has leads to the people involved or photographic records it would be greatly appreciated. I'm on the trail to get the whole story right for the first time.

Thanks for any help.

TOny Klarich
ironmanskier@hotmail.com

[Major Tom]

Hell I was skurfing in the late 70's. Big fat old foamie, then my Jim Banks. The elders would get pissed, it took us so long to make a lap of the dam:D

[Krashparry]

best of luck buddie! anything to get one back from the seppos

[Hally]

In the late sixties, being towed behind a boat on a mal, you would let go of the rope once you positioned in the bow-wave and keep going as long as you could.
I remember an article (SMH) where someone was riding a large wake behind a Naval vessel in Sydney harbour (about a 4ft wave). The heavier the boat/ship the bigger the wave.
This was called "wake-boarding" as you free-surfed the wake.
Not like the modern version but I hope this may help in the origin of the sport ...

[Dial]

Yeah if I remember rightly, Bruce McKee did a deal with this US mob who made millions out of his skurfboard and then screwed him over. They refused to pay royalties or even give him back this own moulds. The poor bastard got rightly rogered.

[surfnt]

i was getting towed behind a boat in the late 70,s early eightys on a surfboard i,d bet heaps of aussie,s did it back then