APPENDIX D

Selected writings by Wardy in magazine advertisements,
in chronological order

“On Quality Boards. . . .,” Surfer (Spring 1962), vol. 3, no. 1, p. 15.
A surfboard is less innocent than it looks—an uncommon complexity of shape, length, width, thickness, and weight, in relation to nose, deck, bottom, rails, tailback, and skeg—expressed in materials of strength, beauty, and durability. A quality surfboard is not easily attained.

Proper dimensions for a surfboard are not mysterious to the experienced craftsman. As professional builders, we know the proper size and shape of board each person needs to meet his particular requirements. Its length, width, and thickness, for example, are determined by the weight of the individual.

A quality surfboard is designed to insure the best possible performance under any and all conditions. Expert craftsmanship is combined with the finest materials available to produce a finished board which is notably beautiful, but also practical, and durable. It is free from so-called “gimmicks,” or unusual but useless features which are employed merely to attract attention to the product, not to fulfill the surfer’s needs.

What makes a quality surfboard? . . . Creative skill and meticulous attention to every detail. Hours of research and experimentation are spent in finding the precise fusion of each component. A quality surfboard cannot be mass-produced, but must be created, step by step, by professionals whose ultimate aid is to achieve perfection. 

And who makes quality surfboards? Wardy, of course.*

*We are the only surfboard manufacturer to give a written guarantee with the purchase of each CUSTOM surfboard.

WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM AT OUR PRESENT LAGUNA BEACH LOCATION, AND TO MAKE A CLOSE INSPECTION OF OUR SURFBOARDS.

“The Emblem and the Craftsmen,” Surfer (May–June 1962), vol. 3, no. 2, p. 12.
The Wardy Emblem is a symbol of quality, behind this symbol, are profound thought, intensive study and hours of research and experimentation. The men who build these boards are professionals who are proud of the product they stand behind. In the Laguna Beach shop where these boards are built, each man performs his duties with patience, pride and meticulous attention to detail—thus insuring controlled quality throughout the entire process. These men endorse the fact that there are no finer surfboards than those that bear the Wardy Emblem.

“Wardy Surfboards,” Surfer (Dec. 1962 Jan. [1963]), vol. 3, no. 5, p. 6.
Once upon a time, not really too long ago, a surfboard shop was a very unique, “special” kind of place—a shop at the beach where the surfer could meet his friends to exchange ideas and theories on surfing, waves, and boards. He could order his new surfboard to his exact specifications and even watch many of the steps being performed. This era has since passed, and due to the increased popularity of surfing and its influx of followers, there remains only one surfboard shop of this kind on the Pacific coast. It is an unobtrusive, red barn of a building situated between the mountains and the sea on a quiet street in the town of Laguna Beach. The white sign atop its roof spells out “WARDY SURFBOARDS.”

As one walks through the front door of this antiquated looking building, he is certainly not impressed by garishness of color not ostentation in any form. There is no ornamentation, no trinkets or miscellany to buy. There are only fine surfboards. The newcomer might very well be disappointed in the small display room and its obvious lack of adornment. Yet for the surfer, it is enough—he knows that beyond the glass-windowed door, the most excellent methods and techniques are applied in constructing one of the very best surfboards attainable. 

Within the confines of this small shop, a surfboard is created, step by step—from the thinking stages through the designing and shaping to the laminating, sanding, glossing and polishing.  Unlike most modern-day shops who ‘send out’ a good deal of their work to others on contract, every detail, no matter how minute, is attended to within our shop by our own skilled, experienced craftsmen. They offer you their best.    

“Confidence . . .,” SI Surfing Illustrated (Spring 1963), vol. 1, no. 2, inside back cover. “Confidence,” Surfer (Aug.–Sept. 1963), vol. 4, no. 4, p. 7.
When a surfboard builder has confidence in the quality of his product he does not feel the need to give it away. Donating surfboards to well-known surfing personalities, or, in fact, anyone who is slightly better than average in any given area, is presently standard procedure among many established builders—done so, of course, with the intention of creating the impression, publicly, that the surfer is adept, therefore the board he rides must be of equal merit. It is not our habit to indulge in this misleading practice, nor do we feel you will benefit in any way from hearing about the recognized surfers who do ride our boards. You are as important to us as they are. If names are of interest, perhaps a solution would be to compose and publish an impartial list of all the surfers who ride our surfboards. We are sure you will agree that this would be impractical as well as time-consuming; thus, we elect to let the quality of our product speak for itself.

Quality is an elusive term. It is often talked about, but seldom achieved. Unfortunately, it has become a key word in advertising, regardless of the product represented, and has lost its real meaning. True quality cannot merely be talked about—it must be seen, touched, and experienced.

The requisites of a good surfboard can be stated in simple terms. It must perform effectively, dependably, accurately. It must be durable, as well as beautiful, and must have the symmetry and design essential to ease of handling, maneuverability and speed. If it does not possess these characteristics, combined with unparalleled excellence of workmanship, it is not really a good surfboard—it is merely an imitation. And an imitation is rarely capable of producing more than mediocre results.

Genuine, undeniable quality, in the truest sense of the word, is inherent in each individual Wardy surfboard. It is not an accident, but the result of experience, research and development, and uncompromising standards. We like to think of a good surfboard as being a finely tuned, sensitive instrument—built by skilled craftsmen who maintain a constant dedication to the mastery of their art and derive satisfaction from its perfection. A well-designed instrument assures the proficient surfer consistently effective performance and control.

As professional builders, we have an obligation to ourselves, as well as to the surfer, to create a surfboard which affords the absolute ultimate in performance, design, and craftsmanship. Our product is planned and constructed for the expert, the perfectionist, and for those who allow themselves nothing less than the quintessence.

*BALSA BOARDS ALSO AVAILABLE.

“A Few Words on Surfboards . . .,” Surfer (Dec. 1963/Jan. [1964]), vol. 4, no. 6, p. 12. 
Since Mr. Severson has gone to considerable time and trouble preparing such a wide assortment of photographs and drawings for this magazine, we've decided to start separating the photos from the advertisements and to tell you a little about our surfboards—in other words rather than pictures. If you're already well informed on the subject, please bear with us while we tell the others.

To start from the beginning, our surfboards are made from high density polyurethane foam blanks manufactured by Clark Foam Products (his ads in this magazine). We use this excellent quality foam because—well, because his shop is just down the street from us and it's very convenient. We also make a lot of balsa wood boards—much to the agony of our shapers. Since balsa must be shipped from South America and requires considerable more time in shaping, these are more expensive. The finished product, however, is well worth the extra cost. Next, we use an isopthalic [sic, isophthalic] resin which is 25% stronger than most resins; double layers of tightly woven ten-ounce fiberglass; and an all-glass skeg which is securely inserted into redwood and balsa centerstrips and guaranteed against breakage for six months. In fact, the entire board is guaranteed. 

Well, now that you know something about our surfboards, we hope you're interested enough to find time to visit our shop in Laguna. Better yet, we hope you'll find our shop—it's rather un-centrally located on a back street, looks like and old red barn, and has a "showroom," and we use the term loosely, which is filled to maximum capacity with six medium-sized people. We don't sell the usual accessories and paraphernalia, such as trunks, photographs, etc. In fact, we don't sell anything but surfboards really.

One more thing—in case you're closer to our shop in Pasadena, don't be alarmed if you're confronted by a vacant lot instead. You see, it's such an eyesore that the local citizens have voted in favor of its demolition. So please watch for the opening of our new (and maybe even worse) shop—probably sometime in December.

*Free Delivery Anyplace in California.

Surfer (March 1964), vol. 5, no. 1, p. 46, signed Frederick J. Wardy.
Undoubtedly there are things of more importance than riding a wave—there are things indeed which make more noise and do as little good; such as making money and spending it; making speeches and answering them—making war and peace. But the sport of surfing brings a feeling that once savored is not easily forgotten.

From the moment he enters the water the surfer has no other wish, no other thought, but that of catching a wave and riding it—thus becoming one with the sea—a part of a vast unknown and timeless thing.

“Wardy Surfboards,” Surfer (July 1964), vol. 5, no. 3, p. 15.
Paradoxically speaking, we’re an old, established firm in a relatively young industry. The first surfboard we made, although received enthusiastically at the time, would be quite inadequate compared to the functionally developed shapes of today. Through constant research and experimentation, our product has evolved from a flat, cumbersome plank to an aqua-dynamically designed instrument for a special kind of athlete.

What makes an established firm different? Well, for one thing, there are years of experience and technical knowledge behind each surfboard. When you purchase one of our boards, you own more than a brightly colored toy—you own a specialized tool which is built for those who desire maximum performance in wave riding. We’re fussy to the point of being old fashioned about perfecting every detail in the construction of our product—and our ultimate aim is to satisfy each individual customer. Our reputations rests on this.

When you come to one of our shops, you’ll notice a lack of the usual array of surfing ornaments and fancy, multi-colored boards. Instead, you’ll see beauty of symmetry, balance, line and form in every surfboard, whether it be balsa wood or foam. We still build balsa boards for customers who prefer them. Their construction requires the skill and patience of the true craftsman. But, we are professional surfboard builders—not toymakers.

Surfer (May 1965), vol. 6, no. 2, p. 80.
WARDY SURFBOARDS is not merely the work of one man…it is the combined efforts of many. Each of these qualified men has contributed his ideas, opinions, and criticisms toward a common goal—the creation of a better surfboard. And, as we continue to grow and improve, the list of names grows with us. In essence, Wardy Surfboards is people.