Acknowledgments

So many people have contributed to this essay in meaningful ways. A collector who prefers to be anonymous and who has collected Wardy Boards almost exclusively over decades generously opened his collection for photography, enabling the project to expand in a significant way. Thanks go to other collectors who have shared photographs of Wardy boards. Lance Conragan, longtime surfer, collector, and writer on surfing, provided thoughtful overviews of Wardy’s surfboard making. Randy Rarick supplied perspective as a restoration specialist and surf historian.

Collector Jim Cocores and longboard expert Erwin Spitz were helpful with several areas of research on many occasions. The well-known surfer and surfing writer Gerry Lopez offered insightful comments on Wardy’s work. Among Wardy’s original crew members, Ron Sizemore has been virtually on call, and Bob Spencer (a.k.a. The Fly), who later changed his name to Jean-Pierre van Swae, furnished details of the inside story of stages of production at the shop that have confirmed or filled out Wardy’s recollections.

Surfers from the 1960s on have told their memories and retrieved and shared photographs of their experiences with Wardy boards. Those enthusiastic individuals include in alphabetical order: Carl Samo Abejon, Mike Armstrong, Chuck Bassett, Don Granada, Ken Hall, Larry Howlett, Bill Longenecker, Paul Rappaport, Reverend David Tamaoka, and Dr. Barton H. Wachs. David Christakes kindly shared his artworks that depict the Wardy shop in Laguna Beach.

Surfer and collector Mike Essner uncovered various important and virtually hidden facts about Wardy Surfboards. Others who contributed valuable specific information or suggested sources for it are surfing historian Grant Ellis, Dick Metz, board president, and Barry Haun, curator, of the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center; surf historian Matt Warshaw; collectors Mark Fragale and Mark Christy; and Bob Bolen and Mike Ester, founders of the International Surfboard Makers Hall of Fame.

Wardy, not a big talker, has answered a thousand questions. He has been touched by the interest shown in his work and by the memories contributed here and extends his gratitude to all.