Dawn Patrol:

Last week I was trying to recall from memory as many Southern California surfboard makers from the mid-60s as I could. I did pretty well but I knew I’d missed some and I asked for help. I got a lot of response and it brought back some good memories.

My friend Paul Burnett put me in the picture on L.A. County — in addition to Weber, Jacobs, and Gregg Noll, who I had named, he got Bing in Hermosa, Rick, who split off from Bing, and Dave Sweet in Santa Monica.

Dave Maze told me that Dave Sweet had an “adjustable mold” for his blanks and mentioned his team rider, Denny “River Rat” Waller.

Tad Springer wrote about sweeping the Weber shop floor as a kid and later, recalling Rich Harbour and Robert August shaping the “Spherical Revolver.”

“Rad Brad” remembered Holden Surfboards, 1957-1967, in Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa. I never would’ve had that one on my own.

Rick Chatillon reminded me of Pat Curren, who was in what I’ll call the Cannery area where Quigg and Moyer were, and that Dale Velzy closed his shop and sold his brand to someone who made these funky pop-outs with the Velzy name on them that were sold at a bait and tackle shop near the pier.

A really great story came from Mike Steiner who wrote, “I’ve lived in CdM/Newport since we moved here in 1945. I was 2 then. While attending Newport Harbor High in 1959 I opened a small manufacturing/retail surf shop in front of my father’s property on PCH. There’s a big auto dealer located there now at 2912 West Coast Highway. I was 16 and I made boards and did repairs. The company was named ‘Alexander Surfboards,’ my middle name.

“By the time I graduated in 1961 I was well established before Russell opened his small operation. I started shaping the boards myself. Then Ilima Kalama shaped a few boards for me. But my main shaper was Bob Herreshoff, grandson of the famous boat designer. I did all the glassing and finishing myself. I still have a couple of my old boards! I made some boards for the Frog House until they started making their own. A friend of mine, Frank Jensen, opened the Frog House after watching my small shop succeed. I was drafted in ’66 and closed the shop then. When I closed I had the honor of outlasting both Quigg and Velzy, who had sold his Velzy name but had opened a shop near the Frog House using the name ‘Surfboards by Dale.’ Another builder you didn’t mention was The Greek (Bob Bolen) in Huntington Beach. He started about the same year as me and had a much bigger shop on PCH across from the pier.”

Joe Gleason checked in with Petrillo Surfboards, also sold at the Frog House. He says he still has a Petrillo paipo board.

I found myself saying, “Oh yeah .. how could I forget that?” – a lot. Well that was fun – names I hadn’t heard for a long time. Thanks to everyone for the help!

JOHN BURTON’S surf column appears Fridays. He may be reached by e-mail at hot_dogger@mac.com.