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Donald Takayama Surfboards David Nuuhiwa model 7’11 short longboard. Shaped by the late Donald Takayama (1943-2012) in 1984. Featuring a triple stringer shape design with original Takayama red single fin. A remarkable example of a well preserved all original surfboard made by the legendary Donald Takayama.

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History of David Nuuhiwa

David Kealohalani Nuuhiwa III,‭ ‬better commonly known as David Nuuhiwa,‭ ‬was born July‭ ‬23,‭ ‬1948,‭ in‬ Oahu,‭ ‬Hawaii.‭ ‬He is best known for his nose riding abilities and is often referred to as the best surfer of the‭ ‬1960s.‭ ‬David Nuuhiwa won the‭ ‬United States Surfing Championships in both‭ ‬1968‭ ‬and‭ ‬1971.‭ ‬He was also a runner-up in the World Surfing Championships in‭ ‬1972.‭ ‬Growing up in Hawaii wasn‭’‬t easy for him.‭ ‬Nuuhiwa began surfing when he was five years old,‭ ‬one year after his mother died.‭ ‬Although surfing wasn‭’‬t a very popular sport amongst his peers,‭ ‬he remembers looking up to the Waikiki Beach Boys.‭ ‬When he began his surfing adventure,‭ ‬he used to ride a skimboard.‭ “‬I would go down there and catch waves along the wall and ride in on my belly.‭ ‬Then‭ ‬we started to stand up on those things until we moved on to surfboards.‭”

After‭ ‬12‭ ‬years,‭ ‬his family moved to Northern California.‭ ‬The cultural differences shocked him,‭ ‬as well as the difference in the water temperature.‭ ‬David lived in Hermosa Beach,‭ ‬where he spent time with his friends,‭ ‬one of them being Donald Takayama.‭ ‬Together with Bing Copeland,‭ ‬they tested many boards to fit a unique style of David‭’‬s riding.‭ ‬That‭’‬s how the original David Nuuhiwa‭’‬s Noserider board‭ ‬was created.‭ ‬When asked about his fantastic noseriding abilities,‭ ‬he says:‭ “‬Noseriding was simply the way to win.‭ (‬…) But there was really no secret to it at all.‭ (‬…) I just lucked out and happened to be the guy.‭” ‬His tremendous noseriding abilities were what brought David into the surfing spotlight.‭ ‬In the‭ ‬1970s, Nuuhiwa easily transitioned to surfing on shortboards.‭ ‬It wasn‭’‬t a problem for him,‭ ‬as he grew up riding little balsa boards.‭ ‬In‭ ‬1972‭ ‬he was shaping and riding his fish designs,‭ ‬which upset some of the people in San Diego during a contest.‭ ‬They wanted to claim that design and stole a board from David.‭ ‬Fortunately,‭ ‬he had spare boards‭ ‬in his hotel room and remembers that he rode the little fish boards with Jimmy Blears on small waves,‭ ‬like they were skating. David Nuuhiwa also ended up in a movie with Jimi Hendrix called‭ “‬Rainbow Bridge‭”‬.‭ ‬Hendrix would play music to clips of David surfing.‭ ‬They were good friends back in‭ ‬1972.‭

David Nuuhiwa‭’‬s surfing style is‭ “‬flow‭”‬-‭ ‬where the rhythm is very important.‭ ‬He is currently working on a new line of clothing,‭ ‬making nose riders and fish shape boards with his original art.‭ ‬David‭’‬s also known for his work on Liquid Space‭ (‬1973‭)‬,‭ ‬Breakwater‭ (‬2004‭) ‬and The Living Curl‭ (‬1965‭)‬.‭ ‬His son,‭ ‬Kai Nuuhiwa,‭ ‬is an‭ ‬action director and stunt coordinator.

Recources 

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