Donald Takayama shaped David Nuuhiwa model longboard (1984)
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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.