First-Gen Island Guns

Billy Dews

Buzzy Trent

Ryan Dotson

The late 50's/early 60's Hawaiian guns were remarkably advanced. With deep belly under the nose and dropped rails in the back, they featured transitional volume thickness flow (ie. more volume under the rail line in the nose, transitioning to more volume above the rail line in the tail.) This foreshadowed the shortboard hulls that followed in the late 60's.

Aside from the chunky fins and too-flat nose rockers, these boards were nearly ideal for their intended purpose...which was to survive big, thick Island waves. It was a harsh environment that forced shapers to find out what worked sooner, rather than later!