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Greg Noll, Eddie Aikau and Bobby Cloutier, Waimea

Bobby at Sunset. Nice track!

Nat, Bobby, Gary Chapman and BK

Bobby and Felipe Pomar

Bobby today, visiting Malibu Shirts in Haleiwa

Charlie Galanto and a first-gen Hawaiian V Bottom

"In late 1967, this board was devised by Charlie with help from close friend and surfing partner Felipe Pomar after seeing Bob McTavish's board at the Duke Invitational. Charlie applied his own interpretation and within days he put shortboards in production. Charlie, Felipe, and Bobby Cloutier rode them on the North Shore and soon thereafter moved onto miniguns for use in big surf."

That was the caption that accompanied the above shot of Charlie Galanto and his McTavish-inspired shortboard design. Bobby gets a passing mention.

1967 was the year McTavish rode Sunset on a 8'6'' x 23" wide, stringerless V Bottom. When Greenough got back to California from that trip, he exclaimed, "Bobby Cloutier was the only Hawaiian who showed any interest in my spoon or the deep V's!"

So, it's entirely possible that Bobby Cloutier's enthusiasm helped drive the first days of the shortboard in Hawaii.

Of course, when Galanto built his early V's, the Hawaiian minigun was also in development...so speculating, "Who did what, and when?" is moot. But let's give credit where credit is due: Bobby Cloutier was an unsung player in the process.