Surfboard Museum
Welcome to one of the World’s Largest Private Surfboard Museum all of the surfboards are from the collection of Pete and Cathy Noble of Monterey California. The collection time period is the 1920’s Redwood Plank to the 1967 Hansen 50/50 Model. The roots of the collection goes back to the early sixties when Pete came to swimming practice. All of his team mates had on T Shirts with surfboard logos. Pete wanted one of those T shirts. His team mates pull a great scam on Pete “The only way to get one of these T shirts was you had to be a surfer”. Pete was a fine athlete no problem. Oh yes there was two big problem, too young to drive and no one would take Pete to teach him how to surf. His swim team mate Rick “Frosty” Hesson offered to take Pete on a family camping trip and surf trip. After only one session Pete was passionately hooked, thank you Frosty. You might have seen Frosty’ character in a movie recently?
The collection really started when Pete broke his neck playing Rugby in 1977. Pete’s brother, Tommy (later to become the founder of Toes on the Nose, now deceased), knew Pete had to be involved in a sport outside of his beloved profession of Coaching. Tommy bought Pete a new Steve Colleta Natural Curves 9 ft surfboard for Christmas. Pete struggled with the new board. He soon pulled his first ever custom surfboard his 9-8 Jacobs. Pete was back up on his feet on the board in no time. Pete also noticed that there was a ton of these sixties surfboards and it seemed NO One wanted them. Pete added to his surf quiver fast about 10 old boards. Then Pete realized if he didn’t save these old boards that they were all going into the land fill. The collection started with a 9-10 Gordon & Smith Pete purchased from his long time school friend Barney Langner at the Portola Surf Shop in Santa Cruz. Then as fate would have Pete moved his family to Monterey California from San Leandro California to take the Monterey High School Head Football Job. The current collection exploded. With lots of new friends and more help to expand the collection.
The total collection swells and shrinks from 120 surfboards to as many as 160. Pete is constantly buying and trading to upgrade the collection. You will find some of the finest examples of of types surfboards in the World here at On the Beach Surf Shop. When brother Tommy owned Newport Surf & Sport the collection was in the high 190 range. Surfboards are on loan from the collection and not exhibited here at On the Beach Surf Shop. Boards are on loan to two Museums: The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum (first surfing museum in California) at Steamers Lane in the Abbot Lighthouse and the Heritage Surfing Museum in San Clemente. You can also view Pete & Cathy’s boards at the Toes on the Nose Surf Shop in Huntington Beach (Inside the Hyatt complex) and in Laguna Beach. In the Laguna Beach Shop #2 Velzy Jacobs Balsa Surfboard is on public display. There also surfboards from the Collection at Pizza My Heart in Monterey at the Del Monte Shopping Center and other Pizza My Hearts locations. In addition locally Kula’s Ranch in Marina surfboards are on display as well as one of Pete and Cathy’s favorite restaurants the Crows Nests in the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. Oh yeah another one of our favorite restaurants has our boards on display Paradise Cove in Rosarito Beach Baja Mexico.
Pete’s focus is the golden age of surfing the sixties. Manufacturers are represented from Hawaii, California, Oregon, Texas, Florida, and New York States. Surfing exploded into the scene with Gidget and those silly Beach Movies. A solid representation of early wood surfboards to span the 1920 to 1960 for that history of early surfboards. Pete describes the surfboards in the collection as “American Folk Art” all boards were handmade by Americans! A big part of that glorious time to live the sixties!
Take a big breath and the sixties here you come, please enjoy, Keep Surfing Pete and Cathy Noble
Some Surfboards of historical significance
9-6 ft, Balsa Simmons Hydro Hull, Twin Fin Spoon original owner Roy Zanuck
10-2 ft, 1962 Joe Quigg Semi Gun original owner Tommy Zahn
12 ft, 1935 Blake Paddle Board featured on the 1962 on John Severson Woody, the Woody was a prize, this boards owned by John Severson first editor of Surfer magazine
10 ft, 1952 Matt Kivlin Redwood Hot Curl, former owner Matt Kivlin
10-2, 1952 Dave Rochalen Balsa made at Point Dume (Malibu) for Rene Calliet
9-4, 1951 Malibu Chip Made by Dale Velzy on the beach Malibu area
10-6, 1948 Pacific Homes System Balsa Redwood
10-6, 1967 Hobie Phil Edwards Model, last Hobie Phil Edwards model shaped by Phil, started Phil Edwards Honolulu the next day
11-6, 1961 Pat Curren Gun, featured in first Surfer Magazine with original owner, original owner Jim Bleautu
9-8, 1965 Con Multi Surfboard, comes in half only 12 made
9-2, 1966 Hansen Surfboard, Movie Lobby Prop for UA theaters in San Francisco Bay Area for Ride Ride the Wild Surf.
9-6, 1959 Hobie Easter Surfboards, Hobie’s first attempt at foam surfboards
Please note: the collection is for your viewing enjoyment only. Surfboards are NOT FOR SALE! It is prohibited to photograph any surfboards from the collection of Peter and Cathy Noble for commercial use without written consent from Pete and Cathy Noble Monterey California, all photo rights are reserved.
You have a Surfboard for sale/Surfing Memorabilia Inquires/Surfing Memorabilia Appraisals: On the Beach Surf Shop Staff will be happy take your contact information and have Pete contact you.