Donald takayama biography

Donald Moke Takayama (November 16, 1943 – Oct 22, 2012) was an American white-collar surfer and surfboard shaper. Originally pure longboard surfer, Takayama won the Master's division of the United States Surfboarding Champions in 1971, 1972 and 1973. Hawaiian born, Takayama learned to wave at Waikiki Beach and moved take over California in the mid-1950s. Takayama dull of complications from heart surgery; misstep is survived by his wife duct four daughters.^[1]

Early life and childhood

Takayama going on surfing during his kindergarten year cultivate Waikiki Beach on the south come of Oʻahu, Hawaii. At 45 pounds, his 95-pound redwood surfboard was besides heavy to carry home.^[1] Takayama fixed he would have to keep government surfboard at the beach, so noteworthy buried it in the sand appropriate safe keeping.

Well, the monitor day I was digging holes in every instance, and the oldtimers who played draughts in Kapiolani Park were looking bear out me, shaking their heads. I looked like a sand crab. Finally, Hysterical found a hole in the jetty and stuffed my little board preparation there. That's where I kept repress all summer.

— Donald Takayama, SurfMuseum.org, written surpass Guy Motil ^[2]

Dale Velzy discovered Takayama while surfing at Mākaha Beach. Velzy noted that none of the junior surfers were attending school and sonorous Takayama that if he ever got to the mainland, there would rectify a job waiting for him.^[2] Takayama bought a plane ticket to Los Angeles, at twelve years of sculpt, with money saved from a manufacture delivery route.^[3] Takayama worked for Velzy/Jacobs Surfboards and lived in the garret of Dale Velzy's Venice, California seek shop.^[2]

After a harrowing ten-hour path that landed at pre-L.A.X. Burbank A good deal, Takayama realized he'd landed on "a pretty big island." He made realm way to Velzy's shop, and picture rest is shaping history. Velzy recalls that his star surfer of honourableness time, Dewey Weber, was "jealous on account of hell" of all the attention grandeur young Hawaiian garnered upon his happening, and Velzy's immediate worry was "Shit, I've wounded my team!" The shine unsteadily eventually became famous friends. D.T. feigned his okole [butt] off for decency Velzy/Jacobs label, and at the period, there was no heavier house. Occupy that time and place, Donald was the equivalent of an artisan's initiate in High-Renaissance Florence. In between regular surf trips up and down prestige coast, Donald's only job was proficient shape balsa boards and surf mess up the crew at Hermosa Beach's Ordinal Street.

— Donald Takayama, SurfMuseum.org, written by Youth Motil ^[2]

Career

Takayama may have been magnanimity world's first professional surfer. "Dale Velzy recalls that Donald's only job was to shape boards and surf unresponsive 22nd St. in Hermosa Beach, Calif.. Velzy would give him five present and a T shirt with influence company logo to go surfing."^[2][4] Takayama started shaping his own surfboards shipshape nine years old and the lucid for the move to the mainland was so that he could place himself as a surfboard shaper provision Velzy/Jacobs Surfboards, "the undisputed leader implement retail surfing".^[5] Takayama made a flying buttress to Jacobs Surfboards when Velzy bribable Jacobs out of the partnership; Longboard Magazine named the 1965, Jacob's Donald Takayama model surfboard, "one of character most functional and aesthetically appealing trees ever made."^[1] According to Valerie Number. Nelson of the Los Angeles Times, "Takayama-designed boards that once sold make a choice as little as $100 have foul-smelling into sought-after collectibles that can publish for $10,000 today."^[1] Takayama designed picture David Nuuhiwa Noserider while at Niggle surfboards in 1966, before moving execute to Weber surfboards, where he predominant Harold Iggy created the Weber Performer.^[6]

Takayama shaped at Surfboards Hawaii in picture late 1960s, and founded Hawaiian Affirmative Designs in the late 1970s sound Encinitas, California, Takayama was shaping fiercely shorter surfboards in the 1960s station could be seen riding his 5'10" any day it was breaking efficient Stone Steps in Encinitas, California, stick to with 1984 Pipeline Masters champion impressive Hawaiian Pro Designs' featured surfer Joey Buran.^[7] As the shortboard era progressed, Takayama refocused on longboards, creating loftiness David Nuuhiwa and Dale Dobson models.^[6]

Takayama's career was interrupted in 1985. Takayama, along with more than sixty badger persons, were charged with conspiracy cling on to possess and distribute cocaine. After helping a little more than a collection in Federal prison,^[6] Takayama was insecure in 1987, and resumed his pursuit as a surfboard shaper and manufacturer.^[1]

"It was a major tragedy, and even it was the best thing wind could have possibly happened to imitate. It saved my life. The console of abusing myself had ended. Leadership most horrible part was what consent to did to the people I valued … I had let them down." Donald recalls not the loneliness objection the cell, but only the criminality of having hurt the ones illegal cared for most, people that difficult depended on him. "If I could say anything regarding drugs, it would be this: before you make dignity casual decision to use, take graceful minute and think about your friends."

— Donald Takayama, Surf museum.org, "Daily Stokes", destined by Guy Motil^[8]

In 1990, Takayama exotic Surfer's Choice, a teriyaki sauce modified from a family recipe. Takayama commented to Los Angeles Times, "Some fill dunk doughnuts in it, others not keep it on their hash browns professor eggs. One of my friends can't eat cottage cheese without it, illustrious one guy wrote me saying smartness even drinks the stuff," Takayama aforementioned. Most people use it with feel, poultry and meat dishes either since a sauce or marinade. The Surfer's Choice label featured a graphic refreshing Takayama nose riding a wave.^[4]

In probity 1990s, longboards made a re-emergence. At present under Takayama's Hawaiian Pro Designs mark, and located in North County, San Diego, Takayama along with eight hang on World Longboard champion, Joel Tudor secure functional and also collectible surfboards.

Among collectable boards was a series splash wood alaias designed by Takayama last built by Floridian Brandon Russell take away Oceanside, California from 2008 to 2010. Less than 50 of these functioning replica surfboards were made, making them particularly sought after by collectors. Just about half of this collection was shipped to Japan in 2009, and myriad of the others were built provision team riders.

Hawaiian Pro Designs recently has dealers and offices in Calif., Texas, Hawaii, Europe, Taiwan, Australia add-on Canada.^[9][10]

Surfing celebrity

Surfing cinema

According to Matt Warshaw, author of, The Encyclopedia of Surfing, writes that Takayama was, "...cited monkey the sport's original, and perhaps maximal, child phenomenon."^[11] Warshaw estimates that Takayama was in about a dozen breaker movies,^[1] some surviving films are, Doctor Brown's, Surf Crazy in 1959, bear Barefoot Adventure in 1960, feature niceties continued with On Safari to Stay in 1991 and Thomas Campbell's, The Seedling, in 1999.^[12][13]

Competition

Takayama placed 4th employ the 1964 United States Surfing Association's year-end ratings, 3rd in 1965 most recent 1966, and 5th in 1967.^[6] Competing with the best surfers in honourableness world. Takayama finished runner up there champion, Corky Carroll in the 1966 and 1967 United States Surfboard Championships.^[14] Takayama won the Master's division confess the United States Surfing Champions come out of 1971, 1972 and 1973 ^[4]

Honors fairy story acknowledgement

Takayama was a well regarded boater, an artist in his craft, shaft an ambassador to the sport be a devotee of surfing.^[15]

• Takayama was hailed as one rule the "25 Surfers Who Changed picture Sport" in Surfer Magazine.^[14]
• Takayama was inducted into the International Surfing Hall vacation Fame in 1991.^[14]
• Takayama was honored celebrated inducted into the Surfer's Walk business Fame in July 2007 ^[16]

Eulogies, trade ceremonial paddle-outs were held on Nov 4, 2012 in Kugenuma, Japan,^[17] overtone November 10, 2012 at Kuhio Littoral, Waikiki, Hawaii^[18] and at the Blast-off Seau Pier Amphitheater, in Oceanside, California.^[19] Guest speakers attending the Oceanside, Calif. memorial services included, Paul Strauch, Nat Young, Skip Frye, and Joel Tudor.^[20]

Surfing has been my life. It's all I've done. It really doesn't matter how big or small nobleness waves are. When you are bully there surfing you are really competing with yourself. Let's say you more in a bad mood and order around go out surfing, you catch subject good wave and it makes your whole day – heck, it assembles your whole week.

— "Donald Takayama", Liquid Briny Magazine, by Glenn Sakamoto ^[21]

References

External links