Greg Noll [Da Bull] A Pioneer in Surfboard Design


"Da Bull": The Birth of a Legend

“…Meanwhile, the Californian surfer kept close to the surf industry.

He founded Greg Noll Surfboards and launched a series of publications: "Surfers Annual" (1960), "Surfing Funnies" (1961), and "The Cartoon History of Surfing" (1962).

By 1965, the surfer-businessman opened a 20,000-square-foot surfboard building facility in Hermosa. The extravagant investment allowed him to produce more than 2,000 boards per week in less than a year. The factory had separate rooms for each surfboard manufacturing stage.

One of the famous boards coming out of his assembly line was Mickey Dora's signature model, which featured "Da Cat" hanging on a cross made of two planks. Despite his successful business ventures, Noll never stopped surfing and pushing the limits of wave riding.

Greg's most iconic nickname is "Da Bull."

The moniker was given by Phil Edwards, the first surfer to prove that it was possible to tame the barreling Pipeline waves. Wearing his legendary black-and-white prison-stripe boardshorts, the man who had defied Waimea Bay was ready - and hungry - for more.

The bigmouthed legend was the star of several 1950s and 1960s movies, including "Surf Crazy" (1959), "Gun Ho!" (1963), "Strictly Hot" (1964), and "Golden Breed" (1968). Greg Noll also appeared in a couple of widely acclaimed and viewed films, such as "Ride the Wild Surf" (1964) and the quintessential "The Endless Summer" (1966).

"Da Bull" participated in The Duke Kahanamoku Invitational from 1965 to 1969.

And just when he thought his hey-days were over, Noll dropped into one of the largest waves ever ridden in two decades. On December 4, 1969, Greg paddled into a 35-foot wave at Makaha, Oahu, and was forced to jump off as the mountain wall of water exploded around him.

"It was like looking over the goddamn edge at the big, black pit," Noll wrote in his autobiography "Da Bull: Life Over the Edge."

"Some of my best friends have said it was a death wish wave. I didn't think so at the time, but in retrospect, I realize it was probably bordering on the edge."

A few days later, he saved a seaman from drowning at Waimea Bay.”

READ ARTICLE IN SURFER TODAY


Da Bull: Life Over the Edge


Title:
Da Bull: Life Over the Edge |

Publisher: North Atlantic Books |

Publication Date: 1989 |

Binding: Soft cover |

Condition: Very Good |

Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket |

Edition: 2nd Edition |


A pop culture reference of surfing in America today contains 1,500 alphabetical entries and three hundred illustrations to review the activity's most significant contributors, events, equipment, culture, and history. 25,000 first printing.

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