Vale Wayne Deane
Overnight, Gold Coast surfer and Queensland Original Wayne Deane lost his batle with stomach cancer.
Born 1952, Deane, along with his brother Robye, were part of the Coolangatta push that came of age in the early- to mid-70s. The group included the Peterson brothers, Peter Townend, Rabbit Bartholomew, and Andrew McKinnon. While some of those surfers would go onto international success, Wayne Deane was best known for what he did back home: shaping and carpentry; instinctive tube-riding at the local points; and keeping a weather eye on his ever-changing local coast.
Wayne Deane, at right, with brother Robye, Queensland, 1972
In the 1970s, Wayne Deane shaped for Aragorn and Fresh Juice before he was contacted by Terry Fitzgerald to shape for Hot Buttered. Deane stayed with HB for many years, though true to his Queensland roots he shaped all his HB boards in Coolangatta, either under his house or Robye's.
In the late-80s Wayne Deane experienced his own competitive renaissance. He won the Australian longboard titles in 1989 and the world longboard titles in 1990. Further Australian titles followed in 1994, 1995, 1996, and 2000. In 2003 he was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame.
Wayne Deane was a custodian of the coast in the very best sense of the term. He was quietly vigilant about human intervention along the Coolangatta foreshore, succinctly, and most often correctly, assessing the outcomes before others.
Deane is survived by wife Colleen and sons Jimi and Noa.
(Homepage photo - "Wayne Deane salutes a North Coast rivermouth" by Rob Hutchinson. Follow Rob on Instagram)
Comments
thanks stu: I would like to add to the respect shown - from afar, over my entire surfing lifetime he has always struck me as someone who let his deep interactions with nature talk for him.
Far out, sad news, condolences to the Deane family.
Huge respect. True legend and champion bloke. RIP.
the real deal. vale.
Sad news, Wayne typified the tenacity of his generation. Had an uncanny ability to read a lineup precisely. He will be greatly missed not just by his family but by many in Coolly.
sad news indeed.
wayne was a surfer's surfer, always out when the cooly points were solid, always getting his share and always slotted.
a beautiful human, he will be missed on the beach and in the line-up.
wow, deaney was a champion, a living legend. blew me away with his ocean skills and helped me heaps in big cyclone swells. he was a very quiet and private bloke so my respect only grew for him when he took up the torch about how much sand was getting pumped into coolangatta bay and what to do with big groyne. he confided to me that he hated the attention and having to deal with politicians and minions, but there was no one better qualified than wayne to be the local spokesperson. i reckon we should get a memorial put somewhere here, even though he would laugh at the suggestion, but he bloody deserves it. thanks for all the memories and inspiration mate, bet your paddling into a few beauties right now, and not a fucking jetski in sight.
Well said Dave
x 2 Dave.
As a young fella I was in awe of how easy he made threading Kirra look, he practically owned the joint.
RIP.
I know this is about Wayne but.....
I also feel for Noa, he has a new feature film out and doing worldwide screenings, shows etc, he should be on top of the world, having the time of his life but instead he's grieving his dad. It's a double blow. Condelences to the Deane family.
PS: Well said Dave.
Always respected Wayne and his achievements-especially in longboarding. I think it would be a good idea if plaques of these old Cooly legends were erected near the beach front as they were pioneers in our sport.
From Wayne Deane surfboards site_
"By 1967, the Deane brothers were working as apprentice carpenters for their old man, and had started gaining some skills on the planer. One fateful Saturday afternoon, while Dad was out golfing, the boys decided to shape a "cutdown" out of a 9'x 22" Ron malibu board that their friend George Hopkins had ill-advisedly stored at the Deane residence. The lads had achieved some proficiency with the planer at work, but this first atempt at shaping, on wooden saw horses in the front yard was more "trial and error" than science. So many errors, in fact, that the finished product ended up a shadow of its' former self, finishing up at a miniscule (for the time) 7'6" by 19 inches wide! After cleaning up the mess they had created in the yard, the Deane boys took their new stick to Merrin Surfboards in South Tweed to be glassed, and every detail of the process was eagerly absorbed.
Full Circle..
Picture
Bully Arnold (orange board) at Malfunction 2012
Merrin's resident glasser/sander/everything man (and respected local ripper) Jeff "Bully" Arnold finished the board - at a cost of 20 bucks - and the boys were off! Interesting side note 1: Bully now rides Wayne Deane Surfboards, so the cycle has come full circle.
Interesting side note 2: George Hopkins came back to retrieve his board a few weeks later (as he had sold it to a friend) only to find it was no longer in the condition he left it in!! Negotiations ensued, and the Deane boys agreed to purchase it from him for the princely sum of ten dollars, meaning their first foray into the world of shaping had set them back thirty bucks.
After test riding the first "Deaney" model, the boys decided that it was just too short and radical for them to surf, and word got around town that the board was up for sale. A family friend decided this might be the perfect board for their 13 year old son, who had borrowed boards a couple of times but didn't have one of his own.
The brothers Deane delivered the board to the house at Rainbow Bay to a stoked grommet by the name of Wayne. Thanks to Betty Bartholomew, young Wayne - later to be known as "Rabbit" - had just received the first board of his own. And the Deane boys had sold their first model - coincidentally for thirty dollars - exactly what it had cost them!"
Ripping yarn L.D!
hhhwhat!!!!????
That's heavy. Surfed with Wayne two times in the past year: sick days; totally uncrowded days; special.
Just don't know what we've got till it's gone.
Peace Wayne!
I will never forget the cover shot he got on one of the mags way back when. A backhand top turn at Pipe on a yellow board. Maybe he inspired the TC snap?
RIP Wayne Deane, another colourful figure from surfing passed on.
Thoughts are with his family this weekend.
Robye Deane, at left, plus Colleen and Wayne Deane, '89 Australian Longboard Titles, Middleton, South Oz.
Robye won the Over 35s, Colleen the Open Womens, Wayne the Open Mens.
Photo by Swellnet's Torquay reporter, Bob Smith.
Devastated.
RIP Deany
Sad news, Deaney was an original - a great surfer on any craft you put him on, and a true blue honest bloke with a big heart. Wayne was never one to push himself, but on a great trip on the Mango some years ago, I talked him into a long taped interview over a few evenings as we watched the sun set over the bow, then the MP3 blew up and I could never retrieve the files. Wayne shrugged it off: "It was probably mostly bullshit anyway." No mate, it was a rare insight into a keen surfing mind and a life philosophy that took you from struggle street to a zen-like appreciation of friends, family and all of life's blessings. Now that we don't have you, I wish I had that tape. You will be sorely missed.
Sincere commisserations to Colleen and the family.
A true legend & great Aussie surfer. A surfers surfer> commiserations to the
Deane family.
A true legend & great Aussie surfer. A surfers surfer> commiserations to the
Deane family.
A true legend of surfing. RIP Deane. Will be sorely missed in so many ways.
Back in another life I worked in the surfing industry and met Wayne though my boss at the time who sponsored him for wetsuits. My boss would continually talk up his boards and convinced me to order a couple. The 6'8 he shaped is still probably the best board I have ever ridden, Went in 2 foot to 8 foot and I still have the 7'6 in my garage. I got a few boards after that from Wayne and they had magic in them.
In an industry chock full of egos and self congratulation Wayne was so humble and unassuming. He did what he did because he loved it not for the adulation. He was always the man when the Southern end turned it on, pulling into caverns on his 9'6 and he never changed in the years that I knew him. He was and is so revered as the above comments reflect. He was a gem. Sincere condolences to his family.
My condolences to Wayne's family. I will always remember Wayne bought my Yamaha XS1 so many decades ago. Too young to pass. Rest in Peace Wayne.
Vale Wayne - growing up at Kirra in the 80s Wayne was the surfer we all looked up to for his positioning, power and focus. He not only drove influential lines on the points but gave the Tweed Bar a few memorable cracks also if I recall correctly. Condolences to the family.
What a gift Wayne Deane was to surfing and life, an overall amazing human.
condolences to the family.
Here's my video moment with the legend talking about his beloved Kirra.
Thanks Tim!
I saw a one of your surfboards in Cash Converters in Armadale, I thought I have this board. The stupid people in Armadale will not understand how you are pretty good at shaping a board. I was pissed of, because I did not have the money on me. I should have asked them to keep it for me.
It was gone when I got back. It was those countries surfers. At least 15 kms closer to the surf.
I hope he didn't die in the forest.
I am not in love
I never met the guy, but I knew him.
Snapper surfriders facebook have a nice short vid of Deany
You are dead, really?
Gods speed.
Un fookin Real
Ripping. And board looks great.
Never saw him surf live, but at least had a good yarn with him. Incredible aura around him and his surfing and surfing life.