Dick Van Straalen Closes The Factory
"Lack of colour is poverty of the mind."
Yesterday the shutter on Dick Van Straalen's Gold Coast shaping bay was closed for the last time.
Born in the Netherlands, raised at Avalon on Sydney's Northern Beaches, Dick moved to Burleigh Heads in 1968 as a 24-year old. It was there he hooked up with locals such as the Harris brothers, but he also put boards under the feet of fledgling pros Peter Townend and Rabbit Batholemew. Dick was often considered an Antipodean Dick Brewer as both shapers excelled at sleek, built-for-speed outlines.
In 1979, just as his sleek pintail single fins were moving out of favour, a factory fire swiftly ended his career as a production shaper. However, Dick kept at it, albeit with vastly reduced output. The other change was he appeared happy to shun the limelight as a new generation of shapers sought it out.
Despite operating in the apparent shadows, Dick's ideas kept evolving. As his peers settled on 6'0" Thrusters, Dick was a pioneer or early adopter of the Steve Lis Fish, stringerless blanks, epoxy resins, EPS foam, carbon wraps, concave decks, while also playing around with the extremes: short, stringerless surfboards and long strait-crossing paddleboards.
Concave deck, carbon wrap, Dick was never afraid to test new ideas - Aviso fish from fifteen years ago
These last two led to a revival in Dick's career when in the late-nineties he hooked up with ocean paddler Mick di Betta and teenage alt-pilot Dave Rastovich. A 1999 spread in The Surfer's Journal showed Rasta riding a stringerless 4'9" board made by Dick from the deck cutaway of an EPS paddleboard blank.
Though he's pulled the shutter for the last time, Dick says he'll continue shaping the odd board "when he feels like it."
Comments
Legend, always wanted to try one of his hydro hull twinnies. Guess i better grab one 2nd hand when it pops up.
All the Best to you Leendert
Shaping the Odd Board when i feel like it ... Great Stuff
How about a Tribute comp Held at Burleigh on DVS Hydrohulls .
I have been worried about this day for a long time. My wife and I have enjoyed many boards from him over the years.
Thank you DVS!
I had a Hydro hull, 5'10", what a board, traded for a NPJ quad, equally great board. Wish i still had the Hydro hull. Thanks DVS.
I’m gutted, a true legend, gentleman and family man. Thanks for the boards Dick … hoping you have a long and healthy retirement
Some one else will fill his place ,yet there will never be another shaper like DVS .
Pioneer .
I have a reef runner...superb board
Adsi - HydroHull
https://www.facebook.com/share/15VnMDveRr/
I had a board shaped by him for Bali in 1983 ( it was part of a package deal) and it was incredible My mate had one at the same time I borrowed it off him when mine got stolen and I was reluctant to give it back it went even better than mine.
A real character, with a great philosophy on life.
All the best for the future!
Managed to inadvertently pick up one of his shapes last year in a rush. Totally undersize for me, went to sell second hand and was inundated as I had it listed for big unders. Knew something was up and had a potential buyer suggest I keep the board (good karma) and still have it. Glad I do.
The Brian Eno of shapers. I actually don't know what I mean by this.
a person everyone admires and respects, but verbalising why, lessens whatever the fuck it is?
Imagine if Brian Shaped Boards
Down the Stringer
~ Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno for Graham ~
;)
I was at an early Fish Fry in Currumbin, and somehow Rich Pavel had noticed my little 5'8 fish (probably the best board I've ever shaped). Led to a long chat with him, and to some extent DVS.
Eager me asked lots of fanboi questions about shaping, and DVS just said "I shape by vibration...", then went silent. Pavel just stared into the distance. Thus endeth the tutorial :-)
haha! love it : )
Yes that sounds like Dick, classic. As to his music if my memory is right he liked to talk of his shaping and jazz and the form of surfing that evoked.
Gee you were blessed @IB, Pavel and DVS in the one conversation!
So many bad stories going round about Rich Pavel, but he was very generous with his time and ideas.
Just picked up another hydro hull (my second) from DVS about 6 weeks ago, it is a true work of art from a master.
It was bittersweet knowing that it might be among the last boards he ever shapes, but I've kept his number in the hope I can convince him to do another one for me in the future.
https://www.swellnet.com/news/talking-heads/2019/01/29/audience-dick-va…
Excuse me Mr Nettle ... isnt there a Part 2 Somewhere ^ ?
Yeah, and it's pretty good too, but I'd have to transcribe it and I'm busy making up excuses why I can't.
If that makes sense.
DVS is one of the good guys. He made me some good boards and one board that is in my top 3 of all time.
I am completely devastated. I was thinking it was about time I got another one from DVS, as the only boards I own and surf are ones he shaped. It's always been a challenge logistically, being so far away. I feel so blessed to be experiencing waves on nothing but his boards. People would ask about my Wasp or my Hydro Hull, I'd just hold it up and say "they can bury me with this one". I can't imagine surfing anything else on the rocky shores of the local breaks here in the South West of Ireland. I am so heartbroken, but I will be forever grateful and feel so blessed for his craft and the love I will always have for his timeless creations. A moment, in time... I want it to last forever.
Space ship
https://melbournesurfboardshop.com.au/collections/second-hand-surfboard…
I just picked up a near immaculate Dick Van Straalen fish in a second hand shop. Plywood keels, gloss and polish and a stunning tint with pin lines. It’s a 6’0 and feels too big for me under the arm but couldn’t resist as it’s absolutely beautiful. I was wondering if anyone else had one and could shed some light on what rider weight it would suit (for an experienced twinny surfer)? DVS has never done volume and the boards of his I’ve had in the past don’t even have width or thickness marked, just length. I’m probably going to sell it, but it’s really calling me to ride it first despite how big it looks/feels! Any insights from DVS aficionados appreciated!