HB POSTS

Shaping my first concaves in the early 70's, prepping for Sunset and a trip to Bells, revolution really, but, speed was in the blood. Those days foam was all hand cut with planers and cleaned up with surforms and sanding blocks. I'd done the hard yards and developed a way to actually cut double to single concaves with my planer. It was all in the wrist. Anyway, I'd heard what Paul Joske was doing up at Valla, we had only met once or twice, but, I admired his boards and respected him as a person.

Paul walked into my shaping bay one day and asked if I'd show him how I cut my concave bottoms...... no stress, wham bamm. In the years since Paul has always acknowledged that little episode, which speaks highly of the man. Over the years I've kept passing interest on the Joske surfing family. To say TRUE BLUE is an understatement. When Heath pulled his highline at J'Bay, and then backed it up with a back-hander on the mike, I can only say I was humbled...... not only for the recco, but, to know that Paul and his family remain awesome. Tips my lid.

Thank you to the team who wrote the 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Description for Terry Fitzgerald :

"Terry Fitzgeralds one of a handful of Australia’s surfers whose career highlights span the years from the longboard era of the 1960s through to the birth and development of professional surfing in the 1970s. As a surfer, shaper, innovator, administrator and businessman, he has played a pivotal role in Australian surfing for more than 30 years.

His distinctive surfing style at Sunset Beach, Hawaii earned him the nickname of “Mr Body Torque”, whilst epic session at Jeffries Bay South Africa resulted in the colourful sobriquet “the Sultan of Speed” – both terms capturing the exciting essence of his surfing.

Terry Fitzgerald’s competitive career first blossomed in the mid sixties as a finalist in both the NSW Schoolboys Title (1966) and Bells Junior title in (1967). By 1969 he was the Australian Universities Champion and in 1970 a competitor in the World Titles at Bells Beach and Johanna.

During this period surfboard lengths dropped from 9ft to 5ft10in. As a cutting edge shaper, Terry Fitzgerald was involved in these developments and in two North Shore winters in the early 1970’s, worked in conjunction with Reno Abellira, Gerry Lopez and Dick Brewer in recuing longboard lengths from 9’6” rhino chasers to 7’10” mini guns. In 1971 he was finalist and Australia’s only representative in the Duke Kahanamoku Classic in Hawaii, and it was this performance which launched his professional career and the formation of his Hot Buttered surf company that same year.

His competitive career highlights include winning the 1972 Bells, 1975 Lightning Bolt and 1980 Om Bali Pro contests, and a host of minor places in the Coke and World Cup events. In 1975 he headed the inaugural international ratings of the ASPA and was therefore the world’s No. 1 ranked surfer.

Terry Fitzgerlad’s Hot Buttered Surfboards have been leaders in design and innovation since the company’s inception. From kneeboards through to surfboards to high performance sailboards, Hot Buttered’s distinctive shapes and spray jobs have set the company apart.

Terry Fitzgerlad’s family, surfing and business commitments have been combined with ancillary activities as surf administrator, newspaper columnist, radio reporter, contest director, surf explorer, traveller and sponsor of surfing talent including that of his sons Kye, Joel and Liam.

In every sense his life has been a continuous commitment to the surfing lifestyle".