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Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps
Tom Blake surfboards
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Post Tom Blake surfboards Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 5:35 pm
Guest
The original Tom Blake surfboards were built by the Robert Mitchell MFG Company bearing the logo "Tom Blake approved" They were 12 feet long made of African Mahogany and weighing 60 pounds. They were chambered hollow boards and state of the art at the time. Jones Beach aquired them after having the designer Tom Blake as a former guard from 1934 present them to Harry A. Swoyer the civilian in charge of lifeguards. Last edited by Guest on Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Tom Blake Surfboard on display at Bunger Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 8:15 am
Guest
There is a Tom Blake surf/paddle board on display at Bunger Surf Shop in Babyon Village. They also have quite a collection of vintage boards in their surf museum at the shop.
Post Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:07 am
Guest
The Tom Blake surfboard displayed at Bungers museum was discovered by Dave Fontana who sold it to Bunger. I have a great photo of Dave with the board I'll try and post.
Post Tom Blake and the History of the Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:33 am
Guest
Jim, thanks for all your hard work uncovering and compiling a real history of the Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps. Many of us have talked about it for years and years, and finally someone is doing somethng! Great job! TD
Post Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:49 pm
Guest
There were also Balsa wood surfboards that were used in the pool shows and Lifeguard water polo events. This was introduced to Jones Beach in 1934 by Lifeguard Lieutenant Bill Mullahey from his home town of Honolulu Hawaii. Bill had built the balsa wood boards for the pool show using skills he developed growing up on the beaches of Waikiki.
Post blake board... Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:06 pm
Guest
rumor also is...that board in bunger is not the one sold by fontana(for almost nothing)...i spoke with bunger and he said that they owned more than one...that was one of the only items left after the factory fire...he said the resin barrels were like over flowing/exploding lava...many boards, blanks, were burned...not to mention a 1970 vw...i dont recall the type but it was the beetle/dune buggy style...i think in west babylon more west of the present factory location...
santiago...
i agree with dono about get r done attidude from the roon dude...the passion the dedication, for history...its great...funny when you hear stories of tom blake as a jb guard...a real water man in a jb suit...go figure...
Post "real watermen" Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:29 pm
Guest
I think that there are, and have always been, quite a few "real watermen (and women)" in the JBLC!
Post Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:13 pm
Guest
<http://www.usvintagesurfauction.com?auction/APViewItem.asp?ID=20>

Tom Blakes original lifeguard paddleboard purchased by the LISPC in 1934. Leiutenant Bill Mullahey I think is one of the people in the photo with Tom Blake, Duke Kahanamoku, and the rest.
Post Re: Tom Blake surfboards Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 12:43 pm
James Rooney
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Plenty of Jones Beach Lifeguard Watermen over the years. Jack Hannon started lifeguarding in 1943 at East Overlook during World War II, and those original Blake boards built by the Mitchell Manufacturing Company were already getting worn out and waterlogged. Jack told me he spent some time sanding and re-varnishing one and caring for it so it would be watertight and surfable for the summer. Jack spent time in the 1930's surfing at Jones Beach on the original pool show balsa wood boards with the Jones each Supt Harry Morgan's son.
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Post Re: Tom Blake surfboards Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 12:48 pm
James Rooney
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I recently spoke with Miami Beach surfing legend Dudley Whitman who was one of Florida's original surfing/waterman back in the 1930's. Dudley told me he surfed with Jones Beach lifeguards back then who travelled south after their summer lifeguard seasons ended. Captain William Carl Johns had been lifeguarding the beaches of Florida during the Winter seasons since the 1920's and I am sure he brought a few of his guards down during the 1930's and introduced them to the Florida surf scene.
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