This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the highlighted keywords or companies or banners mentioned in this post.
Recently unearthed: Incredible vintage video of Kayaker pulling moves 30 years ahead of his time – Matador Network
November 26, 2014
[embedded content]
This video of Southern California surf pioneer Merv Larson has recently been attracting attention on social media. As seen above, Larson was pulling incredible flatspins and cartwheel–moves most kayakers thought were born in the 90–on a wave-ski decades earlier. Perhaps even more impressive than the moves themselves is just Larson’s overall clean style and carves.
As noted in the Encyclopedia of Surfing:
Larson was born (1940) in the city of Orange, California, raised in Huntington Beach, and began bodysurfing at age seven. In 1959 he saw kayaker Don Golden riding at Doheny Beach in Orange County, and was intrigued; in 1965 he installed footstraps, a small seat, and a seat belt to an old paddleboard, building his first wave-ski. The board originally had a fin, but when it broke off Larson found he preferred the wider range of motion allowed by a finless craft, and discovered that he could get more than enough forward thrust by sinking a paddle blade into the water.
Who out there is riding / surfing / paddling 30 years ahead of their time?
Posted In:
We Think You Might Also Like
Escape to adventure: Portland
by Anna Brones
Watching surfers from beneath the waves is incredible and surreal
by Matt Hershberger
West Sweden is a sea kayaker’s wet dream [VID]
by Joshywashington
On surviving a shark attack and coming back stronger than ever
by Reid Levin
An homage to the birthplace of modern travel
by David Miller
Related Articles
Watch this surf photog get battered to score the perfect shot [vid]
by The Inertia
What surfing should be
by David Miller
5 life traps surfers should avoid
by Alexander Haro
Surfing in Vancouver to train for snowboarding
by eric warren
A look inside the surf culture of the Gold Coast, Queensland
by Al Mackinnon
Arctic Swell: Surfing the ends of the earth
by David Miller
8 reasons Portugal is the best place to learn how to surf
by Marco Delgado
Michoacan “is death”
by David Miller
5 American adventures for 2010
by Adam Roy
Meet the teacher and surfer inspiring kids in Mexico
by David Miller
A beginner’s guide to playboating
by Candice Walsh
How to surf Lunch Counter rapid on the Snake River
by Griffin Post
Kayakers running huge waterfalls in Canada [VID]
by David Miller
A sneak peek at ‘Face Time’ [VID]
by Adam Roy
The Ottawa River Valley is all time [VID]
by Shon Bollock
✖
Follow us and don’t miss any of our great content!
Powered by WPeMatico
