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A history of the first 13 Windsurfer sails ever produced was completed and posted by Pierre Coupal (AUS), windsurfing freestyler and collaborator of our museum in Old School Windsurfers facebook group on 11th June 2021. Sail gallery was updated and reviewed in September 2022, by Pierre himself & Tom of the Windsurfing museum Prague.
Following photo gallery presents existing images of the first 13* Windsurfers ever produced. Rider´ s name, photographer´ s name and source of image are included (if known). Please email us your comments and better picture identification to ws1975@post.cz.
This page is focused only on the oldest Windsurfer (R) sails (1967-1972). Please visit the pages dedicated to the oldest custom made boards – BAJA (1968-1971) and Polyethylene heroes: the Windsurfer-Missiles link dedicated to the beginning of serial board production in 1971.
Thanks to our friend and supporter Bruce Matlack, an eyewitness and hero of our sport’s glory days, for his first-hand testimony, corrections, comments and the opportunity to publish rare documents from his archives here. +)
Special thanks to Pierre Coupal for his recommendations on the text and for finding many images.
Provided for Non-Commercial and Educational Use only.
We try to acknowledge the sources of used images and documents and give credits to those who deserve it. Sometimes it´ s difficult and unclear. Please let us know if you find any omissions or mistakes.
The years in the image caption indicate the date the photograph was taken or the document was published according to the original source. We only correct or comment on dates when the dating is obviously inaccurate.
(BL) – sail rider/owner according to Bruce Matlack´ s list
#1 - a
Year, place: 1968, Marina del Rey Photographer: ? Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016) *) note the sign „SK8“, the original name for the „wind-propelled apparatus“ | |
#1 - b Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 1968 Photographer: ? Source: xxx
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#1 - c (on the left) Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer (Jim Drake is on #10) Year: before 1970 Photographer: ? Source: the W. I. dealer manual, posted by Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios *) Bruce Matlack: „... One of the few photographs ... of Hoyle and Jim together in the early days!“ | |
#1 - d Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 1969 Photographer: ? Retrieved from: „Windsurf-Regatta in Los Angeles, 1969“ Calle Schmidt´ s archive Similar footage available as „Windsurfing with Hoyle & Diane Schweitzer and friends“ film. | |
#1 - e Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 1968 /same session as 1-a?/ Photographer: ? Retrieved from: https://www.windsurfinghalloffame.com | |
#1 – f /#2, #3/ Rider: Diane Schweitzer? Year, place: 1969, Baja Photographer: ? Retrieved from: https://www.windsurfinghalloffame.com | |
#2 - a Rider: Matt Schweitzer (?) Year: 1971 Photographer: ? Retrieved from: Retrieved from: SURF magazine 1982(?), Article „15 Jahre Windsurfen In Bildern“
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#2 - b Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 1970 Photographer: ? Retrieved from: Windsurfer magazine, 1989, article on Matt Schweitzer | |
Picture available for study purposes - we are trying to get approval for it´ s publishing here. | #2 - c Place: a Schweitzer´ s family display (?) Year: 1970 Photographer: Source: xxx |
#3 - a Rider: Alan Parducci Year: 1970, Malibu Yacht Club Photographer: ? Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016)
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#3 - b Rider: Alan Parducci (right), Bruce Matlack (on the left), Matt Schweitzer (center) Year, place: 1971? Photographer: Source: xxx | |
#3 - c - RED sail (!) Rider: ? Year: ? Photographer: ? Retrieved from: „Windsurf-Regatta in Los Angeles, 1969“, Calle Schmidt´ s archive Similar footage available as „Windsurfing with Hoyle & Diane Schweitzer and friends“ film. | |
#4 - a Rider: Bert Salisbury Year: 1969 Photographer: Jim Drake /?/ Retrieved from: SURF magazine 1982(?), Article „15 Jahre Windsurfen In Bildern“ *) note the sign „SK8“ | |
#4 - b Rider: Diane Schweitzer (?) Year: 1969? Photographer: ? Source: the first Windsurfer brochure (issued 1970?) | |
#6 - a Rider: Allan Parducci (according to Pierre) Year: 1970 Retrieved from Windsurfer magazine article from Matt Schweitzer | |
#6 - b Rider: John Anning Year, place: 1970?, Santa Monica Retrieved from Bruce Matlack´ s post.
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#8 - a Rider: Bert Salisbury Year, place: 1969, Gorge - Columbia River Photographer: Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016) *) "…the Gorge first board " - picture title **) Bruce Matlack: Burt Salisbury ... was the first dealer other than Hoyle's old college roommate, Seymour Beek from Newport Beach. Burt is also credited with naming the thing, WINDSURFER" after It was discovered that Sk8 ( for Skate) was taken. ... Burt was the first stocking dealer, he bought 5 more sails besides # 8 here. | |
#8 – b Rider: Bert Salisbury Year,: 1970 Photographer: ? Retrieved from: Desert Aire (add), Jeffrey Henderson Archives | |
#10 - a Rider: Jim Drake Year: before 1970 Photographer: ? Source: the W. I. dealers manual, posted by Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios
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#10 - b Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 1969? Photographer: ? Source: the first Windsurfer brochure (issued 1970?) | |
#10 - c Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year, place: 1969?, Marina del Rey Photographer: ? Retrieved from: „Windsurfing with Hoyle & Diane Schweitzer and friends“ - film | |
#10 - d Owner: Schweitzer´s Year: 1969 Photographer: ? Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016) | |
#12 Rider: ? Year, place: 1969?, Marina del Rey Photographer: ? Retrieved from: „Windsurfing with Hoyle & Diane Schweitzer and friends“, film | |
#13 - a Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 1970? (according to Bruce Matlack) Photographer: Michel Matte Source: „Twenty Years of Windsurfing“ – Windsurfing International ad published in 1989-02 Wind Surf magazíne | |
#13 - b Rider: Tara Schweitzer, Year, place: 1969, Marina Del Rey Photographer: ? Retrieved from: Pierre Coupal´ s post and originalwindsurfer.com (2016) | |
#13 - c Rider: ? Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Yacht magazíne 1/1972 * Retrieved from: SURF magazine 5/2007, windsurfingmuseum.eu archives
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*) Pictures of #5, 7, 9, 11 sails are still missing… Wanted!
During our search in depths of the earliest history of our sport, it turned out that even images of «original Windsurfer*» sails with three-digit numbers (before 1972) are rare on the internet and in the documents available to us.
In August 2022, Steven Carlson donated to the Windsurfing museum Prague very rare original sail #315. It has increased our motivation in search of the earliest Windsurfer sails.
We have summarised 60 rare pictures of these very early sails. We would be grateful for any other pictures of the earliest «original Windsurfer*» from #1 to #1000. Either yours or any you come across. Please send them, including image source, description and your comments, to museum email ws1975@post.cz. Help us to save and better understand history of our sport. Thank you for your cooperation.
Enjoy and cheers,
Tom
*) Please note that by “original” here we mean a sail made in the USA, made by McKibbin, Hallmark sails, Reggie Armstong sails and/or Rick Taylor Sails, not Ten Cate (NL) or other licensed sails, produced after January 1973.
#16 (on the left) Rider: ? Year, place: 1971, Huntington lake, Ca Photographer: Bruce Matlack Source: Bruce Matlack´ s post | |
#19 Year: ? Photographer: ? | |
#22 NEW! Rider: Bruce Matlack Year, place: 1969, Santa Barbara harbor Photographer: ? Source: Bruce Matlack´ s post *) Bruce Matlack: " Bruce discovered windsurfing.... The sail learned on was #22 in 1969 in Sana Barbara, Ca. By the end of 1969- 22 windsurfers were made (originalwindsurfer.com) | |
#25 Rider: Bruce Matlack Year, place: March 20, 1970, Malibu Pier Photographer: ? Source: DuPont magazine, July-August, 1971. Retrieved from: Bruce Matlack´ s post *) Bruce Matlack: "... First exposure to Europe of the sport by this magazine" | |
#27 Rider: John Austin Year, place: 1971? Photographer: ? Retrieved from: Bruce Matlack´ s post | |
#44 Rider: John Fulton (BL) Year: 1970 Photographer: ? | |
#48 - a Rider: ? Year: 1972 Photographer: Stephen Lirakis Retrieved from: http://stephenlirakis.com Copy courtesy of Stephen Lirakis. Published with kind permission of the author.
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#48 - b Rider: ? Year: ? Photographer: Stephen Lirakis Retrieved from: Stephen Lirakis´ s post Copy courtesy of Stephen Lirakis. Published with kind permission of the author.
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#54 Owner: Donald Anderson Year: ? Photographer: Donald Anderson Retrieved from: Donald Anderson´ s post Copy courtesy of Donald Anderson. *) Donald: „My first sail I bought 2nd hand in 75“ **) Note the Hallmark sailmaker triangel logo Check logo detail above. | |
#60 Rider: ? Year, place: 1970, Mission Bay, San Diego Photographer: ? Source: Neva Sullaway´ s post *) Neva Sullaway: ” ...One of the earliest competitions on Mission Bay.... Hoyle is second and I'm yellow sail 104, not sure who #60 is? .... We were trying to figure out how to sail in light winds”. | |
#67 Rider: Bruce Matlack Year: 2007 – The occasion was a set up for the Windsurfing history documentary movie “Wind Legends” | |
#73 - a Rider: Bruce Matlack Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Bruce Matlack´ s archives | |
#73 - b Rider: Bruce Matlack Note the triangle sailmaker logo of HALLMARK. | |
#83 - a Rider: Matt Schweitzer (?) Year: 1970 Photographer: ? | |
#83 - b Rider: Diane Schweitzer and Tara Schweitzer ? according other source it is "Tara Schweitzer and friend" Year: 1971, Malibu Yacht Club Photographer: ? Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016) | |
#83 - c Rider: Diane Schweitzer Year: 1971 Photographer: ? | |
#83 - d Rider: ? Year, place: 1971, Malibu ? Photographer: ? | |
#83 - e Rider: ? Year, place: ? Photographer: ? Source: DuPont magazine, July-August, 1971. Retrieved from: Bruce Matlack´ s archives | |
#100 Rider: Jeff Murphy (according to others John Day) Year: 1971 Photographer: ? Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016) **) Note the Hallmark sailmaker triangel logo | |
#104 - a Rider: Neva Griggs Sullaway Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#104 – b Rider: Neva Griggs Sullaway (?) Year: 1970 Photographer: ? | |
#107 Rider: ? Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Bruce Matlack´ s profile | |
#122 (on the left) Rider: ? Year, place: 1973, San Felipe, Baja California Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Early Windsurfing - 1973 / San Francisco sailors join Windsurfer® Fleet 1 in Baja California” | |
#131 Rider: Susie Swatek Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#154 - a Rider: Mike Horgan (?) Year, place: 1973?, Santa Cruz Photographer: ? Source: Movie „ Early Windsurfing in Nor. Cal - 1973” | |
#154 - b (yellow?) Owner: ? Year, place: 1971, Huntington lake, Ca Photographer: Bruce Matlack Source: Bruce Matlack´ s post¨ *) „Sail display with first yellow boards summer 1971... ” | |
#162 Rider: Ulli Seer Year: 1977 Photographer: Rainer Deglmann-Schwarz Source: Ben Oakley archives, picture used with Uli Seer´s approval. NEW! | |
#193 Rider: ? Year: 1971 Photographer: ? Source: Windsurfer add 1971-07, Windsurfer MotorBoating magazine - Pierre Coupal´ s post | |
#195 - a NEW! Rider: ? Year, place: ? Photographer: ? Source: DuPont magazine, July-August, 1971. Retrieved from: Bruce Matlack´ s archives | |
#195 - b Rider: Year: 1970 Photographer: ? | |
#196 Rider: Karen X. ? Year, place: 1973?, San Francisco peninsula Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Early Windsurfing in Nor. Cal - 1973” By the end of 1970 - 189 windsurfers were sold (originalwindsurfer.com) >> 211 total(?) | |
#197 Rider: Diane Schweitzer Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Czech magazine VTM, 13/1973 /windsurfingmuseum.eu archives/ | |
#200 - a Rider: Hoyle_Schweitzer Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#200 - b Rider: ? Year, place: 1973, San Felipe, Baja California Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Early Windsurfing - 1973 / San Francisco sailors join Windsurfer® Fleet 1 in Baja" | |
#267 Rider: ? Year, place: 1973, San Diego, Mission Bay Photographer: ? Source: 1973-04 Sports Illustrated Retrieved from: Pierre Coupal´ s post
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#315 Previous owners: Merle Canfield and Steve Carlson, Kansas windsurfing pioneers: Year: 1971 Photographer: fotonavzdy.cz, 8.2022 Source: windsurfingfingmuseum.eu Bruce Matlack: „Don McKibbin of A Costa Mesa, Ca Loft. ... I don't recall him making Windsurfer sails very long. I believe he made Catamaran production sails as well…“ | |
#325 Rider: Bruce Matlack Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Horyzonty techniky magazine (Poland), Bruce Matlack´ s archive. | |
#354 - a Rider: Bruce Matlack Year, place: 1971, Leeway Sailing Center, Long Beach, Ca. Photographer: Peter Gales *) Bruce Matlack: " ... #354, the 2nd sail I owned.... The photo was taken by Kodak photographer and Sailor Peter Gales at the Leeway Sailing Center, Long Beach, Ca. ... The year was 1971...... ..... #354 was most famous for my huge Kodak Colorama photo with Alan Parducci’s oldest daughter, Cindy, on display in New York’s Grand Central Station..." | |
#354 Rider: Bruce Matlack Year, place: 1971 (!), Seal Beach (?) Photographer: ? Source: Sunset magazine *) the same picture on the mauiglorydays.com blog is dated 1970, wich is NOT correct. | |
#411 Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Dan Cohen´ s post | |
#460 Rider: ? Year, Place: ? Photographer: ? Source: "Windsurf, nieuw product van Nijverdal-ten Cate, DE TIJD - Ten Cate newspaper, 29-7-1972.
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#488 Rider: Cindy Parducci Year, Place: ?, Marina Del Rey (LA) Photographer: ? Source: 'Be a winner in Windsurfing' Charles Coombs 1982 | |
#504 Rider: Brian Tulley ? Year, place: 1973, San Felipe, Baja California Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Early Windsurfing - 1973 / San Francisco sailors join Windsurfer® Fleet 1 in Baja California" | |
#514 Rider: Allen Parducci (?) Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Jamie Budge´ s Professional Approach - Windsurfing footage at Malibu Yacht Club and interviews with Hoyle Schweitzer and Allen Parducci and Mike Ross(?) | |
#530 - a NEW! Rider: Herb Ypma (AUS) Year, place: 1977, Pittwater, Australia Source: Michael Maguire ´s post | |
#530 - b NEW! Rider: Herb Ypma (AUS) Year, place: 1977, Pittwater, Australia Source: Michael Maguire ´s post
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#585 NEW! Rider: Jan Hörhammer (FIN) | |
#661 Rider: Calle Schmidt (D) Year: 4.1972 (sail sold) Photographer: ? Source: Calle Schmidt´ s archives Retrieved from: SURF 5/2007 in windsurfingmuseum.eu archives *) the first Windsurfer sold in Germany | |
#686 Rider: ? Year, place: 1973, San Diego, Mission Bay Photographer: ? Source: 1973-04 Sports Illustrated *) „Windsurfer nationals on San Diego´ s Mission Bay“ | |
#696 (on the left) Rider: Glen Taylor (BL) Year, place: 1973, San Luis Reservoir, Pacheco Pass Source: Movie „Early Windsurfing in Nor. Cal - 1973” | |
#699 - a Rider: Hoyle Schweitzer? Year, place: ?, Malibu Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Jamie Budge´ s Professional Approach“, Windsurfing footage at Malibu Yacht Club and interviews with Hoyle Schweitzer and Allen Parducci and Mike Ross (?) | |
#700 Rider: Mike Ross (??) (according to film commentary) or Glenn Hallal (BL) Year, place: ?, Malibu Photographer: ? Source: Movie „Jamie Budge´ s Professional Approach“, Windsurfing footage at Malibu Yacht Club and interviews with Hoyle Schweitzer and Allen Parducci and Mike Ross (?) | |
#720 Photographer: ? Source: Calle Schmidt´ s archives Retrieved from: SURF 5/2007 in windsurfingmuseum.eu archives *) the second Windsurfer sold in Germany | |
#763 Rider: xxx (D) Year: Photographer: ? Source: 1973-04 Sports Illustrated Retrieved from: Pierre Coupal´ s post *) „Windsurfer nationals on San Diego´ s Mission Bay“ ." (original picture title) | |
#776 Rider: Calle Schmidt (D) Year: 1972 (sail sold) Photographer: ? Source: 50 Jahre Windsurfen, Deutsche Welle, 2017.
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#777 Rider: Jay Glazer Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios
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#803 Rider: Calle Schmidt (D) Year: 1972 (sail sold) Photographer: ? Source: Calle Schmidt´ s archives Retrieved from: SURF 5/2007 in windsurfingmuseum.eu archives | |
#818 Rider: Sean Holland (BL) Year, place: ?, Newport Beach, Mendocino Lake, Seattle Photographer: ? Source: Sunset magazine? Refrieved from: Pierre Coupal | |
#822 Rider: Don Fox Year, place: 1974?, Ventura Harbour, Southern California Photographer: ? Source: Don Fox´ s post
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#828 Rider: ? Year: 9. 1973 Photographer: ? Source: Calle Schmidt´ s archives Retrieved from: SURF 5/2007 in windsurfingmuseum.eu archives *) 1st European Championships in Sylt, Germany | |
#833 Rider: ? Year: 1972 Photographer: Stephen Lirakis Retrieved from: http://stephenlirakis.com/?cat=240 Copy courtesy of Stephen Lirakis. Published with kind permission of the author. | |
#927 - a NEW! Rider: Ilari Pihl (FIN) Year, place: after 1972?, Finland Photo by Riitta Pihl Provided by Kai Mäkelä from Ilari Pihl home archives
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#927 - b NEW! Rider: Ilari Pihl (FIN) Year, place: circa 1974, Finland Photo by Riitta Pihl Provided by Kai Mäkelä from Ilari Pihl home archives
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#930 - a Rider: Calle Schmidt (D) Year: ? Photographer: ? Source: Windsurfing Intl. poster, Cor Benjamine´ s archive | |
#930 - aa Rider: Calle Schmidt (D) Year: 1972? Photographer: ? Source: Windsurfing News 9/72 (WI newsletter) Bruce Matlack´ s archive | |
#931 - a NEW! Rider: Ilari Pihl (FIN)
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#931 - b NEW! Owner: Ilari Pihl (FIN) Year, place: circa 1974, Finland
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#977 Rider: Doug Halsey (BL) Year, place: ?, Bahia de Santa Maria Photographer: ? Source: Second day (?) article, David Troup´ s post | |
#1000 - a Rider: Diane Schweitzer Year: 1972 Photographer: Stephen Lirakis Retrieved from: http://stephenlirakis.com Copy courtesy of Stephen Lirakis. Published with kind permission of the author.
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#1000 - b Rider: Bruce Matlack Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page, https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#1027 Rider: Gary Seaman Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page, https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#1029 Rider: Alan Parducci Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#1111 Rider: Pat Love Year: 1972 - 1973 Photographer: Nan Herbeck Retrieved from: Wind Wizard Studios - Carla Laney and Bruce Matlack´ s page https://www.facebook.com/WindWizardStudios | |
#1126 Starring: Diane and Hoyle Schweitzer Year: 197x Photographer: ? Retrieved from: originalwindsurfer.com (2016) In 1972 - 574 windsurfers were sold (originalwindsurfer.com) >> total 1 110 (?) |
** „WS Movie“ – these screenshost are from a very rare movie from windsurfingmuseum.eu archives. We are investigating further details and conditions of copyright ownership for possible publication.
P.S. Here you can browse through both galleries – without the picture descriptions…
Provided for Non-Commercial and Educational Use only. If you really feel the need to copy and repost images and museum web page content, please respect credits & sources (at least as they are stated)