Reynolds “Renny” Yater was one of the first real commercial surfboard builders of the 1950s-a generation that really put surfing on the map. In the early 1950s, Yater shaped and fiberglassed his own boards. During the mid-5Os, Hobie hired him to glass his balsa boards in his Dana Point shop. In 1957, he moved over to Dale Velzy’s shop in San Clemente where he began to shape balsa boards. His experience working with both of those industry icons gave us a unique in site in to the dynamic of the industry at that time.

Here is Part 1 of Renny’s interview from our surf documentary Boardroom – Legends of Surfboard Shaping