The history of David Parkes

Mike Fernandez · Post by **Mike Fernandez** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:15 am

Please stick to historical facts about the person, or well founded rumors, but no opinions (EI:I think George Greenough is great because he invented the spoon.) This does no good in attaining the history of the person.

Mike Fernandez · Post by **Mike Fernandez** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:22 pm

I first read about Australian kneeboarder David Parkes in the late 1970's through an Australian Surfing World magazine article about him and Ken Horton, their lifestyle, and competition highlights. I bought the magazine in Southern California.
I didn't know they had kneeboarders in Australia. I saw the pictures of Parkes and Horton and their great style, a style that didn't include holding onto the rails of their boards, unlike other well known kneeboarders of the period.

David Parkes started as an apprentice board maker in 1978 at the Friar Tuck shop, which was founded and owned by brothers Peter and John Ware.
The first kneeboards Parkes made were single fins. After shaping boards under Terry Fitzgerald of Hot Buttered, David took over Friar Tuck in 1983.

With the introduction of the John Ware shaped twin fin, and David Parkes' Six Australian Championship wins, Friar Tuck became a very popular company.

Major shaping influences are John and Peter Ware, Neil Luke, Steve Artis, and Bud McCray.

Competition Highlights:

1st Place - World Kneeboard Titles 2009, New Zealand- Grand Masters Division.

1st Place - World Kneeboard Titles 2004, Tahiti - Masters Division.

1st Place - World Kneeboard Titles 2000, New Zealand- Masters Division.

1st Place - Horue 2000, Tahiti, Kneeboard Division, 2000.

1st Place - Australian Kneeboard Titles - 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1990, 1992.

1st Place - Queensland Titles 1990 - 1992.

1st Place - New South Wales Titles 1979 - 1980.

1st Place - Hawaii-Australia Friendship Cup, Hawaii 1978.

1st Place - Duranbah Easter Classic - 3 years in a row.

1st Place - Trans-Tasman Teams Challenge 1986.

David Parkes still shapes world class kneeboards under the Parkes/Friar Tuck label located in Byron Bay, Australia.

judd97 · Post by **judd97** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:01 pm

Mike

with all these post you have too much time on your hands

No women...No waves...that has change for you..from what i see on the
news for the east coast of the USA!!

These posts are repeatative and in my opinion annoying

all mentioned have contributed much to our sport/art/lifestyle

enough said

red · Post by **red** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:19 pm

I went to bed at midnight in Tahiti with Dave still hitting it hard (for several more hours, judging from the noise!).
Crept out of the hut at daybreak to sneak an early one. Paddled 20 minutes with Max until we could see the lineup and someone getting waves all to themselves. Yup - Dave - first one out - pre-dawn paddle across shark invested lagoon - half hour all to himself.

Made the mistake of traveling the N shore with him one day. He was all go for semi-closing out Jockos at around 10-15'. He saw the look in my eyes and took pity on me and suggested we look elsewhere.

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:58 pm

c'mon Red...you have'nt lived until you've nearly died at Jockos

Headwax. · Post by **Headwax.** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:59 pm

edited for sense today

..... didn't see Parkes again till 2002 in queensland (it had nothing to do with the tequila) when there were a million kneelos in the water before the start of the Words all having a pre contest warm up.
One guy who was ripping it apart, came heading at me at a rate of kilowatts, did some kind of aerial floater thingy about five feet away from me as I duck dived. When I came up this head popped up next to me.
At first I thought it was Paul Newman -only younger but uglier.
It was Parkes. He hadn't changed a bit in 20 years.
Only kidding about the 'ugly" part.
12) I hate surfing with him because he makes me look like a beginner - even when he is just standing on the beach. I've s een him do three reentries one after the other on waves I struggle to do a bottom turn on. That fact maybe hipocraphyl (how do you spell that?).
15) Parkes makes great boards.
16) He came to visit a few years ago. A week before the swell was humungous. I went to church every day praying that the swell would drop by the time he got to my place - so I didn't have to go out in the huge surf with him - and die

I contemplated breaking my own leg on purpose if the swell stuck around. Thankfully it didn't.

17) He reads my boringly intricate seventeen page emails when I order a board. And always gives me exactly what I need.

18) I once asked him to copy a board for me from another shaper. He refused because he considered it would be stealing another's person's work. He told me to go back to the original shaper.

19) There should be more blokes like David Parkes.

cheers to parkesy.

Biblio:

1) http://waxfin.googlepages.com/kneeboard ... ssociation

David Parkes appears on the beach and for one left hander very early in this footage. You can also see a Hot Buttered single fin and Terry Day with his Gull board.

2) http://waxfin.googlepages.com/kneeboardmaroubra1979

Toilet bowl footage - at high tide. Maybe a glimpse of Parkes on a yellow board being dropped in on and then run over....

randiego · Post by **randiego** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 3:56 pm

Judd, you're entitled to your opinion, but I am loving this stuff!

Bob Gove has a triple string Parkes that I had the pleasure of riding out at Todos Santos. Handled the size great!

Mikey - keep it up bro!

PS - I'm ready for the next one - "The history of Paris Hilton"

judd97 · Post by **judd97** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:12 pm

no worries here

but these post by MF "The History of __________"

numbered in the 20s and reminded me of all the spammers

thought Mike covered this in his original post

"Who has done the more for the advancement of kneeboarding"

just my opinion

it' all about who's having the most FUN

loonylen · Post by **loonylen** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:20 pm

That hotbuttered board in the bra footage looked familliar

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:50 pm

see Dave Parkes and Neil Lukeinterview at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC_vx1KfojE

the interview is 1999

budgie

Headwax. · Post by **Headwax.** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:28 am

thanks budgie

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:45 am

I too saw the article in the SURFING WORLD mag which I still have.

My mate kneelo Rob Mariani and I used to look at all the Greenough articles and loved the waterman to death, but when this particluar article was published we obsessed over the photos and article like 14 or 15 year old kids do.

I first met Dave at the Aussie Titles in WA at Southpoint carpark in mmm that is a hard one 1980? or 1981 doesn't matter.

I saw Dave and had to work up the courage to go and talk to my idol and when I finally did I was so excited and nervous, I think I was telling him how much of a hero he was to me and how embarassing.

I was 1st reserve Kneeboarder for the WA team and if someone got hurt or didnt show, I would be able to compete in their spot. Well I dont remember the details but I think Daves board hit him in the guts and he was pissing blood, I went up to him to ask him if I could surf for him and he just laughed at me and told he would be competing.

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:20 am

cool old clip i found on youtube. hope it's not been posted here already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDhsxsRb ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpC4Gtd ... ature=fvwp

Mike Fernandez · Post by **Mike Fernandez** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:53 pm

Nice find Mike. I updated his contest record in the 2009 World Championships. 1st. place Grand Masters division.

Smokin Rock · Post by **Smokin Rock** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:13 pm

so what ever happened to the Maroubra Kneeboarding Association?
Andrew?