Pepperdine University Libraries Malibu, Calif John Mazza Historic Surfboard Collection, Pepperdine University Special Collections and University Archives
Copyright to the photograph is retained by Pepperdine University. Physical rights to the item are retained by John Mazza, the John G. Mazza Loving Trust Dtd 5/17/90, and the Malibu Surfing Museum. Images are intended for educational and research use, and may be used for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution. Organizations and individuals seeking to use images for publication must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright, patents, trademarks, and other service marks.
Description
In surf slang, a “gun” is a big-wave board designed to ride waves roughly 10 feet or larger. Big-wave boards typically range from 9 to 11 feet in length with the length corresponding to the size of the wave. This Sunset Gun, so-named for the Sunset Beach surf break of Oahu’s North Shore, is one of only eight such boards shaped by Pat Curren (this board is number eight). A Southern California native, Curren moved to Hawaii where he became a high-ranked big-wave surfer in addition to a first-class and innovative board shaper. Surfer’s Journal referred to Curren’s big-wave surfboards from the late 1950s as “the Ferrari of surf craft.” The fiberglass leash loop was likely added at a later date. 10 ft., 6 in.
Surfboard collection exhibited at Payson Library, Pepperdine University. The collection is owned by John Mazza, the John G. Mazza Loving Trust Dtd 5/17/90, and the Malibu Surfing Museum. Mazza (John) Collection of Historic Surfboards 0172: https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8j67q1b/
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