1935 - Tom Blake wrote in his historic book Hawaiian Surfboard that, ‘a chap from England expects to try to swim the English Channel on a hollow board.”

In 1935 Tom Blake (the inventor of the hollow wooden surfboard and the fin) wrote in his historic book Hawaiian Surfboard that, ‘a chap from England expects to try to swim the English Channel on a hollow board.” Blake based his boards partly on the design of ancient Hawaiian olo longboards, and on the hull of English racing boats.