Excerpts from Bob's book appear in Surfing World Magazine

An article with an excerpt from Bob's book 'Stoked" has appeared in Issue 299 of Surfing World. Click on Thumbnails to have a look or download the article as pdf below.

Stoked! Bob's new book released!

This month has seen the release of Bob's book Stoked!

This insightful autobiography tells the personal story behind this visionary designer, larrakin and national icon.
‘Bob McTavish - Stoked!’ takes you back to a simpler, more innocent time when it seemed that anything was possible.

Reading his story, you will frequently find yourself amazed at the lifestyle of a young surfer in the sixties. From stowing awya on a boat to Hawaii to eating spiders, it is a witty, human story written with a wry smile that will be enjoyed by people of all ages - surfers or not.

Interview with Richard Fidler

Click link below to listen to the ABC's Richard Fidler interview with Bob, on his midweek program 'The conversation hour'.

Revolutionary new fin positioning system hits the news!

On the 11th of September the Gold Coast Bulletin featured an article on Bob's new fin positioning system. The article is: "Board King's new hit" Click here to have a look. Or click on the thumbnail image below to download a pdf copy of the article.

Breakthrough fin placement technology

In the idea snapshot below Bob explains a new apporach to fin placement where fins are not place relative todistance from the rails, but rather, to the size of your foot.... really incredible idea. Double click on the pic to see it full size.

Note: Bob is in the process of filing a patent for this concept in the US.

Why Quads are faster...

Ever wondered why quads seem to be a little faster than thrusters? Bob explains in this one page snapshot the hydrodynamics of what is happening under your board....

Notes from meeting with Kelly Slater today

After meeting with Kelly Slater for half an hour and then digesting all the information that has developed between the board I shaped for him and the board he's riding its clear that several principles have emerged.

1. He's working on washed out tails (or what I have been calling "tail feathers") as well. That's in the form of a pin tail with "v" in the last 5 or 6 inches of the board... this matches my "tail feathers".

2. He's got a very small foot... only a little bit bigger than mine. The board he's riding at the moment is really narrow in the tail at 13.5" so he's actually using too little area and too little fin spread for his foot size and...

3. He has stabalized on his fins... he's got standard thruster fins at the front and slightly smaller fins behind them that are double foil shape,  so the 9 time world champ has got that working and we can say that's a pretty good set up...

So yeah... we'll keep moving with those 3 interesting items....

Transcribed from audio notes with Bob by Ric.