Central Coast Malibu Boardriders Club History

In 2005 the Central Coast Malibu Boardriders Club celebrated its 20th year.

Celebrations were particularly rowdy at the Presso Night, as the ex-presidents compared tall stories from the past two decades.

We were lucky enough to have some of the original members from the clubs inception there on the night. Sid Blade, one of the original 3 that started the club couldn't make it, but sent through the following words from his home at Lombok, which pretty much sums up the history and the spirit of the club in those early days.

Central Coast Malibu Boardriders - est 1985

I was delighted to hear that the CCMB still exists and is going strong after all these years and from such humble beginnings.

Greg Byrne contacted me after not hearing from him in nearly 20 years to ask if I could shed some light on the origins of the CCMB, I was amazed to hear from him especially from so far away .

I do have lots of photos and even the first score sheet and newsletter somewhere in a box in Australia. I also have the first design t-shirt screen printed at Barney Waters sign shop, not the same design as it is now. You just had to go there and print it on your own shirt. I can't believe the 2GO tent still exists, if it could talk, Wow!

The CCMB all started when Barney Waters, Quentin Riley and Myself all went to the Australian Titles in 1985 at Manly. The organizers of the event said that we had to be in a club, as we didn't have a club and we needed to be in one . So bingo, we said we would become one after thinking about it for 5 minutes. And that's about how it all started I guess, 20 or so years ago.

After we got back on the coast we tried to sort a name for it. Barney suggested the Central Coast Storm Riders, but that didn't suit. Then there was the Central Coast Cruisers it was ok, but the final name we chose was the current one of Central Coast Malibu Boardriders.

The early years were great in the sense it was all about having fun, nobody took it serious . The CCMB expanded very quickly with a steady flow of new members as plank surfing gained popularity again.

The first crew on the CCMB were a pretty motley looking bunch, enough to scare all the dogs off the beach when they showed up. Names like Rob Strong ,Snowman, the mayor Peter Coleman , Juddy, Mud Guts (winner of the first iron guts event) Crisdale, Russ and Terri Mares (Terri was a lot prettier than Russ even when she spat the dummy at you for dropping in on her . Terri was our first female surfer) and Greg Byrne just to name a few from memory .

The early comps were great fun. Judging was corrupt as nobody cared much who won (Barney somehow always ended up in the easy heats), most being more interested in the tucker and beer. The old mals were perhaps more popular than the modern mals in the beginning.

Many a good tale was told in the 2GO tent while trying to keep warm on those freezing winter days when your feet were numb and your dick felt like a button.

Even the boards were classics. Old dungers with names like Ben Whaw, Fat Barry and my old Neil Taylor made in Woy Woy, the Mohammed's Slipper named and blessed by Snowy McAllister. All these boards would chase cars and piss on telegraph poles, but we surfed them none the less.

Later a new crew emerged as the CCMB still gained popularity. Names like John Brennen, Kevin Carl (a natural switch foot - very rare) and Marty, John Hawkins (you can take the boys out of ocean beach but you cant take the ob out of them), Mark Butler, and Peter Sharpe.

At about this time there was a Malibu circuit developing with many comps to go to like the CJ McAllister, Byron, Steel City, Long reef , and comps at Crescent and Saltwater to name a few.

The first trips up to Crescent and Saltwater with the boys to surf against the Crescent crazies was such a buzz. They were as wild as us. I really don't know how we even surfed at all as we suffered from, lets say, jet lag or too much fandango.

Then things started to change in the club as things got more competitive within the ranks. The CCMB then ventured into, more or less, a competitive club. Usually we held the Sunday comps around the Avoca or Copa area in the beginning. There were not many members from places like Soldiers or the Entrance then, actually I don't think any when we started.

As the club expanded, I felt with the change some of the original reasons for the club was lost, but hey that's development in progress.

There are so many stories to tell but too many to mention them all here. Like the time we went to the CJ Mc Allister and Grant Oman (Snow) had to ask the organizers which heat he was in as he couldn't read the heats board a t 7 in the morning. Ah, the boys partied hard! If Trev
Mud Guts is there tonight or Juddy ask them to describe going to the Manly comp in Mud Guts' old Volvo with the pot plant in the back . They may not wish to comment, but I still remember Mud Guts happy as a pig in poo sitting in the back of his Volvo that day.

Many good comps were had against other clubs like the DV8s , Steel City, Loggerheads . and Lennox to name a few. Then we had the first Central Coast Titles, I think about 1987. Many good surfers came from the ranks of the early central coast club without trying to forget anybodies names like Snow , Rob Strong, Mark Butler, John Brennen, Peter Sharp, Marty, Johnny Hawkins Dean Cooper, Juddy ( who will never be ready to ride a Farrelly . Does anybody remember Gomer and the East Gosford Surf Shop back in the 60s? The Farrellys there were simply the best). All of the names I mentioned were able to win if the waves suited each of their individual styles. Some surfing better in big waves, some better in small surf and some going into and winning Australian Titles, and on some days, they would all be beaten by another in the club on their day, such was the standard of surfing, which was pretty damn good.

Then there was the ones that would never win like Wayne Klegg but were there all the same and very much part of the CCMB at the time . I think the first trophy presentation was at Dean Coopers
house at Avoca. I have the photos of it in a box back in Oz, although I can remember Dean and I doing coffin rides in his backyard on the lawn that day as the sets in his back lawn got bigger.

There was lots of interest in riding the old dungers back then. Many a good surfer was humbled in big Avoca or Copa trying to get out the back in his heat riding dungers.

As the club still expanded there was some spin off clubs like the reformed Ocean Beach Malibu Club which drew a few back to their roots, including myself though I still surfed with both clubs.

Strangely enough I read about Magoo and the CCMB from here in Indonesia in a surfing magazine I write for. So I guess the CCMB is still expanding. Its great to hear of the charity work its doing too.

At this point Id like to wish all the members there new and old all the best for a great night . I would love to be there, but I'm now living in Indonesia, still surfing a mal, swapping it at at times with a 9 ft pintail gun and occasionally bouncing my bum on coral reefs but you get that surfing here. The waves get very hollow at times.

.....and I still wear my old CCMB shirt here, ( they never wear out ).

May the Central Coast Mal Club go for another 20 years at least .

Again in closing and to all present there, enjoy the night as it took 20 years to get here. Keep surfing forever.

Hang Ten ...

Sid Blade .. [Gadaffi] Indonesia.