Corky Carroll interviewed David Nuuhiwa for "Four of the Hottest," which ran in the July 1966 issue of SURFER. This version has been slightly edited.

David, you came to the coast from Hawaii, how did you get started surfing?

My dad used to be a beachboy at Waikiki, and I used to go down there and borrow boards. I guess that was about eight years ago.

How do you think the surf on the coast compares with that in Hawaii?

Hawaiian surf mo bettah, bruddah. I plan on going back soon. I’ll stick around for the contests this summer, though.

What spots do you like the most in Hawaii, David?

Ala Moana, Infinities, and Pipeline. I really like that Pipeline.

Yeah, that place is out-of-sight. But what about riding the big waves at places like Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay? Do you think that you would want to ride those kind of waves?

No, I like small waves better because you can maneuver and ride the nose and stuff like that. I see no point in riding big waves because you can’t do anything but stand there.

I think that they are getting better. I like to watch guys ride the tip and do a lot of riding in small waves up to about six feet. In waves from six to ten feet, I like to watch guys that ride smooth and look pretty.

You won the Makaha contest this year as a junior. How do you think the contest was run?

I think that it was run well, not because I won, but because they have a good system.

You’re rated as a Triple-A surfer by the USSA this year. Who do you feel will give you the most competition?

Herb Torrens, Stanley Parks, Denny Tompkins, and Peter Johnson.

Next year you’ll be competing as a senior [age 18-24]. How do you feel about that?

I think the seniors will be a lot easier to beat. The juniors are always hotter.

You enter just about every contest, David; you must like competition.

Yeah, I like it. There are always parties afterward and everyone rocks out. You’re always there rocking out—it’s too much, huh?

You’re a member of the Newport Beach Surf Association, aren’t you?

Yes. I like the way Newport Beach is run, and I like the guys in it. I used to belong to Windansea, but I quit when they decided to turn into a business instead of a club. They are trying to get so big that they will dominate the whole world. When they started, they only had good surfers, now they have a bunch of guys who are not much better than average, just so they can rule the coast, but in every contest Long Beach is right in there trying and always does just as good as Windansea. Newport Beach is a hot club to watch, too. They could be a big surprise to the guns in Windansea this year.

What about the new USSA ruling where a club can only register members in its own area to compete for it? Do you feel that this rule will affect the competition?

Yes, Long Beach and Newport and clubs such as that will really start doing well. Windansea is so spread out that it will be hard for them to make a heavy showing in any one area except for San Diego. Bay Cities, Hope Ranch and Malibu should do well, too.

Barry Kanaiaupuni, Conrad Canha, Jeff Hakman, Mickey Dora, Mike Doyle, and Nat Young.

Have you done any other sports besides surfing?

Yeah, I used to speed skate at a rink in the Islands. But I never played baseball or anything like that.

Yeah, I won some races; it was really a lot of fun.

What do you plan on doing in the future, David? Keep surfing, or go to work or what?

I plan on shaping for Bing Surfboards. I have a new da kine noseriding model coming out soon.

I can’t say because it isn’t quite perfected yet.

David Nuuhiwa (1966)

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