RIP: Surf Legend Jim Kerwin dies at 95

South Bay Surf Legend Dies at 95

Long before the birth of Michael Eugene Fanning, there was another “White Lightning” in surf. An innovative surfboard donned the name – a late 1930s craft designed of lightweight plywood – and constructed by South Bay surfing pioneer, Jim Kerwin.

At 95 years old, Kerwin passed away at his home in Ojai, California on December 27th, 2016. He was the final living member of the original nine siblings comprising the “Surfin’ Kerwin” clan.

“They lived within 100 feet of the beach,” Scott Kerwin, Jim’s nephew, told Surfline. “The beach became their playground so it was pretty automatic that they would spend a lot of time in the water. They were the local yokels – if you got in a hassle with one of ‘em, then you got into it with all of ‘em.”

In the early days of surfing’s popularization, waveriders organized in “Clubs” – part-social, part-athletic congregations, which occasionally competed against one another. The Kerwin brothers are credited for starting the Hermosa Beach Surfing Club around 1935, which boasted prominent South Bay surfers like Dale Velzy. In 2003, the Kerwin clan was honored as Pioneer Members of the Hermosa Beach Surfers Walk of Fame for their contribution to the sport.

“Back in those days with the clubs, the surfing competitions were centered around paddling,” said Scott Kerwin. “Even the surfing competitions came down to who caught the most waves. And Jim was the best paddler of the group.”

Originally, Kerwin built “White Lightning,” a lighter paddleboard/surfboard hybrid, for his sister so that she could carry it herself – although he ended up riding it frequently, too. Around this time, hollow boards were on the rise, as opposed to the previous trend of solid wood planks. Eventually, board builders found foam and fiberglass (with Hobie Alter, in particular, starting the migration from balsa wood); but hollow boards were a crucial step in surfboard evolution and still coveted today by collectors.

In 1984, Kerwin rode the board during the “Old Timers” heat at the inaugural Dewey Weber Longboard Classic contest at the Manhattan Beach Pier. With other local legends in the heat – like Leroy Grannis, Paul Matthies, and Jim’s brother John – Kerwin’s “White Lightning” was the only oldschool, non-foam-and-fiberglass board.

The last time “White Lightning” touched the water was a few years back when Kerwin was celebrating either his 89th or 90th birthday – it’s a running family debate. With family members in assistance, Kerwin took the board out to Ventura Point and caught a couple waves. And now, “White Lighting” remains a family heirloom, residing at the Kerwin’s Ojai home where it’s periodically refurbished and kept in surfing condition.

Jim Kerwin is survived by his wife Roberta, nine children (Winifred, Jim, Pat, Tony, Matt, Bernadette, Mary, Margaret, and Bill), many, many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/jim-kerwin-was-a-pioneer-of-the-hermosa-beach-surfing-club-and-a-walk-of-fame-inductee-south-bay-surf-legend-d_144570/