Aircooled VW South Africa

John Whitmore -- sometimes referred to as the father or "uncle" of South African surfing -- was “an energetic man with an adventurous spirit and an enquiring mind,” eulogized surfer, writer and his friend Paul Botha, following Whitmore’s passing on Christmas Eve 2001.

Affectionately known to South Africans as “The Oom” – the Afrikaans equivalent of “uncle” -- Whitmore spent the better part of his life pioneering surfing, Hobie Cat sailing, and bodyboarding on the Southern tip of Africa from the 1950s to the beginning of the 1990s.

Whitmore Surfboards

Back in Cape Town, Whitmore Surfboards continued to grow, offering the latest technological advances picked up in California. John was also finding other industrial uses for Clark Foam which he was now manufacturing himself. He found the qualities of polyethylene foam were ideal for heat and sound proofing and packaging. All this activity and the emergence of numerous other surfboard manufacturers around the country led John to quit producing surfboards in 1968, restricting himself to just supplying the blanks.

While he stood down as manager of the 1968 Springbok team that went to Puerto Rico, in favor of Durban stalwart Cliff Honeysett, John managed the 1970 team that included future international stars Shaun and Michael Tomson, Jonathan Paarman and Gavin Rudolph. A fond memory of his was sitting with Hawaiian George Downing on the cliffs at Australia’s Bells Beach doing wave counts and timing the sets, enabling the South Africans and Hawaiians to get out in giant 5 metre plus waves that they rode from outside the point right through to Winkipop.

Managing the 1972 team that went to the world champs in San Diego was Whitmore’s swan song. He resigned as President of the South African Surfing Association in 1973 to devote himself to a newfound love: Hobie Cat racing.