Tom Blake

Tom Blake (1902–1994) helped transform surfboards and paddleboards through lighter wooden construction. After visiting Hawaiʻi in 1924, he studied historic Hawaiian boards at Honolulu's Bishop Museum and drew on traditional olo designs. His experiments progressed from drilling and sealing a redwood board to hollow chambers and a wooden framework covered with thin veneer. These methods reduced weight without relying on a solid timber body.

Blake filed a water-sled patent in 1931, and several companies subsequently manufactured his hollow designs as surfboards and paddleboards. Their use extended to lifeguard rescue and training. He also experimented with a board fin in 1935 and shared practical knowledge through his book Hawaiian Surfboard. His contribution joins board construction, paddling and lifesaving, rather than the history of a single modern surfboard label.