“Bill Stewart – surfer, shaper, artist, scientist, inventor, sculptor, a great man of many talents.”
~ George Orbelian
I first met Bill while working as Surfboard Design Editor for SURFER Magazine when he told me about a new board design he had developed, the “Hydro Hull”. I can still remember when the 6’3” tri-fin arrived at Bob Wise’s Vicente Street shop and the crew’s comments when the hot rod flames and skull artwork was unveiled (the actual board is pictured in my book ESSENTIAL SURFING).They laughed, but I surfed the board and it worked well – the double concave bottom planed efficiently and the double edge chined (bevelled) rails worked in harmony together with the board exhibiting that magic combination of fast, loose and positive. We ended up working together and pushing the “Hydro Hull” design concept into larger waves with a number of other local surfers also favoring the design which Wise continues to sell. Bill came through in record time with building a custom surfboard for Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev.
