17 Facts About Reynolds Yater

Reynolds Yater was one of the first commercial surfboard builders of the 1950s and is best known for his noserider, the Yater Spoon.

Reynolds Yater was born in Los Angeles, California in 1932 and grew up in Laguna Beach.

Reynolds Yater's parents renovated houses and they lived in Pasadena for a short time.

Reynolds Yater spent his last two years of high school at John Muir College and briefly attended Claremont Colleges.

Reynolds Yater surfed for the first time at age 14 on a "plank" at Doheny State Beach and built his first surfboard in 1953.

Reynolds Yater worked as a lifeguard in his late teens.

Reynolds Yater began working for Hobie Surfboards in 1955, primarily glassing balsa boards.

Reynolds Yater worked with Bobby Patterson, Jimmy Johnson, and Phil Edwards.

Reynolds Yater moved to San Clemente in 1957 to work for Dale Velzy, where he learned shaping techniques from Velzy himself.

Reynolds Yater opened Yater Surfboards on Anacapa Street and trademarked the brand that fall.

Reynolds Yater worked as a fisherman for 40 years, as it was often more profitable than building surfboards.

Reynolds Yater variously harvested lobsters, abalones, corbinas, gobies, and rock crabs, depending on the time of year and where he lived.

Reynolds Yater stopped fishing in the 1990s and sold his last boat, the New Wave, in 1997.

Reynolds Yater had a role in the 1960s surf movies Big Wednesday and Walk On the Wet Side.

Reynolds Yater was unaware he would be mentioned in the movie until after it came out.

Reynolds Yater founded and served as the first president of the Santa Barbara Surf Club.

Reynolds Yater met his wife Sally in Laguna Beach in 1953 while she was attending University of Southern California.