16’ yellow and orange toothpick top view

Hollow plywood surfboards were standard equipment for Australian surfers from 1930 -1956. Known as "toothpicks" or "racing 16s" these boards were onger and lighter (in most cases) to the solid timber surfboards in previous use. Ideally suited to paddleboard races being run through the Surf Life Saving clubs these boards were sometimes used in rescue situations (although not sanctioned by the SLSC as rescue equipment) There were only a few people building such boards commercially and no shops selling them. For most surfers it meant knowing someone who could make you a board or having the skills and tools to do it yourself. Most of the surfing activities at this time revolved around the Surf KLife Saving clubs which also provided a perfect opportunity to store these long ungainly craft.