As surfers from around the State prepared to suit up and paddle out in honour of WA surfing industry pioneer Tom Hoye in Margaret River on Saturday, the recently-stolen sign from Hoye's esteemed surfboard shaping workshop was returned under cover of darkness.
It was a welcome and positive turn of events after the community was dismayed to learn of the theft, soon after Mr Hoye's passing.
With a no-questions-asked request from family and friends as well as a plea from local police, the Precision Equip sign had re-appeared at the Burton Road workshop by Saturday morning.
More than a hundred local surfers participated in the traditional 'paddle-out and ocean wreath laying' at Surfers Point to honour the life of the legendary surfer and internationally acclaimed surfboard maker.
Hoye was credited with inventing 'da claw' - the multi-finned surfboard now used by surfers worldwide - professionals and amateurs alike.
Born in 1945 in California, Hoye had been a long time resident of Margaret River since the early seventies.
As a teenager in Santa Cruz, we was mentored by wetsuit king Jack O'Neill and began learning the art of shaping boards.
With his wife and child in tow, and inspired by early footage of sparsely-populated, late 60s Margaret River surf breaks, Hoye packed up and moved to Australia in search of waves far less crowded than in California.
Landing first in Sydney before making the move to South West WA, the Hoye family soon established strong roots in the State.
Tom began shaping at Blaxells in Perth, before setting up shop in Yallingup.
In memorialising his friend and colleague, Tom Blaxell wrote of Hoye's fearlessness in the water.
"In the water, he was always the one sitting right out the back, waiting for the biggest wave.
"The true big wave charger, and he always had the surf stoke, in and out of the water. His life completely revolved around surfing.
"He took me into Three Bears just after it was first discovered, and I've got a sneaky suspicion that it was he who labelled it Three Bears."
In 1980 Hoye moved to his Margaret River workshop, where he worked until his death in late April at the age of 74.
Renowned for his boards emblazoned with the words 'for pleasure only', Hoye's impact on Margaret River surfing was clear on Saturday as surfers of all ages displayed their Precision Equip boards.
A group gathered at the Margaret River District Club after the paddle out to share memories, along with a video package detailing Hoye's arrival in the region and his decades spent working and shaping not only boards, but the history and future of surfing around the world.
- With thanks to Aprille Anderson, Mariana Javier, Jim King, Tom Blaxell, Mick Marlin, Thea McDonald-Lee, John Ilian and Aaron Beveridge.
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
