Surfing legend a craftsman who made his own boards
Tony Johnson
Craftsman b July 17, 1929 d January 6, 2020
Tony Johnson’s life was one dedicated to his ‘‘playground’’ – the sea and the beach on the shores of Sumner, Christchurch.
‘‘Once you’ve got that seawater in your veins, you never want to be too far from it,’’ son Murray says.
Johnson and his friends ‘‘loved getting out and riding the waves and being able to build their craft. The beach and Sumner very much were their playground back in their younger days’’.
Johnson, who has died aged 90, was a member of the Sumner Surf Lifesaving Club from 16, becoming a patron in 2007.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, he built about 100 hollow plywood surfboards with good mate Neil Truscott. Manufactured under the Dolphin label, the boards are an integral part of New Zealand’s surfing history.
‘‘The first generation of surfers rated his boards highly; they were well known and much sought after until the arrival of fibreglass boards,’’ says Warren Hawke, author of the recently published NZ Surf: The Collection Volume II.
‘‘He was a gifted craftsman at the highest level. I feel privileged to have met him and to have included his story in my new book.’’
‘‘Tone’’, as he was known, was born in Christchurch to Albert and Thelma Johnson, the eldest of three children.
He joined the Sumner Surf Lifesaving Club with his father soon after the end of World War II. As a teenager living in Sumner, he was the ideal candidate for the club, which needed young members after the war.
His involvement in the club revolved around making equipment including wooden skis, canoes and surfboards.
Denis Quane, a local pioneer of fibreglass surfboards in the 1960s, learned some of his craft from Johnson.
‘‘I used to go down and watch him [make boards],’’ Quane says. ‘‘He’d explain what he was doing. Eventually, when I left high school and started work, I started making a few of my own – slightly different to what he was making.
‘‘He was an extremely good tradesman and proficient at what he did. He was just exceptional with wood . . .
‘‘The type of work he did – the fine laminated work – I don’t think there’s many places in New Zealand that actually do that any more.’’
Johnson’s legacy with the surf club was passed on to his son Murray, and grandson Sebastian Johnson, who are both lifeguards.
Sebastian joined the club aged only 6 and has claimed several New Zealand board titles.
Tony Johnson married first wife Maureen in 1954 and had three children – Nicky, Murray and Penny. Maureen died in 1986.
Murray says his father was a real gentleman. ‘‘We had an amazing upbringing. We all have great memories of spending a lot of time around the surf club – that’s how it was back in those days.’’
Johnson was a cabinet maker by trade, which lent itself to building wooden surfboards and the likes in his garage, which he also built.
‘‘He built a trailer yacht as well, which is still admired by many a yachtie when it makes it out,’’ Murray says.
His father’s legacy lies in his influence on the early surfing movement, surfboard design, and his love of the Mt Cheeseman skifield.
‘‘We spent many years up at Cheeseman and contributed to the development there.’’
Johnson even met second wife Trish there in 1992.
Johnson is survived by his wife, three children, three stepchildren and 15 grandchildren.