Charles M. Van Artsdalen (January 31, 1941 – July 18, 1979) was a surfer. He moved to La Jolla, California, from his birthplace of Norfolk, Virginia, at age 14. Van Artsdalen is best known as a pioneer of surfing 25-foot waves at such North Shore locations as Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach; and tube riding in Hawaii during the early 1960-1970s. A member of the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team, he appeared in several surf movies and remained a fixture of the international surfing community until his death from alcohol-related illness in 1979.[1]
Butch Van Artsdalen
Van Artsdalen's athletic prowess was first noted in the years he attended La Jolla High School where he earned varsity letter in baseball, basketball, and football. He began surfing at the age of fourteen, and chose to continue in the sport because of its unstructured freedom when compared to the discipline of conventional professional sports. While in La Jolla, Van Artsdalen became part of a well-known surfing group at Windansea Beach. He moved to Hawaii after graduating from high school to begin his professional career.[2]
The challenging waves of Oahu's North Shore soon became Van Artsdalen's home. He was among the first to master the powerful, hollow waves at Ehukai Beach known as the Banzai Pipeline. This, along with his reputation for riding switchfoot in the large surf at Waimea Bay, earned him the nickname "Mr. Pipeline."[2]
Because of his talents, Van Artsdalen was featured in several early surf films by Dale Davis and Bruce Brown, the most notable of which was The Endless Summer. Van Artsdalen received onscreen credit in one of William Asher's "surfploitation" comedies, Muscle Beach Party, starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. He was recruited by artist and talent scout Michael Dormer to American International Pictures for auditions, but a violent temper precluded a film career.
In 1964, Van Artsdalen was ranked among the world's best surfers by the Surfer Magazine Surfer Poll. A year later he was invited to join the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team, becoming a global ambassador for wave riding and making appearances at shopping centers and promotional events.
As surfing evolved during the late 1960s from heavier, more cumbersome longboards to lighter, shorter boards, Van Artsdalen's reputation was gradually eclipsed by a new generation of tube riders such as Gerry Lopez and Rory Russell. Still, he remained at Banzai Pipeline, working as a lifeguard in his later years. In 1969 Van Artsdalen won the 34th Annual Stone Steps Invitational Surf Contest at Stone Steps in Leucadia, California. Surfing had grown in popularity by that point, and Van Artsdalen felt the purity of the sport was being spoiled by posers. He frequently succumbed to binge drinking, and died of alcohol-related causes in 1979.[2] The only family authenticated Butch Van Artsdalen surfboard made since Butch’s passing is made by Bill Shrosbree.
butch, artsdalen, charles, artsdalen, january, 1941, july, 1979, surfer, moved, jolla, california, from, birthplace, norfolk, virginia, artsdalen, best, known, pioneer, surfing, foot, waves, such, north, shore, locations, waimea, sunset, beach, tube, riding, h. Charles M Van Artsdalen January 31 1941 July 18 1979 was a surfer He moved to La Jolla California from his birthplace of Norfolk Virginia at age 14 Van Artsdalen is best known as a pioneer of surfing 25 foot waves at such North Shore locations as Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach and tube riding in Hawaii during the early 1960 1970s A member of the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team he appeared in several surf movies and remained a fixture of the international surfing community until his death from alcohol related illness in 1979 1 Butch Van Artsdalen Van Artsdalen s athletic prowess was first noted in the years he attended La Jolla High School where he earned varsity letter in baseball basketball and football He began surfing at the age of fourteen and chose to continue in the sport because of its unstructured freedom when compared to the discipline of conventional professional sports While in La Jolla Van Artsdalen became part of a well known surfing group at Windansea Beach He moved to Hawaii after graduating from high school to begin his professional career 2 The challenging waves of Oahu s North Shore soon became Van Artsdalen s home He was among the first to master the powerful hollow waves at Ehukai Beach known as the Banzai Pipeline This along with his reputation for riding switchfoot in the large surf at Waimea Bay earned him the nickname Mr Pipeline 2 Because of his talents Van Artsdalen was featured in several early surf films by Dale Davis and Bruce Brown the most notable of which was The Endless Summer Van Artsdalen received onscreen credit in one of William Asher s surfploitation comedies Muscle Beach Party starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello He was recruited by artist and talent scout Michael Dormer to American International Pictures for auditions but a violent temper precluded a film career In 1964 Van Artsdalen was ranked among the world s best surfers by the Surfer Magazine Surfer Poll A year later he was invited to join the Duke Kahanamoku Surf Team becoming a global ambassador for wave riding and making appearances at shopping centers and promotional events As surfing evolved during the late 1960s from heavier more cumbersome longboards to lighter shorter boards Van Artsdalen s reputation was gradually eclipsed by a new generation of tube riders such as Gerry Lopez and Rory Russell Still he remained at Banzai Pipeline working as a lifeguard in his later years In 1969 Van Artsdalen won the 34th Annual Stone Steps Invitational Surf Contest at Stone Steps in Leucadia California Surfing had grown in popularity by that point and Van Artsdalen felt the purity of the sport was being spoiled by posers He frequently succumbed to binge drinking and died of alcohol related causes in 1979 2 The only family authenticated Butch Van Artsdalen surfboard made since Butch s passing is made by Bill Shrosbree References edit Weblink Retrieved 2009 01 21 a b c Warshaw Bibliography Warshaw Matt ed 2003 Butch Van Artsdalen The Encyclopedia of Surfing Harcourt Inc pp 664 665 ISBN 0 15 100579 6 External links editLegendarysurfers com Surfline com Van Artsdalen on the over of Surfing Illustrated 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Butch Van Artsdalen amp oldid 1096837058, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
