George Greenough is one of those rare individuals who changed not only surfing, but the way we think about surfing.
Born in Santa Barbara (California) in 1941, he was not your typical beach boy or contest surfer — he was more of a visionary, tinkerer, and outsider who understood the ocean in his own unique way.
Early on, he became frustrated with the sluggishness of the longboards that were common at the time, which offered little maneuverability. Instead of complaining, he began experimenting with fins, shapes, and materials. In doing so, he laid the foundation for many modern board designs that we take for granted today.
Greenough's influence on surf design
His greatest contribution was probably the high-aspect fin, inspired by the tail fin of a tuna.
This fin generated significantly more drive and control—and inspired shapers such as Bob McTavish and Nat Young, who, together with Greenough, sparked the shortboard revolution of the late 1960s.
The idea of “knee boarding” also played a decisive role:
Greenough used shorter, concave-shaped boards to surf in positions and lines within the wave that were previously unthinkable – deep in the barrel, close to the pocket, at unprecedented speeds.
This perspective, close to the water, right in the power center of the wave, changed the design thinking of an entire generation of shapers.
Inside the barrel – before GoPros existed
In the late 1960s, George Greenough built his own waterproof camera housings and mounted them on his back or board — decades before surf cams or GoPros were invented.
His film “The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun” (1969) is still considered one of the most important cult surfing films today: it showed surfing from the barrel perspective, as experienced by the surfers themselves – raw, alive, spiritual.
These recordings also shaped the aesthetics of the surf film era of the 1970s – from Alby Falzon’s Morning of the Earth to modern documentary formats.
Personality & lifestyle
Greenough was never someone who sought fame. He often withdrew from society, living a simple life, mostly near the sea. In the 1970s, he emigrated to Byron Bay, Australia – long before the place became a surfing mecca.
There he built boats, pedal boats, and surfcrafts out of fiberglass – all by himself.
Ee was an engineer of the ocean, driven by curiosity and the desire to intensify the feeling of surfing, not to commercialize it.
In interviews, he repeatedly made it clear that he was rather indifferent to the mainstream surf industry.
He criticized the increasing commercialization and the “lifestyle cult” surrounding surfing. For him, surfing was a pure connection between man and nature, not a product.
Greenoughs Haltung zur modernen Surfszene
Greenough is regarded as someone who prioritized authentic surfing over style or image.
He was never a fan of contests or excessive self-promotion.
For him, function was more important than form, and feeling was more important than fame.
His opinion on modern surfboards and the return to retro shapes was often ambivalent:
He appreciated the advances in surfboard materials (e.g., epoxy, carbon), but also saw that many designs today are aesthetically driven rather than functionally inspired.
A quote that describes him well:
“You can’t fake function. If it doesn’t work in the water, it’s just decoration.”
Further links & recommendations
The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun (1969)
Buch: Dolphin Glide – The Visionary World of George Greenough
Inspiration für moderne Finnen: Greenough 4A Fin- Book and DVD: On The Edge Of A Dream by Andrew Kidman & Ellis Ericson
An inventor, filmmaker, and purist who saw the ocean not as a stage, but as a teacher.
