Mariens and Davis Surfboards/ Norfolk VA/ ATTN OLD SCHOOL VA DUDES

but don't you hate longboarders?

 

haha! If you buy this, then I think you'll need to change your screen name...

 

I don't know if there was a mariens and davis, but there was a Martins And Davis label in Norfolk if that is what you were looking at. I don't know anything about the brand per say, but it seems that they were a smaller company, which was common during that time period on the east coast. With any vintage board condition is everything its what makes a board worth $100 or $2000. How much is the person asking? But I doubt there is any crazy value to the board, could just be a fun vintage rider.

 

I'd say you scored for $90 even if you were going to use it as a bar top, much less ride it.

 

I can use a POS longboard for $150ish..........

 

That is a cool looking old board. How will you go about cleaning it up? I picked up a beat up Mctavish and scrubbed it down with Goo Gone and a nylon pot scrubber before I could get a look at the cracks and repair it. Seemed to work. Wondering how others deal with cleaning old board finds.

 

I knew both Martens & Davis...It was primarily a Scuba Dive shop on Colley Ave just down from the bridge doing certs and a full line of Scuba Pro and US Divers equipment...Pretty sure one of them was instramental in developing UDT diving techniques and the aqualung for the US Navy...I bought a Yater spoon in 1964 and a Yater ruff deck pocket rocket from them in '67...They also had a Skate Team and I road a Hobie with them...Also sold Con and Surfboard Hawaii, not sure about their own label...Good dudes treated the groms with respect.

 

Lynwood Martens and Willy Davis opened the dive shop on Colley Avenue in the summer of 1964. I was their first employee. Both had individually operated rump dive shops out of their respective garages, but became partners and went letgit.

At first it was all Scuba gear, but quickly branched out to surf and paddle boards: Yater and Con were our first two. There was a hardware store in Virginia Beach selling Hobie boards. That was about it, if I recall correctly.

I left Norfolk for the US Air Force in October '64 but stayed in contact with Lynwood and Willy, also with my replacement Paul Havlena (died in the mid-70s down 300' in the North Sea). We had a dive boat (The Diver) at Captain Henry's dock at the mouth of the Lynnhaven and offered trips to Kiptopeke and Plantation Lighthouse; the Cape Henry wreck; and to my favorite the Tiger out at the V buoy for $35/head.

Lynwood became friendly with Ol' Man Davis at D&M Marina and began driving the 'Big D' on head trips. Lynwood liked it so much he eventually transitioned away from the dive shop and increasingly devoted himself to running ever larger head boats. But he kept his hand in and added fishing tackle. He hired Mike Maslow to run the 'Sea Center' at Lynnhaven (little place directly across the street from Illegal John's 'Croaker' restaurant.

The Sea Center's garage was where the surf boards were made. I can't remember the shapper's name but Mike might, if you can find him. Last I heard he was working at the Boat-Hotel down Great Neck Road on the left side. He's old, crusty. and feisty so approach carefully, and you'd be well advised to remain civil.

Ask him if he ever had a '54 Ford, and if he knows who 'The Mokus' is.

PS: The 'Mareins and Davis' labels are most likely an uncorrected misprint. Maslow would know. His older brother might be in the phone book.