Wes' unique design development of the wide board for vertical.

We've all heard about the chance discovery that as Wes started making decks,

the decks got wider simply cause he was using a fat marker to trace existing

deck shapes onto new. Of course what followed afterwards was not by "chance",

but rather the artist/designer facing the struggles of design development, testing

and marketing.  The various skatemags have never done a great job of telling

the history of the sport; "style" and "fashion" dominates. I know the latter are

also important to skating culture, but I think many of us here are more interested

in the design history of skating, especially Wes' singular achievements. 

(Some of you know by now that I'm married to an academic, so I apologize

if some of this sounds pedantic.)   

I'm interested in whether the designs were mostly driven by the DT surf-style

of skating, or if other influences came into play.  Like one can see where the

whole street skating thing has shaped board design toward a lighter, smaller and

bi-directional board. Its suited to a type of skating that values highly technical

"tricks" over  flowing carves, for instance.   But on the other hand, I'm wondering if there was a point where you, Wes, had to let go of the surf-style as

the main influence on your designs, like you discovered you were on to something else beyond that? 

And on a personal note, as a furnituremaker and designer, I'm interested in

whether there were any up-hill battles or struggles you had to overcome 

Wes, to make the whole thing viable. The public doesn't always see the value

in a new design and I imagine there was still that prejudice when you were

starting out, like "Why are you still playing with these toys?"

Thanks for listening, and I apologize if any of this is an imposition.

Dan Marciano aka judahman

whether it was word of mouth or if the magazine's had much influence, like with that shot of T.A. above ?"

Yea for sure it was the Photo's of the DT Guys Ripping on them from the magazine's....   & then when people rode them They wanted one.....







They looked totally different than any other skateboard at that time...  When we would go to Skate Parks people would check them out...









These were the 1st hand done production boards Jim & I made with an ad we put into Jays Mom's paper...



Then a few months after the Dog Bowl came the 12"....






Then Jim & I found some Curled wood & made Boards the worked really good & I rode mine all the time & that board turned into the Tri Plane...

 

That also was the start of the concave boards....



Wes