RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Noooo!. ..

R.I.P.

I was at Palmie on a pretty ordinary day about 20 years ago surfing the usual close-to-shore crap with many others. This older bloke paddled 100 metres further out from us and just sat there on his board. WTF we all thought.
After 15 minutes this huge wave came from nowhere and the older guy scored himself a fantastic ride..... A combination of local knowledge and finesse ....it was Midget. RIP.

And only 71 years old - remember being in the surf at NN in the 70s on the good days and we would be 'honoured' by a visit from Midget. Vale to a great surfer.

http://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-d ... asses-away

Sad news.

Wonder what will happen to surfblanks and his supplies shop ?

Wow, that's a shock.

Farrelly was a dancer in the surf, every move was connected, instinctively measured, done with grace. He was so sure of his momentum power wasn’t necessary.

Hatchnam wrote:Wonder what will happen to surfblanks and his supplies shop ?

I believe his daughter works there.

Farrelly showed up one night at the Bronte surf club when Bob Evans was running a movie and he was subjected to a round of ribald jesting from a roomful of southerners unfamiliar with him. He was gone by interval and rumour had it that he took three hours to find Bondi Junction.
That must have been around 1959. But we sure admired him in the water.

Was out a few times at DY last year when he was out. Real cruisey guy for a complete legend.

Have a look at Sea of Joy, he ripped on shorter kit as well.

Used to see him a fair bit around the NB's.
Master of the one or two stroke takeoff.

the perfect wave......

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fitz-fi ... qna86.html

It is with much regret that I heard of Midget's passing, and my commiserations to Bev and all the family.

As a surfer, shaper, author, surfboard manufacturer, components manufacturer and supplier, Midet Farrelly's contribution was immense.
That's without mentioning skateboards, coolites, hang-gliders, and windsurfers.
Beginning with a resurrected hollow board at Manly, he rode balsa and then foam; he was at the forefront of the "Shortboard Revolution," 1967-1970; from 1965-1975 his boards set the highest standard of Australian manufacture (and, rightly, at a premium price); where after, Midget's Surfblanks became a major components supplier to the industry, including the fins (and probably the "Phenolic" blank) for Simon's first Thruster.
In recent years, Midget returned to riding a 16ft hollow board and, like many of the top-hollow board riders of the past, captained a surfboat.
Some images:

Midget, Coke Contest, North Narabeen, 1975. (Photograph by Aitionn)
Apparently a favourite photograph, a graphic version was used as the logo of Midget's Surfblanks company.

Midget and Nat (both smiling!), Long Reef, Final of Australian Titles, 1968. (Photograph by Albert Falzon)

Midget cutback, World Contest heats, Bells Beach, 1970. (Surf International)
Midget, riding a Slide-slipper, placed second behind Rolf Arness in the final at Johanna.
(Younger readers may well ask what's a Slide-slipper and who was Rolf, and what is a TV Western?)

Midget testing a new Surfblank, circa 1977.
That is, a blank only with no glass or resin, and no fin.

Geoff.

Derek H, eat your heart out, you too Rasta.

All my best boards are made with his blanks.

Great style. When I started riding a mal 20 odd years ago it was on a Farrelly board a mates brother had left at his place. I had been thinking of getting a new one.....too late now.
I remember reading all his ant drug rants in SW.......DO THE SEAGULLS TAKE DRUGS....etc.
Funny he was still placing in major contests but not on the in crowd.

I think they showed some footage of Nat on TV as footage.....he would have hated that.....Maybe it was Mike Doyle.