RIP Tom Sims (OT)

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Tom

Big Wall climber

San Luis Obispo CA

Sep 15, 2012 - 02:10am PT

Correct. Lonnie Toft made a four-truck, eight-wheel board with carpet on top, and was shown in a pool in Skateboarder magazine, getting "seven wheels above the coping". Later, Sims offered the design for sale. I think it was more of a novelty, than a practical board.

Tom Sims was one of the first (the first??) to produce boards of laminated maple veener, with a formed kick-tail. The photo above, at the Carlsbad skatepark, shows him riding one of the first. Before then, most wooden boards were solid oak, with a wedge glued to the tail for the kicker. Sims took the idea of the laminated fiberglass boards (Bahne, Gordon and Smith, Infinity, etc.) and extrapolated that to using maple veneer - this is the standard deck construction method to this day.

He drove up from Ventura to check out the surf in Cambria one day, and my brother and I were riding a little drainage ditch on our homemade boards. He called us over, and we talked for a bit. He was impressed at the durability of the urethane varnish we had on our boards, and asked us what we were using. I have no idea if he started using it. My brother later bought one of the first laminated maple Sims boards, but I kept on making my own. We were pretty amped that someone famous would want to talk to us, a couple of little kids in a rinky-dink skating ditch.

Tom

Big Wall climber

San Luis Obispo CA

Sep 15, 2012 - 10:48pm PT

I remember seeing boards made from Maharajah water skis.

As I recall, the Hobie Gregg Weaver board was laminated side-to-side from full thickness pieces of wood, to produce a multiple stringer effect.

The Sims Taperkick name may have applied to an earlier technology, with a wedge of wood glued to the top of the tail, and the bottom of the tail sanded off at a matching angle, to mimic a steamed-and-bent sort of look. Logan Earth Ski was made this way, and I think some Sims boards, too. Laminating maple veneer in a forming press was definitely later. Sims also sanded out recesses for the wheels, so the board could turn tighter.

Klimmer

Mountain climber

San Diego

Sep 16, 2012 - 12:18am PT

Sorry to hear that Tom Sims passed away. Tom RIP.

I did meet Tom once at a big Skateboarder Magazine sponsored competition here in San Diego at the SD Charger Stadium in Mission Valley. It must have been about 1976 or so.

Anyway, he was in an area warming up for a freestyle routine and on my board I think I accidentally drifted into his area. I was completely unaware that I got in his way. Small punk kid vs a "pro" skater. How, could I be so rude? What was I thinking? Anyway he had to stop so he didn't hit me and then gave me the stink eye, and then through mental telepathy he said "how could I have been so rude to get in his way?" Or so I thought he said. Anyway, hind sight is 20/20 as they say.

Anyway, I had started my own skateboard company called Pipeline Skateboards. I had product testing to do. I apologized and was on my way.

He probably was a really cool guy. But by my first impression I wouldn't know.

Moral of the story: First impressions mean a lot. Don't blow it. Be kind to everyone.

splitter

Trad climber

Hodad, surfing the galactic plane

Sep 17, 2012 - 10:30am PT

Before then wooden boards were solid oak.

That's what I was talking about (board i brought to Mammoth in '76 and sold to joe r). It was a flat oak deck with Sims urethane wheels. But I recall barge cementing the wedge/v block on the tail for a kicker, cuz we were just getting into basic vert('74-'75) and it was essential, so it didn't come with one already on it! I thought it had California trucks but maybe Tracker's, it's been a long time.

I also recall gluing/screwing a 1/2" strip of wood on the bottom of the deck as a rail that i could grab. The OB/Pt Loma crew that i surfed & skated with were pretty innovative early on. The Zephre/Z-Boys (Venice) got all the credit though. Don't know who first came up with that idea, perhaps us, but rails were later added to most boards and eventually bcame part of the press/mold for the laminated decks. Those were exciting times for skate/surf punks, eh?

edit: Klimmer - EVERYBODY, gave skinny lil' gremmie surf/skate punks the "stinkeye" and a virtual hard time, bitd! It was & is an essential part of surfing culture...he was initiating you, into the tribe, bro!! ;)

BLUEBLOCR

Social climber

joshua tree

Sep 18, 2012 - 02:04pm PT

RIP Tom Sims
I to new and skated for Tom. Back in 77&78 I was lucky enough to move to Santa Barbara.
Where they had just built Sparks skatepark RIP. went there every day. Got picked up by team Sunspots. Inventers of the conical wheel. Soon after Tom stole me from the team and later the conical wheel idea. I was stoked! Traveling around the west coast doing demos in malls and schools riding a plexiglass ramp. Staying in motels acting like a rock star. And Tom was David Lee Roth! He was always pushing the limit. Devo wanted to do a music video playing next to a pool full of skaters. Tom talked Devo into playing in the bottom of the pool and we skated around them. They were scared shitless. I was always pissed at him for not using me in an ad.
He said that I was funny lookin and I always had my tongue sticking out. One moment that's always stuck with me, we were skatin Sparks and a jet flew overhead. Tom pointed at it and said,"mike one of these days I'm going to own that. " I said yea right,now ur reach'in.
Well THANKS Tom for always reach'in for the stars. And being a Great friend, motivater,coach
to this 15 yro boy....

God Bless
BB