Introducing Dick Pearce & Friends - a new brand for Roo's Beach yet an old favourite thats been tried, tested and loved by all throughout the ages. Whether you fancy trying belly boarding for the first time, want to treat yourself to a fresh board or just feel like decorating your home with memories of fun times in the sea, then let us elaborate on this fab brand...

  

   

The original belly boards were short, round-nosed ‘paipo’ boards, ridden in the pounding waves of ancient Hawaii. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that wooden belly boards appeared in the more bracing waters off our own UK coasts.

   

In 1929, Charles Pearce set up a manufacturing business in the small town of South Molton in Devon. It was only when he first saw ‘surf-riders’ on the local beaches in the 1960's, he began to experiment with making the boards himself in the family’s tannery workshop. After the Second World War, Charles Pearce and Sons’ wooden boards became a fixture on the beaches of the Southwest.

     

Dick Pearce took over the family business when his father died, perfecting the design and overseeing the production of thousands of boards. Dick was a true champion of British belly boarding, and for 50 years, he stuck to the family’s time-honoured production methods and materials to produce them. Even in the face of competition from disposable, imported, polystyrene bodyboards, Dick continued to make boards that people would treasure for a lifetime.    

Now produced in our home town of Newquay, all the equipment from classic board-maker Dick Pearce was rescued from his workshop and set up here, using exactly the same antique kit, templates and time-tested production methods that he did. We decided to have some made for us, featuring our R Goods logo and of course, our favourite print ever - leopard!

Fancy giving one a spin, check out our range here! Also, learn how to belly board by following the Dick Pearce 'how to' guide :)

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As always, thank you for your support!