Derek Hynd is a name that every surfer should be familiar with. An enigmatic and intensely private figure, once described by Steve Pezman as, “the best surfer in the recorded history of wave riding”, Hynd has done much to redefine the act of surfing over the years. He competed at surfing's highest level, was a pro coach, and at various times he's been an acerbic surf journalist, avid documentarian, and sophisticated historian.

Though Hynd featured in numerous surf films, his greatest contribution to surf culture has been to inspire surfers to look at different equipment, such as retro fish designs, and encouraged them to find new ways to surf. Inspired by surfing’s island origins and traditional style he started riding and designing a series of finless surfboards. Through these craft he has developed a unique approach to the wave face, and draws unusual and exceptional lines on waves he rides, using distinctly different surfcraft.

The Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay currently has twenty two of Derek’s surfboards on display as part of an exhibition called Far Field Free Friction that traces fifty years of Derek’s surfing journey. From his first Firestone Coolite foamy, through his pro surfing career, Frye-style fish boards, and the fin free evolution, Derek’s major turning points are all represented here. The exhibition is supported by personal items of Derek’s and by comments and reminiscences from friends around the world. Tom Parrish, Steve Pezman, Jamie Brisick, Jack McCoy, Terry Fitzgerald, Rosaldo Cavalcante, Gibus De Soultrait and David Pecchi have all contributed words that have been woven through the exhibition alongside the distinctive and often unusual boards. Images have been kept to a minimum to allow the boards to be the stars but there are spectacular pictures of Derek captured by photographers Hugh McLeod, Deon Lategan, and Ed Sloane.

The Hot Buttered crew reviewed old surfing footage and have pieced together a short video presentation for the exhibition that highlights Derek’s radical and progressive surfing from the late-70s, where you can see the seeds of his contemporary surfing style, and follows his evolution to free friction finless craft. We are stoked to have this rare footage as part of the exhibition, an exploration of a genuine surfing will o' the wisp.

We were lucky to have Derek on site at the museum over five days as we were piecing the exhibition elements together. It was great to have his feedback and input, but he also supplied handwritten notes about each board, how they evolved and performed (he rated them all from 0-10). These notes, the complete observations from his friends and selected photographs will be presented in Albums visitors can view as they explore the exhibition. If all that is not enough we will also be adding interview footage of Derek talking about different aspects of his surfing covered by the exhibition, these will be linked via QR codes to the items on display and will also appear on the ANSM’s youtube page SurfworldTV.

The Far Field Free Friction Derek Hynd exhibition will be on display at the Australian National Surfing Museum, 77 Beach Road Torquay, from October 2018 until April 2019. The museum is open every day (except Christmas day) 9am-5pm.