Born Hobart Laidlaw Alter, "Hobie" Alter developed the mass-produced foam surfboard. He later popularized sailing by inventing a lightweight, high-performance catamaran.
"The son of a second-generation orange grower, Hobie is credited with innovations that allowed people who didn't care for lifting log slabs to surf and those who couldn't pay for yacht club memberships to sail. Alter's family summered at their second home in Laguna Beach, where Hobie learned to surf.
Alter licensed the Hobie name to surf shops around the globe while also sponsoring professional surfers. Some surfers had their names emblazoned on "signature" Hobie surfboards — another business innovation of Hobie. The Hobie brand dominated the surfboard business into the 1970s. Today, the foam-core board remains the standard for an industry Alter arguably helped create more than half a century ago." (Los Angeles Time, 30 Mar 2014)
Alter's survivors include his wife, Susan; sisters Carolyn and Lillian; daughter Paula; sons Hobie junior and Jeff; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
"The son of a second-generation orange grower, Hobie is credited with innovations that allowed people who didn't care for lifting log slabs to surf and those who couldn't pay for yacht club memberships to sail. Alter's family summered at their second home in Laguna Beach, where Hobie learned to surf.
Alter licensed the Hobie name to surf shops around the globe while also sponsoring professional surfers. Some surfers had their names emblazoned on "signature" Hobie surfboards — another business innovation of Hobie. The Hobie brand dominated the surfboard business into the 1970s. Today, the foam-core board remains the standard for an industry Alter arguably helped create more than half a century ago." (Los Angeles Time, 30 Mar 2014)
Alter's survivors include his wife, Susan; sisters Carolyn and Lillian; daughter Paula; sons Hobie junior and Jeff; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
Born Hobart Laidlaw Alter, "Hobie" Alter developed the mass-produced foam surfboard. He later popularized sailing by inventing a lightweight, high-performance catamaran.
"The son of a second-generation orange grower, Hobie is credited with innovations that allowed people who didn't care for lifting log slabs to surf and those who couldn't pay for yacht club memberships to sail. Alter's family summered at their second home in Laguna Beach, where Hobie learned to surf.
Alter licensed the Hobie name to surf shops around the globe while also sponsoring professional surfers. Some surfers had their names emblazoned on "signature" Hobie surfboards — another business innovation of Hobie. The Hobie brand dominated the surfboard business into the 1970s. Today, the foam-core board remains the standard for an industry Alter arguably helped create more than half a century ago." (Los Angeles Time, 30 Mar 2014)
Alter's survivors include his wife, Susan; sisters Carolyn and Lillian; daughter Paula; sons Hobie junior and Jeff; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
"The son of a second-generation orange grower, Hobie is credited with innovations that allowed people who didn't care for lifting log slabs to surf and those who couldn't pay for yacht club memberships to sail. Alter's family summered at their second home in Laguna Beach, where Hobie learned to surf.
Alter licensed the Hobie name to surf shops around the globe while also sponsoring professional surfers. Some surfers had their names emblazoned on "signature" Hobie surfboards — another business innovation of Hobie. The Hobie brand dominated the surfboard business into the 1970s. Today, the foam-core board remains the standard for an industry Alter arguably helped create more than half a century ago." (Los Angeles Time, 30 Mar 2014)
Alter's survivors include his wife, Susan; sisters Carolyn and Lillian; daughter Paula; sons Hobie junior and Jeff; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
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