Comments on: Butch Van Artsdalen – Legendary Surfer – WindanSea Lot

By: Ryan Dotson

Ryan Dotson — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:31:17 +0000

It was guys like Butch, Mike Diffenderfer and Jerry Stirnkorb who stoked me when I hung out in the Windansea parking lot. I remember seeing Kodachrome slides of Butch surfing at Waimea on the “Gray Ghost. The fin had a defect and the board wouldn’t turn right, so Butch merely switched stance…on a 25 foot wave–Whoa!But it’s what Jody said, “He was a one of a kind guy!”

By: Jody

Jody — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:18:51 +0000

I met Butch when he lived in Haleiwa, Oahu with his wife, my best friend. He was a really magnetic and powerful guy. He saved her sister’s life. She died one night; she stopped breathing after a seizure and he resusitated her back to life after working on her for a long, long time. He just wouldn’t stop or give up on her until she started to breath again. She was only 14 years old. He brought her back to life that night. She loves him forever. He was a really great guy! He had a huge heart! He was like no one I had ever met before. He was strong and handsome and powerful. A one of a kind kind of guy.

By: kirk brown

kirk brown — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:04:23 +0000

fuc— the past no internet no ipod
no vicodin you can have it kirk

By: Kurt

Kurt — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:15:14 +0000

Remember the days of the Whale, the Butt brothers, Pat and Sue, Stan Hayes, Matty Welsh, Kirk Brown, Larry Burton, Tom Jones, Terry, and so many others—the bench, the wall, sunsets, beer and wine……..Those were the days………long ago and faraway.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:10:12 +0000

Brud McGowen. Another Butch understudy. He is dead now. RIP.

By: Bruce Gorden

Bruce Gorden — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:16:38 +0000

Butch was a giant to me, cuz I was much younger. I played two man volley ball at PB Rec with Butch and Diff…I figured they were the baddest dudes on the planet. Till one night Butch was playing Basketball with Butch Rhodes. Rhodes was built exactly the same, only bigger. The two clashed, smaller Butch managed to keep his temper that time. We also played “Foul” basket ball with Chuck. Chuck was plenty aggressive then too. So, when the gremmies fouled it was a push or a block, Chuck knocked us on our asses. All in fun, well at least for him. Our surf club sponsored the PB surf contest one year. Between heats, Butch was at Maynards, preparing for the next heat. He and I played a lot of 9 Ball at Victory Lanes. Great memories