You didnt learn very fast. He says oneill began using new materials to make the wet suits in the 1950s. Johnny ir wynn and hunter irwin and hunter chieldz heard childs heard stories from their fathers. He said 1962 a long sleeve beaver tail wet suit basically a wet suit top sealed around to the bottom was 36. Oneills invention took off and he built a company thats become a worldwide name and a symbol of surfing. It was instrumental in making surfing involved from an niche sport for hawaiians and people in warm climates. Everyone could do it then. Eventually he moved to santa cruz. Jason was one of his neighbors in santa cruz. We grew up watching jack oneill on his bike and his patch and putting on the rubber suits. A lot of us wouldnt be out here if it wasnt for the suits. Its changed the entire access to the sport to water sports. In a documentary film, great highway, oneill appeared wearing the patch that covered the injury from a surfing accident. He talked about his invention. One