Smith, Davey (1958 – )

Fast, compact, innovative goofyfooter from Santa Barbara, California, best known as a pioneer of the floater maneuver in the late 1970s. "His surfing is spontaneous and innovative to the point where you never know what he will do next," surf photographer Jimmy Metyko wrote. "And sometimes you don't even quite know what he did last."

Smith was born in Los Angeles (1958), the youngest of four brothers, moved with his family to Santa Barbara at age three and began surfing at 10. He rode out of ...