1) Clark Gable’s Protegée

Born in 1949, Adolph Bunker Spreckels III – great grandson of a Germany-born sugar baron, railway tycoon and publisher, Claus Spreckels – grew up in the lap of luxury.

When he was five, the world’s most famous man became his stepfather. Clark Gable schooled him in the art of hunting and women and revealed the illusory insanity of the image factory to his young charge.

Hailing from Merewether, New South Wales, Matt Hoy spent more than 10 years on tour racking up career wins, including a famous victory at Bells Beach, as well as enormous bar bills in every town.

He never shied away from his love of beer and late nights and his rock’n’roll lifestyle was a constant throughout his competitive career.

He didn’t stop much afterwards either, fronting webcasts and his own TV show, often with a beer in hand and always with a smile. The tattoos and the forehand hacks may have been his trademark, but his love a good time remains legendary.

3) Rod “[Off His] Box” Kerr

Rod “Box” Kerr was a Bronte goofy-footer who rose to the top of the surfing ratings, managing a hugely respectable fourth by the end of year in 1992.

Aussie Ross Clarke Jones has famously led a life at a furious pace. If that meant partying in Las Vegas for days, and the jumping on a plane to surf in the 20 foot wave in the Eddie Aikau contest, then so be it.

His love of adrenalin; fast cars, hot women and big waves was legendary and fuelled by a manic energy and willingness to never miss out on any action anywhere he was one of the biggest party animals on tour.

This never stopped him from being one of the world’s most respected big wave watermen and one of the biggest characters in surfing.

5) The Rampant Rabbit

The 1978 world champion Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew, cultivated a rockstar like image. At one stage he was famously sponsored by Smirnoff Vodka, and got around in a white three piece suit.

6) The Wild One

Flying the rager flag in the new era, Matty Wilkinson is that rare breed of elite professional surfer, one that exists soley to have a good time.

His dance skills are as good as his backhand blast, and whether it be cross dressing at ASP Award Nights or letting his hair down at French discos, there are very few surfers on tour that seem to be having as much fun as Wilko right now.

The results may not always go his way (he went out in the 2nd round in Fiji, although he seems to be doing better at the J-Bay Open) but at least he knows what’s really important right?

7) Christian Fletcher

In the 1989 Body Glove Surf Bout, Christian Fletcher hit the skate ramp and psyched between heats by playing the video game “Skate or Die.”

Anyone who drinks a bottle of whisky a day, and still manages to get the shack of the season at Backdoor Pipe and Backdoor has a serious claim to be a party animal.

Matt Archbold was that man, combining insane tuberiding ability, progressive aerials, loads of tatts and the ability to go on benders that would last for days, if not weeks.

“By the time he was 21, he’d been arrested for driving under the influence three times.”

By the time he was 21, he’d been arrested for driving under the influence three times and as one surf mag put it “any lingering hope of him bridging the gap between Tom Curren and the inevitable rise of Kelly Slater were toast, as he was headed for a prison.”

Not that it stopped him. The tattoo on his neck, “Built For Speed” said it all – Archbold was always on the the brink of destruction, be it in surfing or living.

He is however, a born survivor, and come through addiction and out the other side. Most impressively of all, he’s surfed throughout all of it, and over the course of his career has left an indelible mark on the sport, both in and out of the water.

9) Paul Fisher

The ex-Australian WQS surfer (and now DJ) started out making a living out of his talent in the water, but more recently has found a career by simply having a good time with his videos and blog on Fishtales.tv.

His DJ act Cut Snake (with former pro Leigh Sedley) has also been increasingly successful and he can be found spinning his house music mashes until all hours of the morning, chatting up model chicks and generally causing everyone around him to have a damn good time.

It’s unusual to be paid to party, but it seems that “The Fish” has somehow found a way.

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