Nick Beck ’58 caught a wave on his light board for LIFE Magazine in 1963.
Not Just Riding the Wave
A legend of the water in his native Hawai’i, Nick Beck ’58 was enshrined in his home state’s Waterman Hall of Fame in November.
Born and raised on Kaua’i, Hawai’i’s fourth-largest island, Nick Beck ’58 grew up riding the waters of the Pacific, whether on a surfboard or with a paddle in his hands, and has been a transformative figure in the world of Hawaiian canoe paddling and canoe sailing for decades. So, it should come as no surprise that Beck was one of three inductees into the Waterman Hall of Fame this past November at the Outrigger Canoe Club in his native Hawaii. A two-time Molokai Ho’e Canoe Racing World Champion, Beck was hailed as a “legendary figure in the world of outrigger canoe paddling and canoe sailing.”
Individuals are inducted into the Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame for their sustained outstanding contribution to the sport, and their international, national, and local accomplishment and recognition. The Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame honors those remarkable legends within the islands’ water sports community whose lifetime of contributions have inspired and perpetuated the unique connection between our kama’aina – or “children of the land” – and the ocean. The Hall of Fame is maintained under the auspices of the nonprofit Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation.
A two-time Molokai Ho’e Canoe Racing World Champion, Beck’s influence extends beyond competition. In addition to winning titles and coaching at the Waikiki Surf Club, Outrigger Canoe Club and Kaua’i Canoe Club, he also co-founded the Hanalei Hawaiian Civic Canoe Club and the Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association, helping to shape the future of both outrigger paddling and canoe sailing in Hawai’i.
An educator by profession, Beck earned degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of Hawai’i, later becoming the principal of Hanalei Elementary School. His contributions to Hawaiian culture, both on and off the water, have solidified his place as a legendary figure in the world of outrigger canoe paddling and canoe sailing.