The Diveboard is the brainchild of Tim Tunks, founder and CEO of Tunks Watersports. Tim just happened to have the right combination of skills, experience and opportunity to perfect the device to give a towed diver maximum mobility with minimum effort. A full patent search of the large body of prior art demonstrated that the diveboard principle is indeed a true invention, and has been fully protected.

Tim is fortunate enough to have retired to a life sailing his 37’ sailboat around the west coast of Mexico and the Sea of Cortez nine years ago, but he is back to work now. With an undergraduate education in engineering and arts from UCSB, and a Masters of Fine Arts from UCLA, Tim began a career as a professor of theater arts -- first at Loyola/Marymount University in Los Angeles, and then at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas Tim hit his stride as an inventor of special effects, starting the “Idea Factory”, designing and contracting machinery for such things as flying Liberache through the air in several of his stage shows. It was there that he also started racing sailboats on Lake Mead, and realized that the dynamics of life on the water was always going to be a part of his life.

Tim was the “water baby” of a dedicated swimming mother, and was first certified as a scuba diver at age 13 in 1958. Since then he has sailed thousands of offshore miles, and skippered hundreds of races. He also developed an interest in organizing and officiating sailboat races, an interest that he pursued during his retirement in Mexico.

As the principal race officer of several Mexican regattas, Tim gained the respect and friendship of a large number of boat people living or visiting in Mexico. They gave him the nick name of “Padre Timo”, and frequently asked his advice, for Tim had been sailing these waters as long or longer than all the others.

Many of this group became the research assistants and test subjects for the development of the Diveboard. The ready availability of all this manpower, their boats, their guests and families visiting, the warm and beautiful waters of Mexico, and the freedom from distractions created the uniquely supportive environment where this device was invented. And they all made another discovery – diveboarding is more fun than you can imagine. With all the mechanical advantage of the diveboard principle and the horsepower of the tow vessel, a diver experiences greater range and power than previously imagined.

University Education:
1971 Master of Fine Arts University of California Los Angeles
1969 Graduate study University of Kansas
1968 Bachelor of Arts University of California, Santa Barbara

Employment History:
1992 to Present Full time Sailboat Cruiser, part time writer and
lecturer
1978 to 1992 President The Design Trust, TDT Corp., Santa Monica And Independent theatrical design and production in Las Vegas and Los Angeles
1973 to 1975 Technical Director of Graduate Theatre Design Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1971 to 1973 Independent theatrical design and production , Los Angeles and International
1970 to 1973 Professor of Theater Arts, Loyola University/Marymount College, Los Angeles

Sailing Resume:
1974 to Present Active Sailboat Racer in US and International waters
1997 5 weeks cruising Tonga, passage to Fiji on 40’ Junk Rigged Steel Schooner, and 3 weeks cruising Fiji
1996 4 weeks cruising Tahiti and Morea
1992 to Present Year round Mexico Cruiser: range- So California to Zihuatanejo to I. Angel de La Guardia in the upper sea of Cortez.
1990 to 1992 Two six month cruises from Santa Monica to Puerto Vallarta and intermediate ports
1984 to 1990 Offshore deliveries, including Mexican trips to/from Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Manzanillo, and one trip from Hawaii to Los Angeles.

Mexico Activities:
Sea of Cortex Race Week – Race Director 5 years and Padre 3 years
Banderas Bay Regatta (Puerta Vallarta) Principal Race Officer 6 years
Melague to Tennacatita Regatta – Founder and Race Director
Mazatlan Sailing Association – PRO Thanks giving Regatta 1998 and Spring Regatta 1999
Crab Drags, Isla Monserat, BCS – Padre and Spiritual Advisor ASOCNIO ’99 Director and FounderLoretto Fest Director of Dinghy Racing and Good Times
Ham Radio, Net controller and resident comic 1992 through present. Director of “Bad Bridge” – La Paz, Mazatlan, Loreto, Puerta Vallarta, and points south.
Net Control and co Founder of “The Tech Net”, Marine SSB information and help line Emergency Communication Coordinator for several emergencies at sea.

US Yacht Club Activities:
Commodore South Bay Yacht Racing Club 1985
Race Director PMYC and SBYRC 1980-1988
WSA Education Director 1984-1986
Founder SBYRC Match Racing Regatta and Director of Match Racing Education 1985-1989

Yacht Club Memberships:
SBYRC, Honorary Life Member
PMYC, Cruising Member
Order of the Blue Gavel
Club Cruceros de La Paz
Banderas Bay Yacht Club
Mazatlan Sailing Association
Hidden harbor Yacht Club, Puerto Escondido, BCS,