Pat O’Neill is widely credited with inventing the modern surfboard leash in the early 1970s.
O’Neill, the son of wetsuit pioneer Jack O’Neill, developed a flexible cord that connected a surfer’s ankle to the board. The device reduced the need to swim after a board following a wipeout and helped prevent loose boards from drifting into other surfers.
Early leashes were controversial because some surfers worried that the stored tension could pull a board back toward them. Designs improved through stronger materials, swivels, and padded ankle cuffs. The leash is now standard equipment for most shortboard and longboard surfing, although surfers may remove it in selected conditions or when practicing traditional-style riding.
Pat O’Neill is sometimes confused with his father, who is associated primarily with the modern wetsuit. Tom Blake is instead linked to major surfboard-design innovations, including the hollow surfboard and fin development.