Bing Lotus: A Brilliant Mistake ...


The Bing Lotus was a forward looking transition era shortboard. Much like the hulls that flourished in good surf in later years, the Lotus featured a pulled-in tail, with a full nose and the wide point well above center.

So how did the Lotus come into being?

After the early wide-backed deep V's...

 

...followed by the double-ender small wave hot doggers...

 

...the idea of combining a full outline nose and a narrow tail wasn't on many shaper's radar.

The legend of the Lotus, as it is told, goes something like this...

Someone was riding a Brewer-built Bing Pipeliner and broke the nose off.
 

Rather than repair the now dated longboard, Brewer drew the outline of a full nosed stubby at the front of the now shortened semi-gun. A craftsman peeled the glass off, reshaped the nose conforming to the new template, then reglassed it. Whoever rode the board came back with rave reviews of the hybrid outlined board...and a transition shortboard icon was born.

Round the tail off, and you have the makings of a classic Liddle hull...