Mystery Hull
Another French Connection
Fast forward some 5 decades from the last post...A concept board from the engineers at Peugot.
Let's let the Peugot people explain...
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Peugeot design lab displays GTi surfboard concept at the Goodwood festival of speed
Commissioned to coincide with the presence of Peugeot at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed with its thrilling on stand Flowrider Surf Machine, the Peugeot Design Lab has produced a unique ‘GTi Surfboard’ Concept. The design was inspired by the thrill from driving Peugeot’s latest performance products, most notably the new 208 GTi and also saluting the new RCZ R and exclusive Onyx Concept Car.The Peugeot Design Lab Surfboard Concept blends the traditional wood of a classic surfboard with the latest carbon fibre technology, as applied extensively to the Onyx Concept Car. Quad fins fluidly placed along the edge of the scalped tail are designed to give a responsive, exhilarating and agile ride quality.The ‘coupe franche’ (clean cut) design separates the two ends of the board, the ‘Motion’ end is a precise, hi-tech shape optimised with a carbon fibre tail piece while the leading edge nose is beautifully shaped with ‘Emotion’ from natural wood, embellished with its brand signature ‘Peugeot GTi’.Visitors to the Goodwood Festival of Speed can see the Peugeot Design Lab GTi Surfboard Concept next to the Flowrider Surf Machine on the Peugeot stand, itself located at the centre of display activities.
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I'm not taking this seriously until I see one in KP's garage...
:)
Summer, 1968
This photo was one of the more prominent non-surfing images accompanying the piece, and while it was interesting enough at the time, it's a treasure trove of information when viewed through 20-20 hindsight.
The surfers pictured were Americans Mark Martinson (with the glass of wine...how very French), and Bill Hamilton (reading surfer magazine), along with the late Australian, Keith Paull. This was in the summer of 1968, and they were riding first and second generation shortboards that summer.
The distinction between first and second design generations is key. Both Martinson and Hamilton were on their first shortboards...relatively crude American interpretations of the Australian V-Bottoms. Keith Paull's green roundtail was the next step in the evolution, and although it maintained the wide tail of the Deep V's, the roundtail was a quantum leap forward. Plus Keith's board sported a glass-on fiberglass fin, while Martinson ad Hamilton were still using the WAVE Set fin system with molded plastic fins left over from the longboard era.
So here, captured in one image, are Nat Young riding an early V at Honolua Bay (in the magazine Hamilton is reading), two early American V's, and one of the very first roundtails. And 3 world class surfers. (4 if you include Nat Young.)
Plus, a bitchin' VW Combi Van...
From Bryce
Cut Laps? Check.
Clear layup? Check.
Patch over fin box? Check.
Sanded finish? Check.
Fin set 13" Up? Check.
Pat Curren, 1981
Photo: Art Brewer
Neat shot of Pat Curren in Costa Rica in 1981, on what clearly is a short hull.
8'4'' Hobie Silver Bullet
From Greg Hall
Greg with Phil Edwards tranisitonal shape, 1971.
43 years later!
Hey Paul,
I was
stationed at the Submarine Base Pearl Harbor in68/69. Shortly after I
arrived, I ordered the Phil from the Hobie shop on Kapiolani, I remember
at the time thinking, I didn’t know if I wanted to go that short (8'10'') . The short board revolution was underway. I surfed that board all over
Oahu, even small back door.
Brought the Phil home, by then it was a long
board. Found out later that Bosco Burns did the fin.
Still have it
hangin in the rafters.🌊😎.
Surfs up, Greg🌊
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More on Edwards transitional shapes here ...
8'3'' Hull For Bryce
Hi Paul,
I picked it up from Spence a week and a half ago. I rode
it at Malibu several times since then, at a really good low-tide
evening at Rincon, at the Ranch, and Trestles. I
did some adjustments on the PG fin and think I have that dialed in now.
My first notes on the board are it is beautifully shaped and glassed,
what a stunner! The board trims very well down the line, exactly what
I'd want in a longer hull. It is a little heavy and hard to turn into a
big carving cutback but I'm trying to figure out the perfect spot on the
board to maybe get that figured out. So give me some more time to keep
riding it and hopefully get some more good point surf.
Thanks again for the board Paul.