Single Fins/Smiling Pros

"The Rails Are Crazy!"

This is a really interesting and well-presented piece on a collection of transition boards from the Summer of 1969.

With the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing and Woodstock, the summer of '69 keeps giving in terms of cultural touchstones.

Read the full article and see the interesting video here ...

A few minor quibbles...

The G&S Magic was designed by Dennis Benedum, not Skip Frye.  Also, the Morey/Pope Camel was designed by Tom Morey, not Bob McTavish.

 

From Tristan

 

 

Hello Paul,

Just for let you know I have been surfing my Extremely foiled Hull last week, and I moved back my fin at 1/4'', did not change the rails catching, moved it at 1/2'' it was even worst, but then I tried to move the fin up, 1/2'' forward and it changed everything! So you were right, there was nothing to do with the rails… I thought it was because the super thin rails were catching everywhere, but finally it was a fin problem like you told me.

I think it’s because I use to surf my hulls super far forward, so the ratio between my feet position on the board and the fin placement were not good.

So I ended up at having my 9’75 fin (super narrow tip) at 13 1/2 inches from the tail (at trailing edge)

Thank you so much for your advice, help and for sharing your knowledge !

Here is some photos with the board

Merci

Tristan Mausse

https://www.fantasticacid.com/

August 11, 1934

Today would have been Miki Dora's 85th birthday...although I doubt he would give a hoot if he were still alive. (Not the most sentimental guy!)

Dora's star -- in term of his personality --  has risen and fallen many times over the years. Some see him as a noble rebel. Others as a two bit grifter. Probably a large measure of both. 

But, his incredible wave riding has remained a constant. Thankfully, we have a pretty good record of his talents on film. Because of that, surfers who were as yet unborn when he passed away in 2002 hold him in the highest regard as a waterman.

That said, I'm not sure how we made the transition from his standards in the water to where we're at today...

 

WTF ???

Malibu, This Morning...

You'd never know it's 2019 looking at the cars!

From Bob McTavish. (Thanks To Glen Sakamoto For The Find)

 

 

 

Used PG Hull For Sale

This is one of my personals. 9'4'' x 23". It's new in these pics. It's been ridden maybe 6 times. I'm going longer, for crowd control in small point surf.

$700, sans fin.

Contact Spencer Kellogg: profkrispy at yahoo dot com

SOLD

Thanks!



PS:   7'6'' PGD egg is still up for grabs....

SOLD

New Double Ender From Spence

 "Spence has the updated version my Evolution board ...

 

Basically 1/4“ less thickness, 1/4“ more tail lift, more pronounced panel vee and a lighter blank compared to the first one.

 8’6” x 23 5/16'' x 3 1/4”.

All these elements hopefully will net a bit more performance.

Here's the original board ...

 
Florian

Gunniest Hull Ever

Reno Abellira with a Dick Brewer built stubby elephant gun. C 1969. Built under the Inter Island label, which was owned by Gordon and Smith. For a brief while, Brewer had a shaping room in the back of the PB Surf Shop. This one was probably built in the islands, however...

Offset Fins

 

 

 

 

Nat, 1971

Piggiest Pig Ever Competition

No clues as to who this is, where it is, or when it is. Regardless, the board is a impressive piece of work. The shape and the graphics are both leading edge...or at least, original!

Regardless, it's probably second in Displacementia's ongoing "Piggiest Pig Ever" competition. The reigning champion continues to be Dale Velzy...

Variety Is The Spice Of Life

Keith Krunch, Hobie Alter Jr, Doug Browne, and Kevin O' Sullivan. 1968 Menehune contest, La Jolla Shores.

Keith, Hobie and Kevin are cracking it on full outlined stubbies, while Doug is totally prepped for the big stuff with a his pintail mini-gun!

Nat Young, 1968

 

A Couple Of New PG Boards

 

 A Spoon-ish 9'4'' for Mark Pestrella

 A 7'6'' all-rounder. $750. Contact Spencer Kellogg at profkrispy at yahoo dot com for details...

R.I.P. Tom Ortner (1949-2019)

 Just a regular guy...except he surfed a lot better!
Photo: Jon foster

 One of the classic transition era images. Photo: Jeff Divine

 No hull? No problem! Early low railer, buried nose to tail. Photo: Foster

Blacks backside. Photo: Foster

Immortalized at his home break, Windansea. Photo: Foster

Bill Fury and Mini Gun

This pic was in a Dive 'n Surf wetsuit ad in 1969. It featured Bill Fury at the Huntington Beach Pier...apparently getting out of the water after a surf on a brand new, waxless transition era mini gun!

Seriously, what makes this photo of some historical importance is the board. Not necessarily the radical outline or the pinched hull rails, however interesting. But rather, the blank it would have been shaped out of. The shortboard revolution had just taken over, and shops -- especially larger shops -- were sitting on an inventory of leftover longboard foam. The result was a brief generation of small, transition era boards that were shaped out of blanks that were totally inappropriate. Meaning, low, even rocker, nose to tail.  Not much more shapers could do but soldier on with what they had.

Before long, blanks specifically designed for shortboards emerged, with less tail lift and more nose lift. But it wasn't until the mid-70's era Brewer plugs that short, single fins really found their potential. With his rocker apex forward, and straight-but-soft tail lift, virtually any board shaped out of a Brewer blank was at the very least serviceable. Most were really good...

Great Hull

I found this in a batch of old photos notated as "Honolulu, 1950's."

Not sure how accurate that is...but look at the board! What a great shape, with a deep hull up front, soft-but-dropped rails in the back, and a minimalist fin. Nice s-deck and rocker scheme as well.

Malibu, 1948

From ???

Someone just sent me this. I have no idea who it is or where it is.  Anyone with this information is encouraged to contact Displacementia...