Ted Spencer's White Kite ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1970 -- during what amounted to the second phase of the transition era -- down railed/flat bottomed boards were beginning to appear worldwide. Sticking to his faith in hulls, Ted Spencer began to tweak the radical, deep bellied stubbies of the previous few years into a more versatile hull design.

Shane Surfboards, located in the Monevale 'burb of Sydney, manufactured Ted's board as a model called 'The White Kite.'

Featuring a pulled-in nose, arc tail, mild belly, and soft rails running nose-to-tail, The White Kite handled a wider variety of wave conditions than most hulls of the day.

Not surprisingly, the subtle design concept never caught on in a big way...but with 20-20 hindsight, it's clear that these boards were a gem in the long history of Greenough-inspired hull design.