G&S Zapper

I am pleased to share with you my 6'0" G&S Zapper, shaper unknown.
The G&S Zapper design was clearly inspired by Geoff McCoy's 80's Laser Zap needle nosed, fat bum concept that was, in my books, at the pinnacle of the late 70's early 80's innovation period surfboard design movement.
In the photo above you can just see a G&S Zapper behind the 1982 Mayor of San Diego's elbow with Laser Zap style checker board spray.


I loved this board as soon as I saw it at Surfboard polooza at Kris's house because of its rare 3 fin Star fin set up, its double hip swallow tail bottom end and its small wave outline that it looks like it would be a tonne of fun to ride.




Four fin Zapper.

G&S Highlight

I took this 6'0" G&S single fin triple fly channel bottom pin tail for a surf today. I love this board for a few reasons-
1) It was free. I found it in a council rubbish throw out.
2) Its width and thickness make it really easy to paddle and catch waves.
3) Its length and channel bottom make it really loose, fast and easy to turn.
4) Its big single fin and pin tail make for beautiful smooth turns with lots of speed and great hold with no side slipping.
5) It was shaped by the late Shark Island legend Greoff Solness.
If I ever shape my own boards, and I will, this will be the first board from my collection I'll try to reproduce.
The humble single fin pin tail is a sorely under rated surfboard design.


Greg Solness, shark Island photo by Darrel Jones.











There was a group of guys flying radio controlled gliders at the top of the cliff above the reef break I was surfing.
I couldn't help but compare the similarities between the two past times.
Surfing and gliding are both weather reliant and take you close to nature.
Every guy was trying out his own hand shaped glider design.
The paint jobs on the planes looked like surfboards sprays.
But mainly the trill is in the the turns, sweeping arcs and the joy of the ride.

M.R.U.S.A

James Arroyo sent me these pics of his lovely 6'3" U.S made Mark Richard's twin fin.
The entire board is pigmented white with the geo spray on the deck.
I believe MR licensed his design to Gordon and Smith in the states but I don't know who did the shaping. And didn't they do a damm good job on this one!.
This looks like it was made with the cursed Star Fin system that has become so hard to find these days.
In Australia the twin fin design was licensed by Mad Dog in Byron and was shaped by Mark Platter, Bob Margettes and Tony Cerff.
I visited the show room late one night recently and left drool all over the glass as I was left pinning for one of the new twin fins on the racks.


Ad from 'Surfer' November 1979.