: Board Collector

Hot Stuff dozen

Damon has written to share his collection of Hot Stuffs. There is more than a dozen here by my count.

He writes "This is the Rabbit section of the Hot Stuff collection. Left to right is a Neil Purchase shaped 6ft thruster. A single fin channel bottom, shaped by Al Bryne. A single fin with smaller side fins, shaper unknown. A channel bottom thruster shaped by NP. A thruster shaped by unknown and a later Rabbit thruster shaped by NP"

A Ben Apia / Dick Brewer influenced widow maker set up.

Gary Elkerton on Hot Stuff Kong model 1983

An interesting Kong model Bryne. I'm not sure how this piece fits into the puzzle. According the Gary's autobiography he rode Mick Hopper shaped boards from Maroochydore, Hot Stuffs from Kirra then Mt Woodgees from Mt Woodgee.

It looks like we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

Mango surfwear team board. Part 2.

Speaking of Mango team riders and world champ Barton Lynch, Adam wrote to say-

"Just wanted to share some pics of my Barton Lynch Aloha my dad purchased from Greg Clough at Aloha Surfboards at Harboard Rd Brookvale in the 80's. He rode this and it has been in the family ever since. The board has Bartons signature "Moon and Mango logos" and BL marked on blank it is 5'10, single hip, 4 channels, with foam filled fins, 4 once glass & super lite. Its a piece of history.

Victory Wetsuits / Mango Surfwear team board mystery.

I found this lovely little Robert August thruster on Xmas day in LA.

I'm very pleased with it, its a great little board, just my size, nice and cheap, good condition and from a very reputable label, Robert August of Endless Summer fame.

But strangely it bears no shapers markings in the foam or on the stringer.

None at all.

I can honestly say this is the first foam and fibreglass board I've ever seen with no markings what so ever under the glass.

This troubles me, because I'm desperate to know who the board could have been shaped for.

According to the Victory Wetsuits ad in the December 1984 issue of Breakout- California's Bi monthly surf magazine the Victory Wetsuits team included Marc Price from South Africa, Michael Ho from Hawaii, Hans Hedemann from Hawaii and another guy from Australia. Only one of which was sponsored by both Mango and Victory.

In fact, I really cant think of many surfers in 1983 / 84 who were sponsored by both Victory Wetsuits and Mango surfwear. I can only think of two.

Barton Lynch and one other guy.

So I wrote to Barton to ask if he could help me with the mystery. He, the consummate professional and shining ambassador for the sport, promptly and politely wrote back

"Not mine mate but I know Mark Richards rode for those companies so could be his. I will forward to him and see what he says, cool?"

Well, why thank you Barton. My research indicates you could be right.

I guess it is possible. A travelling pro surfer, not properly equipped for the changing local conditions, stretched for time and resources, could reach out to a local shaper, hand him a couple of decals and get him smash out a board in time for a heat. A shaper, hurrying to get the board done in time could also forget to sign it. Mark Richards tells a fascinating story on his blog of exactly that happening in Hawaii in 1985 and of Pat Rawson and Ritchie Collins building a board OVERNIGHT for the Billabong Pro, a board the Mark went on to win one of the most important contests of his career on.

No one from the Robert August end could shed any light on it. I cant get anything from Mango or Victory.

So I'm left to guess it could have been a crass and commercial attempt by a surf shop or surf board maker to shift a few extra units by putting fake sponsors decals under the glass, a popular look at the time, and a look that belonged to a very popular surfer. As such, my excitement could be proof that I'm just another sucker.

Or maybe there was a heat somewhere, sometime in 1983 in southern California, when the great man's feet graced this very board.

Maybe.

Bert's 80's MR competion thruster co-incidently the same dimentions as the mystery board.

MR at Tamarama by Sean Davey. Nice logos.

Nude surfer

Laura Bling Chears is one of the most searched for terms on this web site.

It must be because of her fine taste in surfboards like this yellow Bolt pin tail.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with her surfing nude for a Playboy shoot.

RG wrote to say

"She works as a hostess at Kimo's in Lahaina. Nice women with plenty genuine Aloha!

Bare Nature no nose thruster(s)

Going through the archives I found these pics of my 5'11" Tony Cerff shaped early 80's

Bare Nature no nose thruster from Byron Bay.

She's got all the bells and whistles double fly, swallow tail, channel bottom with adjustable middle fin.

Around the same time my north coast friend sent me some pics of his Tony Cerff shaped early 80's

Bare Nature no nose thruster from Byron Bay. Also a double fly, swallow tail, channel bottom with adjustable middle fin but this one is sporting a nice winged tip centre fin.

Both nice examples of of the many different design ideas that were being experimented with at the time.

Hot Stuffs

Marty wrote-

I collect specifically 70's and 80's Gold Coast boards. The Hot Stuff thruster is 5'10" x 19.5" x 3". It has a subtle, single flyer into a rounded squaretail. Shaper unknown.

The Hot Stuff single fin is a Neal Purchase shape.

6' x 19.5"x 2.75" double flyer rounded pin.

Nice.

1982 Coca Cola 2SM Surfabout. Part 2

With the surf sub-par in Sydney for the kick off of the 1982 Surfabout, the event headed South to Bendalong via Aussie Pipe, on the NSW south coast, where it was 3-4ft. The ocean then went flat and the event had to be extended by several days. It resumed at Avalon in a rising, 2-4ft. South swell and was moved to DeeWhy point when it hit 5-8ft.

It was finalised in 5-7ft. Cronulla Point. Hawaiian Dane Kealoha made his first Surfabout final after eliminating Martin Potter in a semi final, but Kealoha was beaten by a fired up Wayne Bartholomew, who won $30, 000. “Rabbit” knocked out local Jim Banks in the other semi. Nick Carroll wrote in tracks-