Univ T&C

I dropped in to Univ in Encinitas to visit my friends Tim and James. Tim had just been for a surf on his beautiful vintage Denis Pang shaped Hawaiian Town & Country double fly rounded pin single fin.

Think and heavy, as so many good boards made for the islands are.

James took me next door for a peak into the Univ Garage project.

A temporay shaping bay set up for friends and family.

As it turns out Rob Machado was part way into a new project.

Rob was doing some experimental shapes built around a couple of 5'9" Al Merrick Gravy model shapes.

Looks like fun!

Peanut Butter

How to lose a Gopro.

I’ve been enjoying experimenting with my gopro waterproof camera, trying different ways to get interesting angles of the vintage surfboards in action.

My all time favorite water photo of a surfboard is Rory Russell’s yellow bolt in the tube at pipe. You get a real sense of the power of the wave and how the board is performing.

Trying to replicate to angle I picked up a couple of different suction cup attachments online. My plan was to modify the original set up add some PVC pipe and have the camera sit a foot or so higher and further back, while not damaging the surfboard.

To start with I thought I’d try the set up as it came out of the box.

The point was working nicely, the sun was beginning to set and I scored some very nice waves. I was able to look back and see the little red light flashing and I knew I was scoring some gold. I couldn’t wait to see the footage of the board flying down the line or cutting back into the sun.

What I didn’t realize is how much drag the camera creates when paddling for a wave and trying to take off, making it a lot harder to compete with the crowd to catch waves.

As it was ‘just and experiment’ I only tied the camera housing to the leash plug with a bit of string. I didn’t take the time to write my name or phone number on the housing.

I scored a set right up on the reef, pulling in, got worked and came up to realize the camera was no where in sight.

I swam around till dark, cursing myself for not adding my contact details, or at least a shoe lace to the camera.

I can accept losing the camera, but it’s losing the pics that has really upset me.

Where were you in '77. Part 2

Brain wrote to say-

Great blog. I have read most of your articles with great interest as this time period is when I first started surfing (about 1974).

One article that caught my attention for a number of reasons, was the 

Simon Anderson – Energy single fin “Where were you in 77 ?”

On the same April weekend in '77 that Simon won his 1^st Bells Contest, I went to a Surf Shop (long since gone) in Barwon Heads to buy a new board. We surfed 13^TH and RAAFs most of the time so we always went to the Heads for our gear. The shop was opposite the pub, but not sure where exactly. I don’t believe it was in the old servo on the corner and my mate reckons it was back up the hill a bit closer to the pub.

I had been riding an old beat up Fred Pyke that I bought for $10 bucks from a workmate in Greensborough, but as I was turning 21 in May my girlfriend ( now Wife) was buying me a Board for the occasion, which sat very comfortably with me.

The shop had a lot of Bare Nature Pintail Flyers, real nice shapes and cool looks, but as soon as I saw  this Energy board, I was sold. The surf shop dude mentioned that Simon Anderson was going real well in the contest at that time.

Then the Radio started playing the opening bars of Pretty Vacant, and the dude whipped around and turned it off. “Cant stand that shit” he said. Well, I loved it, and still do.

Bought the board, and surfed it for years, before moving on to thrusters (never got a twinnie !!!). 

I live in the bush now so when I read your article I dragged it out of the garage and cleaned it up. 

Hope you like the pics and the Sex Pistols connection.

Great in any size and conditions, but best in hollow waves with some grunt .

6ft 10in x 19-1/4in x 2-5/8in

Some of my best memories revolve around the years I spent living for waves.

Me and my Soul brother Trev, spent so much time sharing the waves and lifestyle and the times we had doing so.

 I still have not experienced anything that compares to being in the water on an offshore day as the sun comes up, and your best mate is dropping in to a perfect wave in front of you. 

( I am talking about physical activities other than Sex which transcends mere mortal activities, yet still comes with a price tag. But thats another story.)

So many good times. I still check the cams every day. Unfortunately Trev has a debilitating back injury, and will never surf again.

So at 57 I find myself land bound in central Vic. I miss all those times but I am at peace with where I am in life.

Yes, your blog certainly got me reminiscing, and this is such a beautiful board. It deserves better than to spend its life in a dusty shed.

It has some stress cracks and a beaut onion, but is in great nick otherwise. 

Thanks for your passion mate.

Stussy's

I haven’t been able to get my hands on any original early 80’s Stussy twin fins but I have been able to secure a couple of nice simple pieces by the master. Like his iconic signature his board shapes carry their own unique hand writing. He glassed in ‘fresh foils by Stussy’ on this 6’8” semi gun for good reason. Obviously a reference the foil in the boards shape it also feels long and thin and delicate like an olympic fencers fighting foil, especially through the nose.

This unique twinzer design has been kindly shared with us by a reader and exhibits some unique design features through the tail that I would be very keen to get into the water.

Lastly we have this sweet little well used 5’11” thruster.
Like a pair of Nike Dunks it’s a classic piece of late 80’s pop culture.