After much debate I decided to pack my 1978 Bob Mc Tavish shaped 6'1" single fly swallow tail twin fin for some 'tube testing' at Cloudbreak, Tavarua Fiji.
The only change from its last trip being I replaced the FCS plugs with Future Fins. It was my best performing board of the trip and even attracted the eye of Rusty Preisendorfer who wanted to have a close look at its lines.
Its narrow swallow tail and large fin bases did not slip an inch on any of the heavier take offs and its sharp rails and relatively gentle rocker held high and tight in the tube.
The interesting thing about this shot is it reveals how far forward the sweet spot is on this shape. Right in line with the wide point.
An attempted shot from inside the tube. Its harder than you think.
Sequence shots by Tom Servais.
Was that board shaped under the 'Sky' name / brand? did Bob Mctavish shape for Sky prior to setting up his own gig, or was that a previous incarnation of Mctavish surfboards?
ReplyDeleteI bought a second hand Sky thruster shaped by Michael Clundith? back in the early 90's in Byron, snapped it at bondi two days prior to leaving to go back to the UK, but for some reason decided to take it home with me via hong kong! to get it fixed in Yorkshire... only to discover it was (surprisingly) never the same again! I persevered with it until finally giving up, and trading it in at the surf shop in Mundaka. that was one well-travelled broken surfboard.
You live and learn.
— Pat
Bustin' Moves!
ReplyDeleteHi Damion....looks like an awesome trip but must say i almost spilled the soy honey chai all over my organic sour dough toast with home grown strawberries on top...when i read you have pop in pop out fins in this vintage creme de la creme...surely this requires you to bore at those space age monstrosity fin boxes and glass some twinnies back on it...Rasta
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a blast. I was there in December, riding something a tad more modern (for the first time in a long time) thinking I would need all the speed and agility i could get. Took some getting use to.
ReplyDeleteI have an identical board, got it at vinnies 15 years ago for 10 bucks. I have had it restored and its the best point break board I have ever ridden. I even had a surf on it with Bob in byron a couple of years back at the pass...
ReplyDeleteMust have been a gem to ride on the reefs of Fiji