1979 Lightning Bolt, shaped by Rory Russell, Starbolt model, 7'1"

While in LA I was lucky enough to visit the new Surf Heritage store and mini museum in Costa Mesa where they had this beautiful Star Bolt on display.

The text mounted beside the board reads-

In the summer of 1947, Joe Quigg shaped two boards that were revolutionary in design. Both were finned pintails and featured carved-in rail rocker, low sharp rails, flowing rocker end to end and a 100% break away tail. Most likely influenced by the Hot Curl designs popular for big weave riding in Hawaii, these gun shapes would go on to be the basic template for big wave surfboards.

Gerry Lopez- "Mike Hynson came out with his lower rails that had hard edges from nose to tail. Before that the whole concept of edge didn't even exist. Longboards had none, and even the Brewer boards had only a tiny bit in the tail. By comparison, Hynson's looked pretty ugly, so naturally everyone was going "that thing is never going to work". But man, I'll tell you what, it worked so much damn better than anything before that it was astounding".

Rory Russell was Gerry Lopez's contemporary and equal at Pipe: both owned this North Shore for much of the 12970's. Russell was a front runner in the Pipeline Masters from 1973 to 1978, winning it twice along the way. This board was shaped by Russell and labeled the Star Bolt model. It has been fully restored and features full spray top and bottom with ink-line rail bolts.

On loan from the collection of Spencer Croul.

Bin-O-boards

UK ZAP

My friend from the UK has sent me pics of his fantastic british built Cheyne Horan Zap style twin fin made by Vitamin Sea.
My all time favorite Cheyne footage is from 'Follow the Sun". He was surfing 3 foot beach breaks near Honolulu in morning and had driven over to North Shore in the afternoon in time to catch a new north swell.
Excited at the new swell he paddled out at Wiamea Bay on a 5'8" McCoy Laser Zap.
What a hero!

Gun Club

Greg wrote-
I'm trying to get some info on age and who might have shaped this one. Can't find anything only guessing right now.......

Sacred Craft Surfboard Expo appraisals

I was like a kid in a candy store!
Can you belive they let me stand there and talk about old old surfboards all day and even filmed it for TV.










Shawn and big Simey Anderson celebrating 30 years of the thruster.

One more sleep

One more sleep till the Sacred Craft Surfboard Expo in San Diego.
As usual , as soon as I leave the country the swell turns on big time.
Below is a well known left hand reef break south of Sydney breaking at 15 ft plus under me as we where taking off.



Only the southern corners of beaches or north facing reefs where handling the BLACK FRIDAY swell.




photos from Coastalwatch

Boardcollector valuations forum

I get a lot of emails asking for help with valuations.

From pin tails to collectible pins.

I'm pretty good at it but why not get every one's input.

I'll post the pics to the boardcollector facebook page and we can all post our valuations.

Email damion@boardcollector.com your pics and whatever info you have on the board, who shaped it, dimensions etc and I'll create an album.

One Man's Treasure

Graeme wrote-
Thought you might be interested in this collection of surfboards and surf memorabilia that I was proudly shown.
The photos don't do it any justice, the gear was piled from the floor to the ceiling, including the ceiling. MR twinnies scattered through out, McCoy Tri & Laser Zaps in one part stacked 3 deep, a 7'2" Pat Rawson shaped for Tom Carroll and surfed at Hawaii in 1989 (with a pair of Tom's Quiksilver boardies). An amazing collection and a passionate surfer and collector.

California Surf Imports

Surfboard Archaeology 2

Rasta wrote-
I've had a few T/C's mainly twin fins. Some with Pearl city logo's and some with out. My understanding is that Laurie Byrne shaped some here as did a few of the guys out of Byron and both used T&C logos. I was also told that the Town and Country guys such Dane kealoha, Bertleman etc used to travel with rice paper logos and would drop in to Torquay when Bells was on and sell a few logo decals to the guys at Ripcurl board factory and Russell Graham moonlight laminating. These guys would make up some boards with the Pearl City logo's..me think Doug Rodgers or the like shaped them up...i suppose this helped pay the bills if you didnt do to well at the comps.
I had a sweet Dane Kealoha twinnie that was verfied to be a Torquay board and shaoed by Doug Rodgers...me thinks they did singles as well....hope this helps with your knowledge base.- Rasta.

Indeed Rasta this is true. Here is my Laurie Bryne shaped Byrne Clikner twin fin with T&C Pearl City logos shaped for Vince Klyne.

I guess I better keep digging!

Another clue to the origin of the T&C single fin perhaps is in the fin itself. The blue translucent Multifin brand single fin box.
Acording to Surfreaserch Multi Fin is and American company.....




boardcollector testing the clinker at Seal Rocks. photo by Fern Levack.

Surfboard Archaeology

Archaeology, is the study of past human societies, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material, culture and environmental data which they have left behind. Archaeology studies human history from the development of the first stone tools in eastern Africa 2.5 million years ago up until recent decades. Since its early development, various specific forms of archaeology have developed, including maritime archaeology, feminist archaeology and archaeoastronomy, and numerous different scientific techniques have been developed to aid archaeological investigation.

I am pioneer in the field of surfboard archaeology. My main tool of research is my collection of blurred memories from my teens and my musty collection of books and surfing magazines that date from 1965 to present. My magazine collection is not sorted chronologically and has some big historical holes we shall refer to as the 'missing links'. So if I do find an article or photograph to accurately date a surf board it is more luck than pure research.

Of course I find this method of discovery a lot more fun than meticulous research.

My gut feeling is we may be onto something with this one. This board looks like it could be an important part of surf history.

The same way I imagine a genuine archaeologist might feel pulling a broken slither of pottery from a dusty dig in the Nile delta.

- Markings on the object indicate it was made in Hawaii, but it has ended up in Australia.

- Oversize sponsors logos indicate it was either,

A) Used for retail shop display.

or

B) Was used by a sponsored professional.

If it was used by a sponsored professional it would make sense that it was also used for A).

- 5'8" indicates it was a,

A) very fit individual or a talented surfer ie. a sponsored professional

or

B) A young kid, who would be unlikely to be shipping surfboards from Hawaii to Australia in 1978.

Of course the answer to the mystery of whether this board is an important piece of surf history, shaped for Dane, Larry or Russel to compete in the 2SM Surfabout as I suspect, lie in the columns of the dusty shapers order book in the Town & Country factory in Pearl City Hawaii.

In the name of science I have contacted T&C, but to no avail.

You may of noticed I blogged about NOT winning this board on ebay. This is true, it went to Melbourne where the buyer was unhappy with effects of the rich life the board has led. Thankfully he re-listed and I picked her up nice and cheap.