pods
for primates : a catalogue of surfboards in australia since 1900
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surfresearch.com.au
catalogue
specifications |
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INTRODUCTION
This page has ben
prepared in reponse to several correspondents offering to submit board
details and or images.
While my requiements
may seem extreme, the objective is to present maximum material in a regular
format.
If this seems like
a lot of work, it is.
My work load will
be substantially reduced if emailed submissions conform to my requirements.
Suggestions for
intending contributors...
1. email surfresearch.com.au
and request provisional catalogue entry number
2. Use this number
as the filename for your catalogue entry and with an extension for the
associated images,
see Scans.
3. Download this
page to your hard drive, check you have the images.
4. Print this (
6 ) pages, use black and white/economy, images may not appear.
5. Use print out
for reference and the back for your notations and calculations.
6. Install/download
Netscape Communicator, readily available. I use 4.7
7. Select a catologue
entry that approximates your board by design or manufacturer, and download.
8. In Netscape Communicator,
select : File. Select : Edit Page. Opens Netscape Composer.
9. In Netscape Composer,
highlight and update data from your notes, insert images and and save changes.
10. Submit saved
updated page to surfresearch.com.au
2. Use this number
as the filename for your catalogue entry and with an extension for the
associated images, see Scans.
BOARD PREPARATION.
1. Carefully inspect
board for areas of damage.
2. Clean wax from
deck, and any deposits on the bottom, with a wax comb.
3. Clean board with
rags and ... acetone/alchol/spirit/WD 40/warm water and detergent, other.
4. Rinse with clean
water and dry wih rags.
PHOTOGRAPHS
1. Use a SLR or
digital camera - a pocket camera will be able not to shoot decals or fins.
2. Do not use a
flash - it will just put a glow spot on the board.
3. Try to pick a
spot outdoors but not in direct sunlight.
4. Ideally background
should be plain/uncluttered and in contrast to the board colour.
5. Personally, I
set the camera on auto exposure (appeture and shutter speed), no flash,
manual focus.
And try to hold
it as steady as possible.
Template photographs
- deck and bottom
1. Stand the board
securely upright, if possible put a block under the tail.
2. Use a tripod
(I don't) and use a detail, for example the decal, to sharpen focus.
3. Aim the camera
at the centre of the board to minimize template distortion.
4. Try to fill frame,
nose to tail, but without cutting off either.
5. Shoot both deck
and bottom. |
 |
Decal/Markings
Photographs
1. Use a tripod
(I don't), the camera aimed at the centre of the image to minimize distortion.
2. Shoot as close
as possible, with the sharpest focus. It is usually difficult to fill the
frame.
3. Shoot all relevant
decals.
Fin Photographs
1. Best shot is at
about 33 degrees, showing the tail.
2. Alternative is
the more accurate profile shot, but this is less informative, particually
for multi fins.
SCANS
Note this is a new
scaling format as of June 2002, see entry #100.
All scans at a resolution
of 72 pixels per inch
All dimensions metric/centimetres
General Method
- pre-scan and set
resolution at 72 dpi
- select oversized
image, complete scan.
- digitally manipulate
image, eg Rotate, Clarify, Enhancement, Sharpness.
- finely crop image
- save as JEPG file
- convert to 256
colours and /or process via a jepg compressor eg xat.com
1. Deck Large (or
bottom if more interesting)
- select oversized
image, specify board length as 26 cm, complete scan.
- finely crop image,
specify board length as 25 cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with a file name like 380x.jpg
2.
Deck to Scale and 3.Bottom to Scale
- calculate length
to scale at a ratio of 1 foot = 2 cm. For example six foot 0 inches
= 12cm. See Scaling Table.
- select oversized
image, specify board length as over-estimated scaled length in cm, complete
scan.
- finely crop image,
specify board length to scale in cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with file names like 380.jpg for the deck and 380b.jpg for the bottom.
4. Fins
- select oversized
image, specify image width as 8 or 10 cm, complete scan.
- finely crop image,
specify image width as 8 cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with a file name like 380f.jpg
5. Decals
- select oversized
image, specify image width as 8 or 10 cm, complete scan.
- finely crop image,
specify image width as 8 cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with a file name like 380d.jpg For more than one decal, file as 380d2.jpg
etc.
6. Markings
- select oversized
image, specify image width as 8 or 10 cm, complete scan.
- finely crop image,
specify image width as 8 cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with a file name like 380m.jpg
7. Portraits
- select oversized
image, specify image width as 10 cm, complete scan.
- finely crop image,
specify image width as 8 or 10 cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with a file name like 380p.jpg
8. References/Other
- select oversized
image, specify image width as 12 cm, complete scan.
- finely crop image,
specify image width as 10 cm.
- save as JEPG file,
with a file name like 380r.jpg For more than one reference, file
as 380r2.jpg etc
MANUFACTURE
Note : Any of the
manufacturing details on the board could be misleading.
MANUFACTURER
- usually indicated by the decal
SHAPER - sometimes
indicated by decal or markings on the blank, but these can be the
most misleading.
DESIGN - the approximated
general design, for example Twin Fin II, or in rare examples, a model name.
DESIGNER - the shaper/surfer
most associated with the design, for example Mark Richards.
SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION.
Assuming the board
is foam/fiberglass...
1. Check for indication
of the blank manufacturer
2. Note number,
width and possible composition of stringers.
3. Fibreglassing
- note rail cuts, tinting, pigments, spray, resin pinlines, finbox/plugs,
leg rope plugs.
4. Finish - gloss/matt
Examine the
board to distinguish the original features from...
discolouration -
bleaching and/or staining
stress marks - usually
acrcoss the bottom/centre of the board.
delamination - decals
and foot/knee wells.
swelling - stringer/repairs
shrinkage - stringer/blank/repairs
warping - twist
in the blank
repairs - often
cover features
post production
leg rope plugs - note side
non original fin
- blank damage from loss of original fin.
DIMENSIONS
Using a flexible
steel tape measure with imperial dimensions (that is feet and inches)...
Measure dimensions
on the bottom where possible
Length (Bottom)
Measure along the
bottom of the board, nose to tail.
- bend tape around
central fin, remove if possible
- add to include
missing nose or tail tips
- split tails (eg
swallow tail) are estimated at their extremity.
Length (Deck)
Measure along the
deck of the board, nose to tail.
- strecth tape to
measure as a straight edge.
- add to include
missing nose or tail tips
- split tails (eg
swallow tail) are estimated at their extremity.
NOTE
A surfboard has
two lenghts.
Most measurements
appear to refer to the bottom, possibly because it is usually shaped first.
Technically the
straight edge deck length is probably the most consistant indicator.
Variation in length
measurement is indicated in the rocker/thickness image below.
Mid point
Divide the bottom
length by 2, measure from the nose.
Mark on the bottom
stringer with a marker pen or a bit of adhesive tape.
Width
Measure the widest
part of the board.
Mark on the bottom
centre line with a marker pen or a bit of adhesive tape.
- adjust the tape
over about a 6 inch range to confirm the widest point.
Wide Point
Measure the difference
between the Mid-point and the Width markings on the centre line.
- if the widest
point is at the Mid point, then the Wide point is 0 inches.
- if the if the
widest point is forward of the Mid point (towards the nose), then the Wide
point is positve
eg +ve 6 inches.
- if the if the
widest point is behind the Mid point (towards the tail) , then the
Wide point is negative inches.
eg - 6 inches. This
is the case in the example above.
Nose
Measure 12 inches
from the nose of the board.
Mark on the bottom
centre line with a marker pen or a bit of adhesive tape.
Measure the width
at this point.
Tail
Measure 12 inches
from the tail of the board.
Mark on the bottom
centre line with a marker pen or a bit of adhesive tape.
Measure the width
at this point.
- often the fin/s
make this difficult and this meaurement is easier to do on the deck.
Pod
Measure the widest
section of the tail
- for a pintail
the pod is 0 inches
- for split or diamond
tails measure beween the two extremities and positive or negative depth
of variation.
- for square tails
measure beween the two extremities
- for rounded tails
the measure may not seem valid, consider as a pintail
Flyers
Measure from tail,
see Pod image above.
Thickness
Measure the thickest
section of the board
- difficult to measure
by eye with the tape against the rail, usually you underestimate.
- ideally measure
with calipers.
- or use 2 straight
edges across the board (deck and bottom) and measure the gap.
Nose and Tail
Lift
Place board on straight
edge down centre line and measure the gap at nose and tail
- a highly inaccurate
method,
- usually made more
difficult by the fins
Dimensions
Table
The above dimensions
are inserted in the following table
|
Length
:
|
|
ft |
|
inches |
|
|
|
Width
:
|
|
inches |
|
Wide
Point :
|
|
inches |
|
Nose
:
|
|
inches |
|
Tail
:
|
|
inches |
|
Thickness
:
|
|
inches |
|
Pod
:
|
|
inches |
|
Nose
Lift :
|
|
inches |
|
Tail
Lift :
|
|
inches |
|
Weight
:
|
|
kilos |
|
Volume
:
|
|
litres |
|
Other
:
|
|
inches |
|
|
|
|
FIN/S
Indicate number of and,
if possible, the design of the fin/s - consult the Fin
Catalogue
Measure height from
board to top extremity of the fin.
Measure base of
fin.
Measure distance
from front of base to a point on the bottom that aligns with the fin tip.
the Span.
Measure distance
from the base to the tail of the board ( @ )
DECOR
DECALS
Examine and note
decals.
These may indicate
Place of manufacture, Shaper, Glasser.
Most manufacturers
redesign their labels, sometimes with only minor variations. These can
be useful to date the board.
A decal reading
Designed
by John Smith usually indicates that the board was not shaped
by John Smith.
Some decals can
be trimmed by the glasser resulting in an unusual re-design.
Decals are often
subject to delamination off the blank.
MARKINGS
Carefully examine
the board and note any markings on the blank, usually down the stringer
in pencil.
Some later boards
may be annotated on the glass with a marker pen.
These markings are
often inconsequential, but occassionally give the date of construction.
If the markings
indicate dimensions, it is possible that these are incorrect.
COLOUR
Examine and note
decor (that is any decoration added to the board). Look for...
Tinted/Pigmented
resin
Spray on to blank/on
to glass
Resin/Spray pinlines
Hand painted/sprayed
text/graphic.
Wax alternatives,
eg adhesive grip pads.
Nose guards
Refer
to Standard Decor Designs
HISTORY
The board in context
of general design history.
COMMENTARY
Details of board
purchase, riders, repairs. These may be cleaned from documentation, oral
report or estimation.
Usually trival,
this information can be useful
REFERENCES
Documentation
Magazines
Books
Film/Video
Other
CONDITION
An subjective sliding
scale to cross reference with image quality.
SCALING TABLE
| 1 ft |
2 ft |
3 ft |
4 ft |
5 ft |
6 ft |
7 ft |
8 ft |
9 ft |
10 ft |
11 ft |
12 ft |
| 2 cm |
4 cm |
6 cm |
8 cm |
10 cm |
12 cm |
14 cm |
16 cm |
18 cm |
20 cm |
22 cm |
25 cm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1'' |
2'' |
3'' |
4'' |
5'' |
6'' |
7'' |
8'' |
9'' |
10'' |
11'' |
12'' |
| 0.17cm |
0.34 cm |
0.5cm |
0.67 cm |
0.84cm |
1 cm |
1.17cm |
1.34 cm |
1.5cm |
1.67 cm |
1.84cm |
2 cm |
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