pods for primates : a catalogue of surfboards in australia since 1900
home catalogue history references appendix
surfresearch.com.au 
the catalogue #66 
1976 Merrin, Air mat twin fin 5 ft 4" 
#66
MANUFACTURE
MANUFACTURER
Merrin Investments, Pty Ltd; 
141 Pacific Highway Tweed Heads South NSW 2413 ph  (075) 36 3744
Made in Tiawan
SHAPER: n/a
DESIGN:  Finned canvas mat
DESIGNER:
SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
Rubberised canvas mat, tapped seam, glued molded rubber fins, eyelets with rope and 4'' plastic handles, l/h plastic plug. 
DIMENSIONS
Length:
  3
 feet
7
 inches
Width: 
18
 inches
Wide Point: 
 n/a inches
Nose :
18
 inches
Tail: 
18
 inches
Thickness:
4 1/2 
 inches
Pod: 
18
 inches
Nose/L:
 inches
Tail/L:
 inches
Weigh:
 kilograms
Volume:
 litres
Other
FEATURES
Nose: vee
Tail:  square 
Deck:   ribbed
Bottom:  ribbed
Rails: round
Rocker: flat
FINS:
Two 3" x 6" base
Molded rubber,
symmetric foil, 
glued to fabric
#66 Merrin rubber mat fin
DECOR
DECALS
Deck: 'Merrin' diamond logo, black screen printed. Nose left
Bottom:
MARKINGS
Deck: 
Bottom:
COLOUR
Deck: (faded) blue, xxx tape
Bottom: (faded) blue, xxx tape
#66 Merrin mat decal, screen printed
NOTES
BOARD HISTORY
DESIGN HISTORY
Approximately $21.50, recomended retail circa 1976.
COMMENTS
Pointed nose may indicate later model. 
George Greenough suggested these models went better with the tail forward (obviously without fins).
REFERENCES
Magazines
Article 
George Greenough : Grab a fistful of fabric - a review of surfmats in Tracks magazine circa 1974
Ad : Merrin's New Finned Mat in Surfing World magazine Volume 22 No.4 January 1976
See other Prone craft at Paipo Catalogue
Web : 
Check out other inflatable mats/surfcraft at http://neumaticsurfcraft.homestead.com/NeumaticSurfcraftwebsite.html

 My Paipo Boards and ...More. - page by Rod Rodgers, Baltimore Maryland. 
CONDITION:  7


Image right
George Greenough
circa 1966
from Nat's Nat page 115
Photograph uncredited.
Probably Jonh Witzig

surfresearch.com.au
home catalogue history references appendix