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the catalogue #165 
1978  Mark Richards Twin fin II   6 ft 1" 
#165 
MANUFACTURE
MANUFACTURER: Maddog Surfboards, Industrial Estate, Byron Bay 
SHAPER:  Ken Freeland
DESIGN: Mark Richards' Twin fin II 
DESIGNER: Mark Richards
SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION: Foam blank, 1/4" redwood stringer, spray, r/h plug 
DIMENSIONS
Length:
6
feet
1
inch    
Width:
18 1/4
inches  
Wide Point:
+ 5
inches
Nose :
14
inches  
Tail: 
13
inches
Thickness: 
2 3/4
inches  
Pod:
5 3/4?
inches
Nose/L:
  inches  
Tail/L:
  inches
 Weight:
  kilograms  
Volume:
 
litres
Swallow:
1 1/2?
inches deep
Flyer:
7?
inches
FEATURES
Nose: Pin 
Tail:  swallow tail, flyer 
Deck:   flat 
Bottom:  slight Vee in nose, deeper at fins, channel from fin base to rail 
Rails: Tucked 
Rocker:
FINS
6" x 5" base Brewer,
inside flat/outside foiled, 
toed and tipped/cambered
Shown left #40
Gold/white/red (3) laminate
#40 MR twin fins
DECOR
DECALS
Deck
1.'Mark Richards' script and large Lizard graphic, red and white.
Bottom
 'Mark Richards' script and ribbon graphic, rainbow. 
Blue example, right. 
MARKINGS
Deck:  'KF ' - pencil 
Bottom:
COLOUR
Deck: Blue rails, blue/red two tone with yellow foil, with black pinlines ?
Bottom: clear
# 40 MR ribbon '78
Alternative later decal
below
# 40 MR initials '78
NOTES
BOARD HISTORY
Submitted by Dustin.
Sorry, Dustin - all your details went in latest email crash.
Please contact again when possible - I would like to resize the images..
Bob and /or Noel Smith report...
My 2 MR Twin fins both have initials KF on them.
KF is Ken Freeland from South Africa.
He was working for Peter Daniels at Faith Surfboards in JBay before coming to Aus and shaping MR's around '78-'79. - thanks to Bob and/or Noel
DESIGN HISTORY
Mark Richards was familiar with the Twin Fin I, see #71 and #106 , (circa 1970 by Mike Eaton / Rolf Arness / Corky Carroll / David Nuuihwa -all USA) and imported to Australia by Tom Hoye (USA) where design had a strong following in Sydney, particularly at Narrabeen) by McCoy Surfboards.
Although the design quickly disappeared in Australia, a small following continued in the USA (Steve Lis ) with the development of the Fish. 
This was to influence Reno Abellira, (Hawaii) who rode a 5 ft 3" x 20"  model in the 1976 Coke contest, Sydney. 
Inspired, Mark Richards  built his own version and subsequently refined it at a month long shaping seminar with Dick Brewer in Hawaii 1976-1977.
The design was tested in Hawaii the following winter and contest success in the Bells 1978 and  Stubbies 1979 contests and the 1979 World tiltle proved its high performance capabilities, particularly in small waves. Available from all Australian manufacturers, it was the dominant small wave board design 1978 – 1981. 
The design also had a strong following on the south shore of Ohau, notably Larry Bertlemann and 'Buttons', and was to be extensively used in the USA - Mark Richards models were made under licence by Gordon and Smith Surfboards.These apparently were available with fin boxes, a uncommon feature in Australian boards .
The design was also shaped by  Mark Platter, Bob Margettes and Tony Cerff at Maddog Surfboards. 
Mark Richards Surfboards (single fin designs) were first manufactured by Morning Star Surfboards, Mona Vale. 
The fin to flyer channels rarely appear on later/copied examples.
The ribbon decals were early designs, gradually replaced by a MR/Lightning Bolt, a MR script and a MR/Lizard graphic.
Apparently the famous MR/Superman logo only appeared on Mark Richards' personal boards during this early period. 
COMMENTS
REFERENCES
Other Boards
# 40
Book
Knox: Mark Richards    pages 61 on. 
Film
Free Ride1977 Bill Delany , Water footage by Dan Merkel. 
Surfers : Shaun Tomson, Mark Richards and Rabbit Batholomew
 *The definite film of this period, note that most of Mark Richards' surfing is not on a Twin fin II . 
CONDITION: 8
Other Twin Fins II
#165 bottom
#40 Mark Richards Twin Fin 2, 
Mark Richards' first Twin fin 2, based on Reno Abeliro's Fish, Coke Contest 1976
Photograph: Andrew Canning
#39 Bryne Bros. Surfboards Twin Fin 2 1978
Shaped by laurie Byrne.
#119 Hawaiian 1979 Hawaiian Pro Designs, Twin fin 2.  6 ft 1" Larry Bertelmann Model
#55 Pipedreams Flyer Roundtail Twin Fin 2 1979 6 ft 2''

#43p MR's Apia/Brewer Stingers, circa 1976#40p MR Twin fins, circa 1978
Photograph by Peter Boskovic,
Printed in The Australian Surfers Journal Vol 1 #  3 Winter 1998 page 44
Note : Original Apia Surfboards 'Flame' Stinger,  Twin fins with various decals. 
All boards much photographed. 

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