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the catalogue #327

1976 Shane Ski-tail 6 ft 9"

#327

MANUFACTURE
MANUFACTURER: Shane Surfboards, Mitchell Road Brookvale NSW.
SHAPER: Unknown
DESIGN: Ski tail
DESIGNER: Rodney Ball

SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
Fibreglassed foam blank, 1/8"stringer, spray decor..
DIMENSIONS

*Length :*	6	feet	9	inches
*Width :*	20	inches		*Wide Point :*	+3	inches
*Nose :*	14	inches		*Tail :*	12	inches
*Thickness :*	3	inches		*Pod :*	9	inches
*Nose Lift :*		inches		*Tail Lift :*		inches
*Weight :*		kilos		*Volume :*		litres
*Other, Flyer/s :*		inches

FEATURES
Nose: full pin
Tail: ski tail
Deck: flat
Bottom: flat with centre slot
Rails: soft boxed down
Rocker:

FIN
Yellow laminated.
8 1/2" x 5 1/2" base x 8 1/2'' span @ 5 1/2 inches
Estimated

DECOR
DECALS
Deck: Shane, black text parallel to stringer..
Bottom:
MARKINGS
Deck: Nil
Bottom:
COLOUR
Deck: Clear with blue spayed wing with tail extensions.
Bottom: Pale blue spray

NOTES
BOARD HISTORY
Images and dimensions at Sydney Surf Auction, Harbord Diggers Club, 22nd September 2007.
Thanks to Mick Mock.
Some dimensions by estimated.
Catalogue entry:
" #215 Shane Ski tail Single Fin 6'9''
Squared off with concave channel bottom, Rod Ball design inspired. Blue and white, 7/10."

MANUFACTURER HISTORY
See Shane Surfboards.

DESIGN HISTORY
Rodney Ball was an experienced snow skier who adapted some elements of snow-ski design into his surfboards.
See #227
The central bottom slot, as seen on this board, was a feature of some contemporary ski designs.
- reported by Mick Mock, in conversation.

The unusal tail design was one extreme of the use of flyers (or wings) on the tail profile from about 1972 to enhance performance.
In this case, note how the flutes continue the rail line, with the Ski tail an extension.
Terry Fitzgerald, in conjunction with Rod Ball, produced a similar tail design, initally called the Fanger, at Hot Buttered Surfboards, circa 1976.
Fitzgerald later termed the design, the Screwdriver.
COMMENTS

REFERENCES
MAGAZINES
Articles
"TF.'s INSIDE SUNSET FANGER 1"
TRACKS Magazine, January 1976 Number 64 Page 33.
Ski Tail Design by Terry Fitzgerald, credits Rodney Ball.

Ken Horton: "Skitail"
Surfing World Magazine, Volume 26 Number 4. Early 1978. Page 25.

Advertisment
Clear Sea Surfboards
Surfing World Magazine, Volume 22 Number 4. January 1976. Page ?

INTERNET

CONDITION: 7.

"Ken Horton:SKITAILS
Ski-tails, or their now more popular name, screwdrivers, have evolved over a number of years, mainly due to the involvement of their designer, Rooney Ball, in the winter sport of snow skiing.
These boards were designed with surfing good clean waves in mind, and this is where they do excel. Steve Zoeller adopted the ski-tail principles and incorporated them into his own boards.
To allow them to handle Sydney surf, he gave them wider planshapes and extra tail rocker.
The reverse curves in the tail of the board pushes it in short arcs which, if the board were put in the right situation, on the right wave, would inevitably make the 3600 turn a distinct reality.
The amount of push these boards do create during bottom turns and cutbacks is very noticeable, especially in waves with power.
These boards are quite manoeuvrable as instead of turning off the tail of the board, you are turning off the beginning of the ski-tail.
So, if the board is 5'8" in length and the length of the ski-tail is 10", in fact, you would be surfing a board with the looseness of a 4'10" board.
My board is 5'10" in length, 20 1/2" wide with the ski-tail being 10"long and 8" wide.
The rails are quite blocky, with a hard edge underneath.
This edge provides drive in hard rail turns. Also, incorporated in the bottom design is a slight concave which gives the board lift, speed and the ability to draw long lines if necessary.
As I have previously mentioned, these boards were designed with surfing good clean waves in mind. The board I have ridden for the last year is no exception -it went really well in the long walls of Queensland and its ability to sit in the tube was its most outstanding asset."

Image left:
"Ken Horton and Ski tail"
Photograph by Aitonn.

Surfing World Magazine
Volume 26 Number 4.
Early 1978. Page 25.