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  history : streaks and slugs 

streaks and slugs
1971 - 1974
Mark Warren and McCoy Twin Fin 1, Narrabeen, 1971
Photograph : Uncredited
Surfing World, April 1979. 
 Volume 27 Number 6  page 34.

Originally printed in Surfing World, 1971.


1971 Tracks #8 May
Contests: Australian Titles at Bells: Paul Neilsen 1st, Peter Drouyn 2nd.
Water Pollution.
Interview: Joe Larkin.
Rusty Miller: Hawaii.
Design:

Fish: short twin fin design with long base fins and wide fish tail, credited to Steve Lis (USA) and used primarily as a kneeboard.
Continued underground use through the 1970s until reconfigured as the Twin Fin 2, notably by Mark Richards in 1977.
1971 Tracks  #4 January
Cover story: Nat's Smirnoff win
Interview: Robert Conneeley
Design: Twin fins by Tom Hoye, Jimmy Beardsley, and Robbie Holt.
Robert Conneeley's single fin Chine bottom.

Advertising: Keyo Surfboards
Tracks Design
Tracks #4
January 1971, page 30.


TOM HOYE'S BENNET TWIN

DIMENSIONS: 5'8" x 21".
12" tail.
3 1/2" thick.
5-5 1/2" fins.

Soft low rails all around with a slight 'V in the tail and a slight concave in the nose.
The rocker is consistent throughout the board.
It's designed to stay on a consistent high plane - it's a little wider than the previous board for better flotation.
Basically it's a small wave board - 6' and under - built for long skatey turns and the positive feel of the twin fins.



Tom Hoye and Twin Fin, Bennett Surfboards, 1970.











JIMMY BEARDSLEY'S KEYO TWINFINNER


DIMENSIONS:
5'3" x 22".

121/2" chamfered back.
12" of 'V.
51/2" fins.
3 1/2" thick. (base)
ROBERT CONNEELEY CHINE

The Chine bottom is the next step on the hill.
George Greenough's gift to down under this winter.
The concept is cuting the roll out of the bowl of the hull, leaving two flat strips running down beside the centre plane and diminishing at the tail.
Thought the edge where the planes meet would bog down, but it does not if made right.
The extra flat gives more acceleration when board is on its side in a turn plus more initial speed at take off.
It seems to have all the speed of a low rail flat bottom yet the beautiful handling and safety for tube riding of the original hulls. This only my fourth shape job, made at Wilderness's beautiful factory in a very peaceful valley, convceived on the good vibes and love of my friends and prototype for my model with Hayden.

Dimensions:
5'9" x 20 1/4" x 9 1/4" square tail with a soft curve between the corners of the pod.

5 3/4" of nose lift, gradually fairing into a dead straight plane at tail.
A very soft S through the bottom trying about 3/32" of rise at back edge.
S through the botom (sic) trying about 3/32" of rise at back edge.

3 distinct planing surfaces on bottom and it is all driven by a very powerful 35 layer glass fin with about 3"-4" of flex.


Jimmy Beadsley and Twin Fin, Keyo Surfboards, 1970.

Tracks #4 Design
January 1971, page 30.


Tracks #5 February 1971
Cover story: 
Interview
Design: Twin fins and Guns by Warren Cornish, Farrelly Surfboards.
Scott Dillon Split fin.

Advertising:

Tracks
Design
Tracks #5, February 1971, page 10.

Warren Cornish [Farrelly Surfboards]
The serious surfer today requires a range of widely differing equipment in order to give his best in the variable wave types and sizes found in Australia and indeed through­out the surfing world.
A five foot long wide tailed twin fin would be as ridiculous at Foresters at 8' as it would be at Waimea Bay at 30ft.
On the other hand a 6'6" semi-gun or 8' qun would be laughable at 2ft. Collaroy.
A wide range of surfboards are available from a few of the custom shops in Sydney.
Although not covering all wave sizes and forms, the three boards I have described be­low would be sufficient for most surfers to obtain satisfaction on 364 days out of the year.
Dual fin
Dimensions
5'4 ' x 20 1/2'' 'x 3 1/2" (1501b. surfer)
Outline
Smooth entry nose with no hip to hin­der water flow, running running into a straight drag free rail rear of centre.
Wide tail with rounded corners for smooth manouvering.
Profile
Flat plaining surface for rear 2/3 with moderate rise toward the tip.
Again smooth entry, rapid release.

Cross Section
Soft low rails predominate with hard edges only at tail.
Bottom is flat to concave through the centre and glat
(sic) at the tail, with a little cushion up front.
Some surfers may find a small V in the tail helpful for manouvering.
Thickness is carried right through to the tail area, with just a hint of S in the deck.
Fins
small    6"-7".
Placement is most crit­ical. Riged
(sic)
Surfing Characteristics

Designed primarily for radical turning manouveres in small to medium waves.
The dual fins allow a much wider, therefore more buoyant tail to be used than with a single fin (wide tails and single fins suffer from breakout during periods of high pressure applications to a rail.
The buoyancy prevents sudden stalling when wave speed drops as is typical with Sydney summer surf.
Turning arcs are short, forward drive de­creased.
The dual fin is ideally suited therefore to the short walled peaks found along the East Coast in Summer.
Its inherent stability enabling it to handle the most turbulent of waters it would be found wanting on a long walled Broken Head wave in its above dimensions.
A longer, narrower version however, is surfed successfully at Bells Beach.

Semi-Gun
Dimensions
6' 4" x 18" x 3" (1401b. surfer)
Outline
Generally a diamond outline with width and hip forward of centre.
Acceleration straight behind hip.
Narrow round tail.
Pointed nose for greater penetration.
Profile
Soft entry nose rocker running into a 180 deg. straight.
Cross Section
Low rails throughout, however they are not hard.
Three stage bottom - Flat under nose section, running through a concave centre to a large V in the tail.
Even thickness throughout with very little S.
Fin
Single centre fin 6"-7" deep.
Rigid with no flex, situated on tail.
Surfing Characteristics
Best suited to medium to large waves of delicate form.
This is a super fast instrument capable of long driving turns, and rapid accleration.
Designed for waves of the calibre of 8'-10' Foresters or Bells.
This style of board is responsible for the introduction of speed surfing with minimum water contact.
It is an unforgiving board de­manding the highest level of concen­tration to extract its potential.
Midget pioneered the use of this type of board in Australia.

Big Wave Design
Dimensions
7' 8" x 18" x 3 1/4'' (Built for Ted Dumuran, a 150 lb. Hawaiian)
Outline
Continual flowing curve form nose to tail.
No straight section in the rail.
Nose and tail are evenly balanced hav­ing a nose bias of only one inch.
The small round tail allows tight smooth manouvering.
Profile
Large nose rocker running into a 180 degree flat extinding for just under two thirds of the waterline.
The V in the tail has the effect of letting the rail line rise to the tail taking away the crankiness usually associated with long flats.
Cross Section
A very even thickness assures good balance and free running.
Rails are full in shape, for good running ability yet have'a very definite edge through­out the whole length of the board which keeps all manouvering positive.
Again we have a three section bottom with a large V in the tail, which has the same effect as tail rise without any of the latter's associated drag and stalling characteristics.
Fin

Situated on the tail.

Very upright pivot outline, 8 inches in depth.
Surfing Characteristics
This particular board was designed for Sunset which consists of a vertical peak requiring the surfer to reach the bottom quickly before the lip demol­ishes him.
From there it's a bank of the bottom requiring great acceleration and then a tuck into a long wall cum-tube requiring good reach. A stiff design pre­vents the surfer putting all this together quick enough, thus we soften the riding characteristics by shortening the planing surface or more correctly extending the forward cushion and cutting a deep V into the tail.
This would be a most successful design for Forester's Beef at 15 feet plus as well as big Bells.

Scott Dillon [Surfboards]
Scott Dillon is experimenting with fins again.
He did so a few years back, remember the tunnel fin and angled fins on Doc Spences' board.

This time he's back into the angled fins.
The board is 5'3" long, 21 1/2" wide and has a 12" back.
Scott is not suggest­ing that this board is any better than the twin fins the main thing he's inte
rested in is trying to take the thing a little further.
Paul Wright rode the board at Narrabeen on a small bumpy day and said that it came around faster and bites in well and said that he definitely felt like he was surfing on his backhand.

Tracks #5 Design, February 1971, page 10.


1971 Tracks #6 March

1971 Tracks #7 April 
Cover: Cyclones (Ida and Dora).
Film: Sea of Joy by Paul Witzig.
The Perfect Contest.
NSW Championships

Centrefold: MP footage that became part of
The Morning Of The Earth.
Design: Speed Boards.

1971 Tracks # 8 May 
Contests: Bells (Paul Neilsen 1st, peter drouyn 2nd), Australian Titles.
Water Pollution.
Interview: Joe Larkin.
Rusty Miller: Hawaii.
Design.
Rick Neilson's short "three finned board ... 12'' centre fin with 4'' side fins", page 13.
The side fins were at the rear of the centre fin.

Design. 1971
Fish short twin fin design with long base fins and wide fish tail, credited to Steve Lis (USA) and used primarily as a kneeboard.
Continued underground use through the seventies till adapted to Twin fin 2 by Mark Richards 1977.
Tracks #6 March 1971

1971
In California, Con Surfboards  offered two wide tailed models, the Fly and the Deuce.
Fitted with three fin-boxes, the rider could choose bewteen installing either a single or twin-fins (but not all three?).
1971
Tri Fin Further multifin experimentation, a central standard fin with two small 2" fins set forward on the rails. 
the original idea possibly concieved by Reno Abelleira (Hawaii).
Examples by Bob McTavish at Bennett Surfboards and Bros. Neilson.
 "In 1970 there were three groups of designer/shapers who were working on the three-fin idea," says Duncan. "Bob McTavish in Australia; Dick Brewer, Reno Abellira and others in Hawai‘i; and my brother and I." - Duncan Cambbell, quoted in 
John Wythe White :Surf Wars :The Bonzar,  June 16, 1999
http://www.honoluluweekly.com/archives
/coverstory%201999/6-16-99%20Boards/6-16-99%20Boards.html

Bells Contest 1971 - Design: Tracks May 1971, page 13.
Rick Neilson with a short "three finned board ... 12'' centre fin with 4'' side fins."
The side fins were at the rear of the centre fin.

Film 
On Any Morning
Morning of the Earth

Waves Magazine Volume 1 Number 2 July 1971 (editor Rick Renken)
Cover: One ?", "Two ??", "Three ???
Page 9: Single Fin, Twin Fin, or Triple Fin?
Page 11: Mike Purpus
Page 12:  Corky Carroll: Two (fins)
Reno Abellira: one + two (fins)= free
Page 28 Design (reprinted from Tracks)

Page 22 Interview: Bill Bahne. 

Surfing Magazine Volume 7 #3 JuneJuly 1971
Fins: One or Two?
Tracks Number 12 September 1971
Cover: To Celebrate the Riding of Waves
- John Witzig, Kim Bradley,“Spider”, Midget, Stephen Cooney, Rusty Miller and Jock Sutherland.

Includes photographs from Morning of the Earth and footage shot by George Greenough for his next film.
Interview: Jim Beardsley surfer and shaper
Design: Glynn Richie’s Concaves coming out of the Palm Beach boatshed,
Balsa boards and rigid fin design by Mike Davis.
Advertising:
Wilderness, David Treloar Design, Palmers Channel 2480,
McCoy - four designs including Egg and Twin fin


Tracks Number 13 Oct 1971
Cover: the lets put the fun back into surfing issue - lead article by John Witzig.
Interview with George Greenough.
Mat Survey.
Pictorial: Nat Young with Pintail and Backhand designs.
Bob Cooper: Toes on Nose,  a return to the fun of nose-riding.
Design: Rooster (Darrell Dell)
1971 Nat Pintail heavily influenced by Joey Cabell (Hawaii) Grey Ghost, this design featured a compressed pintail gun template, 2nd phase concave bottom, soft box rails with a hard edge, large nose lift and a small Greenough single fin.
Early models for Bennett Surfboards, Byron Bay models often featured grey/blue pigment laminate, later Sydney models had sprayed blanks.
These boards were manufactured untill1980.
Film: Morning of the Earth.
Tracks #14 November 1971

Cover: The Search Issue
North Coast Exploration - Retrospective.
Steve Cooney.
Midget Farrelly
Film: Bob Evan's Family Free.
Design: Summer boards, Joe Larkin, John Arnold (SA), Brian McGrigor, Tom Blaxell (WA).
Advertisements: Farrelly Surfboards full page and "pop-out" at $65
Wallace Surfboards "Junior" at $47.50-$50
Skipp Surfboards, Keyo Surfboards, McCoy Surfboards (twin fins), Ron Wade Surfboards,Surf Blanks, Graham King Blanks,


1971 Tracks #15 December
Contests:Second Smirnoff ProAm held in perfect 12ft Sunset, Gavin Rudolf 1st.
Owl Chapman remarks: Tell it how it happened. The contest was crooked!
Interview: Peter French, filmmaker currently touring his film “Sea Dreams”.
Paul Witzig: Sea Dreams review.
Design: Owl Chapman’s 7 Island boards
Terry Fitzgerald’s 1971 Island guns.

News and opinions: Coolite board, corrupt Maroubra beach inspectors, Nat drops out of the contest scene.

Advertising: Waxmate by Surf Research, circa 1971.
Tracks 1971, page 26.

Distributors Wholesale

NOOSA HEADS: phone Surf Research Tewantin 47 1461
BRISBANE: phone Hohensee Surfboards 91 1494

QLD. GOLD COAST: Hohensee Surfboards 2158 Gold Coast Highway, Miami 4220.
N.S.W. NORTH COAST: Surf Research PO Box 44 Bangalow 2479.
SYDNEY: Surf Research phone 919 4580
MELBOURNE: Surf Research phone 98 7325
TORQUAY: Surf Research c/o Post Office Torquay 3228
W.A.: Sommot PO Box 101 Subiaco 6008. Phone 25 6676.

Send 25c for climatised purple square bar to Surf Research, P.O. Box 44
Bangalow. N.S.W. 2479



1972 Tracks #16 January
Cover:  A Conservation Issue.
Interview: Terry Fitzgerald,  Hailewa, and Dick Brewer, MOTE photographs.
Tony Wright: Sunset (beach)
Rusty Miller:Surf Mats
Design: Midget Farrelly Tri-fins;

1972 Tracks #17 February
Alby Thoms: Morning of the Earth  review. .
Alby Falzon modestly explains his choice of surfers - Nat Young, David Treloar, Terry Fizgerald, Michael Peterson, Chris Brock, Rusty Miller, Barry Kanaiaupuni, Gerry Lopez, Stephen Cooney.
Nostalgia is a look back at Australian surfing roots
David Elfick Interview: Bob Evans
News and Opinions: Michael Peterson defends Queensland surfers.
Design:
Bob McTavish:
Rocker and Speed.
1972 Tracks #18 March
Cover story: Trippin'
David Elfick interviews David Treloar
Design: van Straleen foils.
Photographs: Morning of the Earth
Advertisements: William Wallace Surfboards, Wade Surfboards, Platt's Surfwear,
1972 Tracks #20 May
Cover: Paul Nielsen, Pipeline, from the newly released film Oceans by  Rodney Sumpter.
Bells Beach Contest
Interview: Paul Neilsen
Design: Keith Paull, Richard Harvey, Terry Fitzgerald
Sounds: Frank Zappa, Jefferson Airplane, Alison McCallum, Carly Simon, Little Richard
Geoff McCoy and Ron Ford: Hawaii
Ray & Ron ( Aboriginal surfers)
Alby Falzon reviews Rodney Sumpter’s film Oceans.
David Elfick: The Great Ballina Movie Fiasco, a screening (or non-screening) of Morning of the Earth at Ballina Hall.

Our first issue for Winter 1972.
There's lots of reading cause we've gone to 36 pages this time.
There's plenty of news from the Islands with reports from Geoft McCoy and Victor Ford ... a complete review of surf movies  coming  out  this season, Bells, a look at Victoria.
Topic is Living on the Earth, Paul Neilsen tells what it's like to ride Pipeline at 25 feet in the Interview on page 12.
Design looks North and South, there's a feature on aboriginal surfers and lotsa lovely pictures.
 

1972 Tracks #21 June
Alby Falzon: Diary of Michael Peterson’s 1972 Australian Championship
Design:
Michael Petersen is dismissive of the 6’9” board he just won the contest on-
it goes alright but leaves the curl behind and is good for Angourie
.

Steve Cooney's new pintail -
I’m able to turn whenever I need to without breaking the tail out… works well in very fast hollow walls anything above 8’.

Pat Morgan- two new 9’ keel-fin guns for big Bells boomers.
Grant "Dapper"Oliver- Twin Fin
Peter Townsend and Ian Cairns - new designs.
Interview: Andrew McKinnon
Film: David Elfick reviews Five Summer Stories, Oceans, A Sea for Yourself, and Zephyr.
Tracks #22 July 1972

Cover: Kevin Parkinson (South Coast NSW).
Interview: MacGillivray and Freeman on Five Summer Stories.
Design: Bruce Channon, Rodney Judd, Mark Warren, Simon Anderson, Kingsley Kernouske, Kevin Platt.
New Zealand Championships
Articles by Terry Fitzgerald and Phil Jarratt
Cannabis.
John Law: Victoria
Robbie Newman: Porpoises and Dolphins.
Clouds

Movies: Five Summer Stories. The Islands.
Sounds: John J. Francis
1972 
Fins Unlimited: an evolving system

Surfing like everything else is a constantly evolving medium.
During the past 6 years of surfing's evolution, Fins Unlimited has perfected fin systems that have opened new areas of the wave.

After all, the fin is the key.
It holds you in trim, creates a pivot point for turning and affords directional stability and speed.
And what seems more logical than being able to interchange foil design, outline, depth and the flexibility of your board's fin to wave conditions, as well as adjusting fin position forward and aft for fine performance tuning.
For a fin system as variable as the ocean environment, insist on Fins Unlimited, the variable interchangeable fin system.

Cheer Critchlow #6 4A surfer designer has plugged into the evolution of Fins Unlimited.
 Fins Unlimited PO Box 375-F Encinitas California 92024 (???) 753-8847

Surfer
August 1972 v13n3 page 2.


Tracks # 23 August 1972
Cover: Lots of surfing
Contents/Letters: Page 3 features a goofy-foot on a hollow right hander holding a leg-rope with his trailing hand.

Interview: Glen Richie
Kevin Platt
Massage
Jack McCoy: Summer in Hawaii

John Witzig: Fitting out a Kombi van
Sounds: Buffy Sainte-Marie
Design:
Terry Fitzgerald,
Timmy Rogers
Backyard Board Builders
Honeycomb boards by Jick Mebane

Bob McTavish at (Bennett Surfboards)  is shaping parallel plan shape boards for full bank wrap turns sunk to the stringer.
Colin Gow: loose movers built for the tubes of Cronulla Point, Voodoo, and Shark Island.
Film:
Alby Falzon and David Elfick’s new film on George Greenough.
Paul Witzig comments on The Islands, filmed the previous November.
Jack McCoy reviews  Five Summer Stories.

1972 Tracks  #24  September
Cover: Summer Design - the winter that nearly wasn't.
1972 NSW Schoolboys Championships

Interview: Robbie Dick
Building Tips
Conservation
Summer Design:
Kevin Platt, Donnie Alcroft, Darryl Dell, Fly, Bill Cilia, John Arnold, Pat Morgan, Klemm Bell, Cordingly.

Interview: Lindsay Bjerre  (Tamam Shud)
Album Reviews: Aztecs Live at Sunbury, Marc Bolan, Manfred Mann, Al Kooper.
Film Review : The Islands

1972 Tracks  #25  October
Design:
Mike Davis: Speed Boards and Technique.

1972 Tracks  #26  November
World Surfing Championships
Interview: Peter Drouyn
Design: Country Surfboards Haleiwa Hawaii (illustrations), Bob Cooper, Hutcho, Bare Nature.
Advertising:
Shane: Customs from $90, Simmon with one of the shaping ideas (Swallow tail) brought back from the World Contest.
Kenno, Glen, Larry all have their own ideas.
?
1972 Tracks  #26  December
Cover: Noth Shore Report, Paul Neilsen.
Paul Neilsen wins Smirnoff Contest
Film: Five Summer Stories
Design: Nat and Baddy Treloar on Keel fins.
Advertisements: Shane Surfboards
Woody Surfboards (Nowra)



Robert Conneely Surf Shop
2/152 Campbell Parade Bondi Beach
Ph 30-1457

Illustrated:
McCoy,
Spirit of the Sea,
Brad Mayes,
Hayden,
Lightning Bolt,
McTavish.
Also available :
Tom Hoye (W.A.)
San Juan,
 Kenn Surfing.

- Tracks
January 1973, page 24.



Surfblanks

7 Perak Street Mona Vale 2013
Phones: 997-2014
; 919-5319.
 
Exit Shaper Tedium

Surfblanks has a brand new seven foot blank, it's probably the fastest shaping blank in the industry.
Everybody knows that a shaper has to put a lot of time into his surfboards if he wants each one to really work in the water.

Surfblanks thinks that this time should be spent on the finer-details that make or break a good design.
If the shaper has to spend up to'75%. of this time hacking away at a fat bloopy blank shape, chances are by the end of the day his boards are not looking as clean as they did this morning.
It's very obvious too that there have been major changes in surfboard design in the last few months.



Blanks available in lengths of 
5, 6, 7, 8 and 9ft.

The 7ft is available in standard or gun blank.
Tracks #4
January 1973, page 24.
 Decks are flatter, rails lower, noses thicker, and rocker flow is more evenly spread.
These features must be easily extracted from the blank.
Unless the blank has lines that correspond with these new designs, they won't be, and the shaper will knock himself out compensating for the inadequacies.

Surfblanks has a standard seven foot blank that is faster to shape than most any other brand.
The new seven, the one with the gun lines, can be said to be rapid by comparison.
It has all the features mentioned above and is' half an inch thinner through the middle.
As always the foam is clean cutting and does not tear.
The cell size is giving good laminating glass jobs and the density offers strength.
Write in for a free foam sample and current price list.
Please state how many blanks you are interested in.
Surfblanks carries all the materials you'll need for your next board from cloth and resin to squeegies and fin boxes.
The blanks come in sizes five through to nine feet, with a choice of standard and gun seven.


Tracks #25 October 1974
Interview: Nat Young (cover and four more pages).
Sharks
Newcastle Contest
The surf movie business
Snow McAlister on old-fashioned board making
Stevie Wright profile
Full-page Captain Goodvibes `Pig of Steel’ adventure by Tony Edwards.

Tracks  # 26  -  November 1972
1972 World Surfing Championships
Interview with Peter Drouyn
Design - Country Surfboards Haleiwa Hawaii (illustrations), Bob Cooper, Hutcho, Bare Nature.
Ad: Shane "Customs from $90, Simmon with one of the shaping ideas (Swallow tail) brought back from the World Contest. Kenno, Glen, Larry all have their own ideas."
Surfing Magazine  Volume 8 #6  DecJan 1973
The Surf Leash Question?
Tracks  # 26  -  December 1972
Cover Story: Noth Shore report with Paul Neilsen on the cover.
Paul Neilsen wins Smirnoff Contest
Movies: Five Summer Stories
Design: Nat and Baddy Treloar on Keel fins.
Advertisements: Shane Surfboards, Woody Surfboards

Tracks #29 Feb 1973
Contests:
Hang Ten Pro at Sunset Beach by Bernie Baker
Central Coast Pro,  $175 first prize money goes to Andrew McKinnon
Ben Bendall eulogy by “Snow” McAlister.
Design: Timmy Rogers and Ronnie Goddard.
Tony Edwards (pre “Goodvibes”) cartoon on the Bitza page.
Surfing World Volume 16 Number 5 , February 1973.
Interview: Barry Kanaiaupuni, BK, notes 15 year old Mark Richards was riding a twin fin at Rocky Point "He rode exceptionally well . I was really stoked on the way he rode"
Geoff McCoy: 11.30 pm Touchdown, Clunk - zrrrr (Hawaii), McCoy meets BK and picks up BK shaping templates to make the Barry Kanaiaupuni Model here in Australia.
Eastern Winter
Photograph collection:
Tube Shooters.
Review: Greg MacGillivray and Jim Freeman's Five Summer Stories.
Interview: Marastique (surf band)
Centre fold: Ado, he got thru, Burleigh.
Adverting
Rip Curl Inflatable Surf Mat.
Barry Bennett Surfboards: Bob McTavish with his Noosa Shape, Golden Breed, and a George Greenough flex spoon kneeboard.
Shane surfboards
Wallace Surfboards: Frank Latta
.

Tracks # 30 March 1973.
Cover: Interview - Peter Townend
Owl Ripped Expression Session III
The Rolling Stones Tour of Australia
Design:

Page 5.

News and Opinions: Legropes.

Leg-ropes have come in for their fair share of criticism recently.
For example: December 1972 issue of Tracks when John Witzig wrote ". ..or else you have a leg-rope in which case you're stupid".
As two South-East coast surfers who have used leg-ropes in surf up to 8' (and over?) we would like to come to the defence of leg-ropes.
Admittedly leg-ropes are out in BIG surf.
In order to give this issue a fair hearing we have compiled a list of what in our opinion are the advantages and disadvantages of leg-ropes.
Firstly the advantages:
Likelihood of long swims to retrieve board all but done away with; board doesn't get washed onto rocks or into outcoming surfers, therefore less dings all round; danger to swimmers and other surfers diminished greatly and hopefully a reduction in the tension that exists between the public and surfers, concerning the danger of swimmers being hit by an out of control surfboard; less time spent retrieving board therefore more waves to be had; less chance of :rips, etc, taking your board out to sea and finally having the assurance that a long swim is not necessarily imminent gives the surfer the encouragement to attempt more radical manoeuvres.
Not wanting to seem prejudiced against those so-called "hotties" who don't wear leg-ropes we now put forward the leg-ropes' disadvantages:
possibility of rope ripping into board; rope can get tangled around leg, arm, neck, etc and thus cause bodily harm though we must say such occurrences are, to our knowledge, extremely rare and there is also a school of thought that feels that leg-ropes can cramp or hinder a surfer's style from the psychological angle.
It seems so obvious to us and we hope to John Witzig from the above arguments that the advantages of a properly fitted leg-rop outweigh the disadvantages and we would like to say to all those surfers who don't wear leg-ropes that's OK with us as it means that while you're swimming for your board we can have those waves you're missing.
Geoff and Brian,
Lakes Entrance.


Image right:
Rick Neilsen into leg-ropes. 

Tracks, March 1973, page 5.
Photographer: Unaccredited 
(possibly Burleigh Heads).


1972  Keel Fin a long base shallow depth, 12" x 5", fin usually fitted to a plus 7 ft gun pintail shape.
Emphasis was on high speed stability and increasing length of turns, particularly in long walls. for example Bells Beach.
Pat Morgan Surfboards designs for Wayne Lynch and Nat Young.
See #336.

Example on display Yamba Hotel, Yamba NSW. Reported by Ken Grieves, with thanks.

Film :  Crystal Voyager -features  Nat Young riding an 8ft Pat Morgan Surfboards Pintail, green laminate with long base Keel fin.

Morgan  also experimented  with the Keel fin in a Twin fin format.
Image right: Pat Morgan and Twin Keel Swallowtail.
(Victorian) Design, Tracks, March 1973, page 27.
Twin Keel.
Length: 6ft 2ins.
Width: 20ins.
Keel sizes length: 11 ins, height: 5 ins.
Flat area around fin sections - some tail lift - Rolled bottom. 
Handles super well in waves up to 7ft. 
Over that try a gun keel.


Kentucky Fried Chicken surfboard, which was only available during two six week promos; one in 1973 and again in 1975.
Originally cost $5 when purchased with a bucket of chicken.

Overall height is a little over 4'.


1972 Nat Backhand a shortened and squared version of Nat Young’s pintail design with asymmetric rails and a chamfered pod. F Morning of the Earth, opening Victoria sequence.

1972-1973  The SLSA contines to use the hollow plywood paddleboards for competition and rescue work.

Image right:
"Brett Norton-Smith moved from Northcliff to Burnie.
Pictured after winning Gold in the National Longboard Relay at Blacksmith's Beach in 1972-73."

Knight: History of SLS Tasmania (2006) page ?


1973 Winged Pin early use of flyer/wing feature, probably designed by Brunker Spreckles (Hawaii), in conjunction with Dick Brewer (Hawaii) gun templates and rigid wide base fins by Terry Fizgerald at his Hot Buttered Surfboards. Early models were highly prized as much for the spray art, notably by Martin Worthington, as for performance. Also winged swallow. ANMM #00001490 and #00001327
Surfworld # 
1973 Hollow Wave moulded epoxy honeycomb skin hollow board designed by Karl Pope (USA), continuing the development of the Morey-Pope Co. Nineteen models in various colours and tail shapes from 5 ft 10" to 7 ft 10". Australian use by Peter Townend.
1973

Corky Caroll: The Surf Leash Question, the beginnings of the leg rope. 
Surfing (USA)

1973
The Campbell Brothers came to international attention in 1972, when they introduced their highly variant three-finned, concave-tailed Bonzer in the American surfing press.
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Surfer ,October/November 1977.
Tracks # 31, April 1973.

Cover: Owl Ripped Expression Session III
No Pants Mance
Lightning Bolt Photo Comp
 Bob McTavish: Pods For Primates - a personal history of surfboard design.
Design: Brian Cregan, John Otten (McCoy?)
David Elfick: Hot Buttered Sprays

Tracks #33 June 1973

David Elfick: Nimbin
Interview: Richard Harvey, current Australian champion.
Photographs:  Frank Pithers featuring Stephen Cooney
Alby Falzon: The More the Power Grinds Over Your Head the Less That Lands on Top of You - images of Nat and George from Crystal Voyager.
Glen Woodward: Recycle
Advertising:
Wade Surfboards Ted Spencer model.
McCoy Surfboards Reno Abelliro swallow tails
Crozier Surboards and Kneeboards by Peter Crawford
Surfblanks
Shane Surfboards, featuring Richard Harvey, 1st at Australian Titles, Margret River, WA.
Gordon and Smith Surfboards, featuring Peter Townend, 2nd at Australian Titles, Margaret River, WA.
Rip Curl Wetsuits
(Design: Ted Spencers new board and Reno Abelliro’s island quiver?)
Captain Goodvibes (Number 2?)
Movies: A Winters Tale and Rod Sumpter's Reflections
Tracks #34 July 1973

Interview: Byrne Brtothers (Phil, Dave and Chris) of Wollongong.
Alby Falzon: images of Nat, Richie West and George from Crystal Voyager.
Captain Goodvibes (Number 3, double page)
Advertising:
O'Neill Wetsuits
Rip Curl Wetsuits
American Surfer Wetsuits, Manly
Wallace Surfboards and "Freedom Skis", Hastings Street Noosa Heads, recent move from Brookvale
Kevin Platt Surfboards, Box 12 PO Noosa Heads, Queensland, featuring Swallow tail and Fish models.

Tracks #35 August 1973
Dion surfboard blanks:
4" thick 22" wide and in lengths of 8ft 3", 7ft 8", 7ft 2", 6ft 4" and 5ft 9".

Wallace Surfboards: For Sale

John Witzig: The Eclipse of Brookvale, page 6.





Page 26: Howard Owen got this great water shot of Keith Paull when all those
south ground swells were around a couple of weeks ago.
How far can a lip throw?

Surfer Volume 14 Number 3, September 1973.
Page 85: Pipeline.

SURFIN' AROUND

Imaginative Tom Morey dropped in with a prototype for a new water toy he's developed.
It's a flexible, semi-in­flatable, closed cell, lite weight, hi-density, rotationally molded surf form.
You can bend it, shove it, slide it, hop it, twist it.
Says Tom, "the game is not how fast you go; it's the sensations of movement."
It's shaped kinda like a knee board with hard low rails, and you can ride waves with it that weren't possible on conventional rigid-forms; i.e., gnarly shore pounds, rocky breaks, etc.
How radical can you get with it?
Morey replies, "like with a pen or pen­cil - a kid will scribble, a master will create art."
How do you surf it?
"You boogie."
And that's gonna be its name.

Floyd and Linda Smith have opened a new San Diego eatery called Floyd Smith's Eating and Drinking Pub.
Sounds like a bit of Aussie influence in there.
Good food and drink; try 'em!

New from Con Colburn's Con­trol Products, the Sunshine Glass Kit, a surfboard patching kit of pre-resin impregnated cloth that goes off in the sun.
Sounds handy for traveling surfers and balsa board owners.
Patching time takes only minutes, with no mess or hassle.
Con also reports that Jim Blears and George Downing rode 15' point Makaha with Con's ankle leash unit with no sweat!
Possibly a first for a leash in really big surf.


See1973 Jim Neece : Duncan and Malcom Cambell's Bonzer.

Tracks  #37 October 1973
Cover: Survival Issue- Wayne Lynch photograph
Articles:
Dick Hoole & Jack McCoy- Survival on the North Shore
Bob McTavish- The Bible
Leg ropes
Tony Edwards- Captain Goodvibes
Design: Swallow Tails - are they better?
Interview - Grant Dwyer & Mark Campbell
Advertising:
Albert Falzon and George Greenough’s Crystal Voyager
Morning Star Surfboards
Keyo Surfboards

Tracks #38  November 1973
Cover: Tubes - George Greenough photograph
Articles:
Tubes- George Greenough, Peter Crawford, Colin Smith, Ron Ware, Baddy Treloar, Bob McTavish
North Shore
Makaha
Bali
Hang-gliding
Tony Edwards- Cosmic tube art
Page 27 Worth Catching- O'Neill Webbed Gloves

Design:
George Greenough’s Spoon kneeboard
Peter Crawford Slab
Geoff McCoy on swallowtails and boards for Hawaii.
 
Advertisements:
Harmony Surfboards, Kirra, featuring Keith Paul and Michael Peterson.
Wade, Van Straalen, Morning Star, McGrigor, and McCoy Surfboards
Films: A Winter’s Tale, Crystal Voyager 
Keith Paull - Tight and Secure with Surf Cord

Photo: Keith Paull with Surf Cord, Burleigh Heads
Page 26

Delux Cord $7


Surf Plug $1.50

Surf Cord
6ft and Under $5.50

Surf Aids
Surf Cord
PO Box 88
Byron Bay 2481
 

Tracks #39 December 1973.
Cover: Crystal Voyager Special Issue.
Contests: Ian Cairns wins the $5000 Smirnoff pro Contest, despite having 15 stitches in his leg.
Amateur section  won by Michael Ho, with Mark Richards second
Interview: David Trealor
Articles:
Crystal Voyager- 6 pages
Bob Evans- Into the Unknown Part 1 (Worldwide surfari)
Tony Edwards- Captain Goodvibes goes to Hawaii
Mats
Advertisements for:
McGrigor Surfboards
David Trealor, Barry Knight, Frank Latta, Steve o'Donnell.
Wade Surfboards, Mona Vale, Rounded pins, Flyers, Swallow tails.
Kevin Platt Surfboards
PO Box Noosa Heads, Michael Cundith, Swallow tails, Lightning Bolt graphic.
Chris Crozier Surfboards, Mona Vale
Pipeliner Surfboards (note - about 5ft 4'')
Morning Star Surfboards, 10 Garden Street, Narrabeen.
Surfmats by O'Neill and Rip Curl.

Surfing Magazine  Volume 8 #6  DecJan 1973
The Surf Leash Question?

Tracks October 1974 Number 49.
Cover story: The Definitive Nat Young.
Photograph (cropped) by Ian Steed.


1974 Hawaiian Speed Shapes adopted by Australian manufacturers, models by Reno Abelleira and Barry Kana (McCoy Surfboards), Jeff Hakman and Gerry Lopez (Bennett Surfboards). Lightning Bolt graphics appear on all shapes and brands much to the licence holders displeasure.

1974 Fang Tail multi pointed tail using flyers set behind the fin by Nick Daly at Henri Surfboards. Similar in design to the less common Bat tail. 

surfresearch.com.au
home catalogue history references appendix

Geoff Cater (1999-2022) : Streaks and Slugs 1971-1974.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1972_Streaks_and_Slugs.html