surfresearch.com.au    glossary : s

Initially derived from a Joey Cabell design, it developed at the Noosa sessions late 1965 with George Greenough, Bob McTavish, Russell Hughes and Bob Cooper, based at Hayden Kenny Surfboards, and subsequently Cord Surfboards, Alexandria Headlands.

Many Australian designers were producing similar designs – all of those mentioned above and Midget Farrelly (see Stringerless model), Keith Paull, Bobby Brown, Peter Drouyn, and others; but Nat Young’s win saw the design exposed internationally as well as becoming the accepted common design in Australia.

Since the design directly preceded the sub 9ft Vee-bottom design, it is now considered the last of the original Malibus/Longboards.

Design known in New Zealand as a Thin Rail.

Not to be confused with a Mid 1980's Modern Malibu design by Nat Young featured a Sam - an old friend decal, manufactured by Mike Davis Surfboards, Kiama.
References
Nat Young ‘Nat’s Nat and that’s that’ 1998 pp 110 to 145.
McGillvary and Freeman : Free and Easy,1967.
Keyo example #36

Ski model name, originally 1968 round/rounded pin tail  Tracker  type design by Nat Young, about 7 ft 10” for Weber Surfboards (USA). Keyo Surfboards was Nat’s Australian manufacturer.

Slipcheck / Grip Feet  Aerosol spray wax alternative developed by Tom Morey and Karl Pope at the innovative Morey-Pope Co. (USA) in 1965 following the popular success of Tom Morey’s Noseriding contest at Ventura. Initially only available in white (see below), it was later marketed in a wide range of colours. The most popular use was a white nose patch (tip to sweet spot). See Tom Morey's Noseriding Contest 1965 Grip Feet was a (possible) Australian variation. Noted in a Surfing World - Surfabout magazine advertisment, circa 1965... Nose ride graphic and address 53 Bay Road, Taren Point, Phone 525-0795

2. SLIPCHECK.  A fine textured coating for the nose or tail of your board which is so firm when wet it completely eliminates slipping.  Apply SLIPCHECK once, touch up occasionally.  For sale in white only.  One can, $3.50, is more than enough for initial coat plus touch ups.  Include 40c postage and tax with your order.

Morey-Pope Slipcheck Advertisement, featuring David Nuuihwa. Surfer Magazine circa 1967.

Originally used in laminated solid wood boards after WW I to maintain strength while incorporating lighter timbers such as balsa, see Pacific Homes Systems Swastika model.

With the initial  introduction of fibreglass and resin, stringers were not considered essential in an all balsa wood blank.

In 1953, stringer use was detailed in the construction of a polystyrene foam board. The blank was first covered in muslin cloth and a plastic sealer, before being  laminated with resin and fibreglass cloth.
See... Bill Reid : "Fun on a Plastic Surfboard"
Popular Mechanics Magazine July 1953 Volume 100 Number 1 pages 157 - 159

Early polyester foam experiments were probably subject to snapping, as well as a multitude of other structural and production difficulties.
Note an alternative explanation, discussed below, by Matt Warshaw, 2005, page 566.

Circa 1957-1958 the inserting of a timber stringer, as pioneered by Pacific Homes Systems, reappeared to give the board lateral strength.
Matt Warshaw, 2005, indicates the reason was "a way to remove flex", page 566.

Since early foam blanks often had many surface defects, these were covered by a solid colour gel coat.
Identification of stringer use in examples of coloured foam boards of the period can be difficult.

The use of the timber stringer in foam boards has been credited to Hobie Alter, circa 1957, and Gordon Duane, circa 1958.

Phil Edwards' (1966)  account of experiments by Hobie Alter and Gordon Clark in foam production (in the late 1950's?) notes ...               "Finally , they came upon the idea of molding the boards

Scott Hulet notes a claim by Hobie Alter for the "first use of wooden stringers in a foam blank (1957)"
See Scott Hulet : "In Trim : Hobie Alter",
Longboard Magazine, Volume 5, Number 4 August 1997, page 43.

Matt Warshaw, 2005, in his entry for stringer, page 566, states it...

The contending claims are difficult to assess.
Hobie Altter and Phil Edwards (a Hobie employee) are not totally independent sources and  Warshaw, 2005, does not cite his source.
It is difficult to conceive of what type of evidence would be satisfactory to confirm or deny either (or any alternative) claim.
Furthermore, the claim that this development was a new "invention" is questionable, it appears rather the application of a previous design to a new material.
Hobie Alter, Duane Gordon, Dale Velsey, Gordon Clark and Harold Walker would have all been familiar with the Pacific Systems Homes models, circa 1920 to 1945. (Note top photograph,  Edwards, 1966, page 27.) and the potential influence of the widely ciculated Popular Mechanics article of 1953, see above, cannot de dismissed

In Australia, Scott Dillon has reported (personal interview, 1999) circa 1959, that some blanks were moulded too narrow, so the width was increased  with the insertion of a 2 inch wide balsa stringer.
One example of the period has been noted - Catalogue #85.???
This may be an echo from a similar account by Hobie Alter in 1997,  see Scott Hulet : "In Trim : Hobie Alter",
Longboard Magazine, Volume 5, Number 4 August 1997, page 47.

An important advantage of a stringer is that it provides the shaper and the glasser/decorator a line of symmetry on the all white blank.
Shapers of stringerless boards of the late 1960's found the lack of a stringer a problem.
The coloured resin glue line was a  possible compromise.

Many post-foam balsa boards have adopted, perhaps unnecessarily, stringer use.

Multi-stringer placement can be used to balance the board and stringers are invariably attractive.

Surf Romantics have been known to view the timber stringer in their modern foam boards as an historical remnant from ancient Hawaiian solid wood surfboards.

See also foam stringer, glue line, T Band, stringerless.
Also see Stringer Index

Note : This entry was updated April 2005 in response to an email from Jeff...
Amigo,
 You must research your history on the stringer better.
Hobie stole the stringer  idea, as well as Velzy, form Duane, Gordon of Gordie surfboards (est 1956).
Clearly most reputable surf history books and peoples will tell you that Gordie, of Huntington Beach, Ca, did, in fact, invent the stringer for use in foam boards.
Please research and confirm, and then change your information that is posted under 'stringer' on your website.
 Thank you and aloha,
 Jeff

Surf Permit / registration sticker  circular vinyl sticker (usually white, indicating council area, year by date and print colour, and stamped serial number) issued by Sydney beach side councils 1962 – 1968 as a reaction to public concerns about safety.  Valid only for the beaches of the issuing council and policed by beach inspectors and surf club members (sometimes resulting in confiscation) the system was reviled by boardriders. Perversely the stickers are now highly prized by surfboard collectors. A similar system was in use in the US at this time. Circa 1969 a similar design Surfcraft Permit was used to identify members of N.S.W. Surfriders Association. PO Box A162 Sydney South  eg, San Juan board circa 1969, Permit No:1141 in Blue and white.

Surfoplane / Mat : Inflatable rubber mat with molded handles was invented by a Sydney doctor in 1933, Dr Ernest Smithers of Bronte NSW, who worked for eight years to develop it.  Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, his friend was a proprietor of the invention. (Thanks to Alison Lee, see email below.)

The contribution of this design to moderm surfing is immense. In Australia it was used extensively by all types of beach-goers and was the basis for juvinile surfers to gain surf experience before advancing to surfboards - for example, four times world champion, Mark Richards ( Knox : M.R. pages 6 to 8, 14 and 16). The Surfoplane had similar impact around the world, photographic and text evidence suggests the craft was widely used in New Zealand, Hawaii, California, South Africa and England.

The Surfoplane would be superceded in the 1970's by the..
Coolite
Zippy Board , and/or the
Canvas Mat.
COMMENTS
Performance : The Surfoplane had high bouyancy, but were relatively heavy and stiff, unlike the craft that replaced them. This combination of features assisted both getting through the surf and wave riding.
Examples : The nature of the rubber used in the Surfoplane meant that if it was not constantly inflated they would bond internally, and become useless. As a result, it appears few have survived to the present day. One blue/yellow example is held by the Penisular Surf Centre, Victoria. Thanks to Ted Bainbridge.

SURFER Volume 13#Number 3 September 1972
Bill Hamilton & Gerry Lopez: Ben, page 88 .
Article on Ben AIPA by ..in which the first SWALLOW TAIL is sited in SURFER mag, although strangley not talked about at all.

2/there are NO Swallowtails in Mote..definately after 71,this sept72 mag was probably outlayed in June/July so this very early picture of key swallow tail exponent Ben Aipa was likely taken just before then. Keep in mind that Terry Fitz would have 'for sure' taken it on if it had been touted about in the previous Hawaiian winter, only months before.(tri fins were the rage at this time)  By the time this mag came out Fitz would have kicked off Hot Buttered..if memory serves TF has been noted as saying his first flyers were later that year, 72. So when did the swallow kick off here???. Surfer mag doesn't really show adverts of swallows until  the following year march 1973 (which is to say images might be captured 3 months earlier)..and in Australian mags,there are possible glimpses and guestimates but NO ads for swallow tails until 74?? I remember Reno Aberllira having great influence with his swallows in oZ via McCoy post 'Rolling Home'. And with McCoy, swallows were before flyers.But it would seem with Hot Buttered it was the other way round. Anyway, either way you look at it swallows didn't take off until 73/74 a good 1>2 years after it first appeared in this mag!

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