Introduction
An extended account of the development of the Aweselator, originating with Dale Vezy's Bump Board, circa 1965?
In an article otherwise light on technical details, Chris Ahrens is fixated on 360 degree turns as the ultimate manoeuvre.
In 1994 Ahrens published a collection of surf stories as Good Things Love Water, followed by Joyrides in 1999 and Kelea's Gift in 2001.

Also in this edition a full page advertisement for Saffrons Boardshorts features Bob McTavish standing with his electric planer in a field of plywood templates, and a couple of finished boards..
Paul Holmes  reports on the Newcastle Contest  and interviews the contest director and winner, Rodger Clements.
The comprehensive four page Lift-out Surfboard Buyers' Guide Summer '77-'78 records 41 manufactures in  NSW, 8 in Queensland, 9 in  Victoria, 7 in WA, 1 in SA and 2 in Tasmania.
Bennett Surfboards is the only surviving member of the Brookvale Six.
Advertisements include the short lived Gull Surfboards (Botany) and Byron Bay's East Cape Surfboards.
Simon Anderson at Energy Surfboards features in the four page colour centrefold for Crystal Cylinders clothing.

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Page 10

The Aweselator (A Board for all reasons) by Chris Ahrens I have not put pen to paper in honour of California for a long time. I've lived here all my life. I've seen us the best, worst, and everything in between. It's been about five years since I've felt what I again feel. I guess it's called local pride ... This summer I have not only seen some world class surfing, but have been involved in the development of one of the best boards ever under foot. It's not the ultimate surfboard, just a step in that direction. It started 12 years ago, in Dale Velzy's shop. He had a board that he wanted me to try. He said, "It turns better, and goes faster than anything you've ever ridden". I rode that board and he was right!

I have not put pen to paper in honour of California for a long time.
I've lived here all my life.
I've seen us the best, worst, and everything in between.
It's been about five years since I've felt what I again feel.
I guess it's called local pride ...

This summer I have not only seen some world class surfing, but have been involved in the development of one of the best boards ever under foot.
It's not the ultimate surfboard, just a step in that direction.
It started 12 years ago, in Dale Velzy's shop.
He had a board that he wanted me to try.
He said, "It turns better, and goes faster than anything you've ever ridden".
I rode that board and he was right!

Velzy was getting out of surfing at the time, and his advancement was never presented to the surfing public.
I dreamed about that board for years.
In a recent interview, I asked him about a board for doing 360s.
"You can do it on a bump board now", was his reply.
Here's a guy who was selling 7'11"s in 1960, made a stinger in 1964, and invented the noserider.
When he talks I listen.

I talked to a lot of shapers about developing the Bump Board, and met with much skepticism.
I told my good friend Michael Willis about it.
He and Steve Mathias had already made one, but didn't make it correctly, and gave up temporarily.
Willis saw the possibilities, and went for it.
I clued him in on the tails, and he put a chine in the rails.
He combined years of modern surfboard technology with Velzy's concept, and came up with the Aweselator.

One night I got a phone call.
"The Aweselator's a success!
The best board I ever rode! I almost did a 360 on it!"
Fifteen years of surfing has made me a bit of a skeptic, but I tried it!
I am not a candidate for the 360, just an above average surfer, but I tried it.
I rode it in lefts.
It turned easier, was more forgiving and definitely faster.
I was ready to call the Aweselator a success.
The next day I rode good Swamis, (familiar rights).
The board took off.
It was more than just "better".
It was night and day.
It was much higher off the lip, turned easier, deeper, and with a wider radius (closer to 360s), and came from behind like no board I have ever tried.

Since then I have talked to 15 or more surfers who have ridden the Aweselator.
Most said that it was the best board they'd ever ridden.
I will go on record as saying that I won't ride anything else until the next evolutionary step comes along, which it will. I'd love to see Rabbit, P.T. or Mark Richards on one.
I think they would make 360s as common as cutbacks (for them).
It is time for the surfboard to catch up with what the surfer is attempting to do.
The Aweselator has done just that.
Van Stralen, Mctavish, Fitz, I invite you to incorporate this design on what you are now shaping.
They work on any type of board!
Here's how to make them:
Tail Parallel.
Breaking point 17in. up from tail (can vary) I use a square tail to compensate for less tail area.
I also keep them thicker in the tail.
Exaggerated diamonds, and shallow swallows also work well.
Chine rails run from tail to about 6 in. past the breaking point.
(The chine is an advancement, but this outline is proven with all kinds of rails).

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Page 40  East Cape Surf Shop

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Tracks Number 84 October 1977. Page 6 Bob McTavish, electric planer and plywood templates. Saffrons Boardshorts $7.99

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