Back in 1967 most boards averaged 9'8", fat round rails belly bottoms, skegs not fins, no edge, and rocker was a minimal thought. Kids revolted and began lopping off chunks of their boards. They found, turning, lip riding and reacting fast on a wave was as much or more fun than perching on the nose with your hands at your side. During this revolution Mike Hynson was working on down rails, soon Brewer was working on rolled edges, Mctavish was using V bottoms and hips, boards were being sawed off not by inches but by feet (sorry collector dudes). It didn't take long for the production houses in Cali to come out with there own "Models" trying to catch up with what was going on in the garages and backyards of a then stagnant and boring design modus. Their only option was chopping off tail sections of antiquated longboard blanks , these were crude but the materials and blanks were all they had to work with. All the same the 8'8" to 8'10 " board was a soon forgotten cog in the evolution (deevolution of board sizes) new standards were soon found ; the 6'6" the 6'8" , down to the 5' range and on to the tri fin. Before to long surfboard design had found a new plateau. The longboard has returned, many modernized with lighter materials better rockers, better rails, even some of the retroites unbeknownst to them are riding a far superior product...... • My case; You HAVE to try the OS (Original Shortboard) or as some call it the Mini Longboard. It has modern rails (down rolled, edges in tail) the core blank has a rocker designed for its size, something that was sorely missing the first time around, light finish materials can top off the experience. Hey go fast again. Find out what David Achong did, A letter from Dave
 |
I trust everybody is ok and your are well into planning you and Debs' ***** a go go for the end of the month. Got something to share with you. Check it out and pass it on to Tommy for me please..It is my wish that you can get to experience a swell here in ***** like we have had for the past 3 days. The memories of the waves of yesterday are going to stay with me forever. Beyond magazeen.
Today it dropped a bit and was less consistent, so I went out with the Mini Longboard, that extraordinary piece of magic you left here with me. Now Pete, this board is some kind of wave magnet, as it was only shoulder high when I paddled out across the reef. By the time I got out the waves had doubled in size, and I thought ,"it's Brewer time again", but decided to see how well this board would work in really serious double overhead surf. Pete, I don't think you nor Tommy could have envisioned just how extremely well this board performs in large surf, so here is one sequence: I take off behind the peak of a wide swinging 5fter and turn at the top and come down with the curtain, completely blinded by foam, at the bottom I wipe my eyes and see where I need to go, and I point and project to come around exploding white water, and I make it , just. Now there is this forming barrel, way over my head, and the only way to not get pulverized, is, to get in. So I kick the tail real hard, and load the rail and point , but I am accelerating too fast(the length) and heading for the ceiling, so I crouch, lean forward, and grab the inside rail by the nose with my left hand to pull it down and reset my line.It was like the board not only "sensed" what needed to be done but communicated the promise that it could be done and the result was pure magic.I was locked in for at least 10-15 ft. . on a line that made it possible to burst through before the barrel compressed , and get back on the wall. I swear, while it seemed that time had stopped, this all happened in a dozen heartbeats. I will never forget that wave , that moment and that board. Thanks guys, with all my heart. So Pete, I ain't nineteen no more but I got 8 hours in the past two days and I am feeling it. Some of those waves yesterday were hitting us like trucks, and there was some damage done. Boards broken and near drownings, but thank God everyone survived their sessions. Everyone gratefully so. As I sit here writing , it is still exploding out in the bay below me. Deep thumps and long, loud roars. Hope you guys had some equally good sessions of good consistent waves.
Well, I hear my pillows calling. Give my love to the family, and regards and best wishes to Rich; Tommy and the crew. Ah gone.Davo.