Greetings, Shredderz! Welcome to the latest installment of the Weekend Grab Bag. We’ve got a few killer sledz for you today, including a couple of interesting Phil Becker surfboards (RIP). Per Grab Bag rules, all boards are currently listed for sale as of the time the blog post was published.

10’1 Phil Becker Improvisor (Craigslist Orange County)

Here is a modern reissue of Dru Harrison’s Improvisor Model, which was originally released by Rick Surfboards during the 60s. The high density foam wedge stringer is very similar to original Improvisor Models I have seen. I am almost certain Becker designed the original Improvisor, and continued to produce versions of it long after Rick Surfboards. The board’s seller told me this might have been shaped during the 80s but I can’t confirm it either way.

Ocean Quality Phil Becker Swallow Tail Single Fin (Craigslist Orange County)

I’ve seen Phil Becker surfboards shaped under a variety of labels: Rick Surfboards, Becker Surf, Natural Progression, unbranded boards, Sunline and Honolulu, to name most of them. This is the first and only example of a Becker I’ve seen under the Ocean Quality label. The other interesting thing about the board is its low number (#2). I’ve read that Becker numbered his boards sequentially by calendar year, meaning the board above was the second board shaped one year during the 70s. I cringe at the dual leash cups that look to have been added after the fact, but overall the board is a cool and unusual shape from Becker’s prolific career.

There’s a Phil Becker single fin shaped under the Kanoa Surf label, which is listed for sale here. It’s a gorgeous board; a shame the seller didn’t take more photos of it.

9’9″ Ryan Lovelace Thick Lizzy (Craigslist Orange County)

Ryan Lovelace shapes some gorgeous boards, and the Thick Lizzy pictured above is no exception. I love the colors on it. Lovelace is one of the few board builders who shapes every single one of his creations by hand from start to finish, which you have to respect.

Odds & Ends

• John Kies Longboard (Craigslist Orange County): The pics on the listing aren’t great, but a John Kies longboard in great shape for $250 strikes me as a fantastic deal. I haven’t seen the board in person, so buyer beware, but it’s promising.
• Tyler Surfboards Craftsman Longboard (Craigslist Santa Cruz): Tyler glasses all of his Craftsman edition boards, and this one is a beautiful example.
• Tom Parrish Lightning Bolt 70s Single Fin (Craigslist Hawaii): I love the Parrish logo that appears on the deck towards the tail. I don’t know that the condition of the board justifies the price, but I love these Tom Parrish Bolts.