Tag: carl ekstrom

Social Media Roundup: May 2019

You know the drill, Shredderz! See below for a selection of some of my favorite social media posts over the past month or so.

This is the only example of a Hakman / Parrish laminate that I have seen. Wish I knew more about the board but it’s gorgeous. Lately I’ve become more interested in Tom Parrish’s career — even more so after reading his Encyclopedia of Surfing entry, which mentions how Parrish became a lawyer in the Eighties. Photo at the top of the page features Hakman on a Parrish shape; photo is courtesy of the excellent Lyttle Street blog.

I haven’t seen Buggs’ collection myself, but judging by what he posts, both on Instagram and Surfboardline.com (which sadly appears to be down right now), it’s filled with gems. If you the photo above doesn’t immediately make you bring your phone within two inches of your face and start frantically zooming in, then I might not be able to help you.

Pictured above is one of my favorite boards that I have seen online: an all original Jeff Ho / Zephyr surfboard with some incredible colors. Apparently the owner was able to snag this for a song, too.

Here’s Carl Ekstrom, the creator of the asymmetrical surfboard, posing alongside a newer shape via Ryan Lovelace, on a fancy new Varial Foam blank, too. I love it when surfboard design comes full circle like this.

Social Media Roundup: March Madness

Aloha, Shredderz! This entry is being written from beautiful Hawaii. More on that later! In the meantime, enjoy a selection of some recent social media posts from the wonderful world of vintage surfboards.

I’ve posted many of Jimmy Metyko’s photos, and as long as he keeps publishing great ones, I don’t see any reason to stop! Metyko’s photographs documented the Santa Barbara surf scene during Tom Curren’s rise, and the results are amazing. Here’s a shot of Al Merrick posing alongside two of his creations. This must have been sometime during the early to mid Eighties, given the thruster and the twin fin, and I like how the photo gives a clear idea of the rocker on both shapes.

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The name Fletcher means “arrow maker.” As with everything in life, there are times when you’ll make a u-turn and be led into the wrong way. But I think, overall, I’ve been pointed towards the right direction ——————————————————————————— (📷: Flame) #astrodeck #theoriginator #since1976 #wavewarriors #adrenalinesurfseries #thethrillisback #sideslipboogie #surfhistory #surffilm #fletcherdna #genepoolofcool #herbiefletcher #dibifletcher #artist #inventor #performanceart #wrecktangles #wallofdisaster #archipelagos #bloodwaterseries #thebiglick #caseofarrows #rvca #rvcasurf #flame #tbt @dibifletcher @astrodeck @wavewarriors @fletcherdna @rvca @rvcasurf @surfer_magazine

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Here’s a great photo of Herbie Fletcher taken by the late, great Larry “Flame” Moore. I love that Fletcher is putting one of his surfboards on a rail. There’s also some great trivia, which I had never realized before: Fletcher means arrow maker, hence the arrow logo on Herbie’s shapes!

Here’s a killer shot of Carl Ekstrom taken by Jon Foster. I was actually shocked when I read the caption — I just assumed this photo was far more recent than forty three years ago! Ekstrom is widely credited with inventing the asymmetrical surfboard back in the Sixties. Most recently Ekstrom has been collaborating with Ryan Burch. I’d love to know the back story behind the board featured in Foster’s photo! The photo at the top of the page features Carl Ekstrom posing next to one of his asymmetrical designs in the Sixties, and was originally found on the San Diego Reader website.

Last but not least, here’s Skip Frye posing alongside one of his signature fishes. How about that killer airbrush!

Grab Bag: October’s Very Own

Greetings, Shredderz! Today we have another installment of the not-quite famous Grab Bag, where we highlight a selection of boards currently for sale on the internet. Act quick because some of these deals go fast.

Rick Mid Length Hull (Craigslist – Ventura)

Rick Surfboards Mid Length Hull.jpgRemarkably, this bad boy is only $350. I’m shocked that it has lasted this long. The fin box could be dicey and there’s also what looks to be an old repair on the tail, but I think this thing is so sweet. I’m wondering if it’s shaped by Phil Becker, but it’s impossible to tell from the pics. I believe this is being sold by Eric at ChubbySurf.com.

Weber Single Fin (eBay)

Weber Single Fin 1This is the same board featured at the top of the page. This bad boy is clean and mean! I can’t get enough of the pin lines. Am I crazy or is this priced to move at $399? Maybe I’m missing something but it seems like a reasonable deal for a beautiful board in great condition.

Carl Ekstrom Sixties Log (Craigslist – San Diego)

Carl Ekstrom Longboard.jpgIs this considered cheating, considering I featured this board on my Instagram the other day? Either way, I can’t help but admire this bad boy. I’ve quietly been geeking out on Ekstrom’s boards for a bit now. He seems like he was way ahead of his time on certain designs, such as the asymmetrical tails that are now being popularized by the likes of fellow San Diego foam mower Ryan Burch. Richard Kenvin of Hydrodynamica fame has also expressed admiration for Ekstrom’s designs. The board is listed at $1,400, which isn’t cheap, but it’s not easy to find fifty year old boards in great shape.

Hawk Single Fin (Cragislist – Orange County)

Hawk Single Fin.jpgAccording to the seller this was a Sam Hawk shape. I can’t recall whether or not Chris Hawk also shaped boards under this label. I think it’s overpriced at $400 considering the condition, but I still dig the board. It also comes with an absolutely killer fin that probably makes up a good $100 – $150 of the overall cost.