That’s right, folks: it’s Thursday, and Sagas of Shred keeps rolling along. Today we have another ad from an issue of Surfer Magazine from the 1960s, featuring classic surfwear brand Hang Ten. To be honest, it was only recently that I realized that Hang Ten’s history went back so far. Sadly, Hang Ten was purchased by some faceless conglomerate a few years ago, and today it churns out uninspired interpretations of California cliches. But I digress. In contrast, the Hang Ten ad pictured above is completely bitchin’. It features three of the greatest shapers of the 1960s, all of whom have gone on to become boldfaced names in the world of surfing: Bing Copeland, Hobie Alter and Dewey Weber (and of course, all three shapers’ respective better halves).
I love that all the shapers are posing alongside some of their creations. Weber’s board, in particular, looks enticing. I’m guessing it’s some sort of big-wave gun, whereas Bing and Hobie both have longboards that look like pretty standard issue for the 1960s. Weber’s board looks like it has to be at least 10′ in length, and the pintail stands in stark contrast to the wide-hipped Hobie and Bing examples.
One common pattern in these vintage ads is the unusual amount of crossover. For example, you would never see a Hurley ad running today featuring Jon Pyzel, Matt Biolos and Hayden Cox (least of all because the latter two gentlemen also sell clothing themselves). I suppose this was a byproduct of the tight-knit surfing scene in the 1960s, when it had yet to become a global multi-billion dollar industry. I wouldn’t go as far as to say the Olden Days were better — after all, forty years from now, someone is going to be waxing nostalgic about the world before Kelly’s Wave Pool took over the world — but there’s an undeniable sense of optimism in many of these early surf advertisements.
As always, thank you for reading, and tune in next week for another installment of Sagas of Shred!
Greetings, Shredderz! Here at Shred Sledz HQ we like to think of ourselves as equal opportunity surfboard enthusiasts. Stoke levels remain high for all kinds of vintage surfboards, ranging from underground Santa Cruz shapers to household names like Gerry Lopez. Even so, it can be difficult to resist the urge to play favorites. Such is the case with the Hobie Phil Edwards Model surfboard, which holds a special place in the hearts of Shred Sledz staff. If you missed our earlier post covering the Hobie Phil Edwards model, I urge you to check it out here. It’s a detailed look at the various Hobie Phil Edward Model surfboards that have been sold at auction. As always, if there are any missing boards you know of, don’t hesitate to drop me a line!
Pictured above is a Hobie Phil Edwards Model Surfboard that is currently for sale on eBay. Pics are all via the eBay listing, which you can find here. The board is exciting for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s an example from the original run of the Hobie Phil Edwards boards, as evidenced by the foil logo and the serial number. This is the first time I have seen board #586 appear (my previous post covered boards with serial nos #999, #865, #103, and #479). The seller dates the board to 1963. You can see it has the classic triple stringer setup, with a 3/4″ central stringer made from redwood, and then two 1/4″ redwood stringers flanking it on either side. The dimensions of the board are 9’3″ x 20-7/8″ x 3″, which should be provide ample paddling power on top of all the necessary style points. It’s interesting to compare the lengths of the various boards: #103 is 9’9″; #865 is 10′; and #479 is also 10′. I was unable to find data on #999.
It’s unclear to me the extent to which the board has been restored. The listing mentions that #586 has been re-glossed by surfboard whisperer Randy Rarick, but I’m not sure if that amounts to a total restoration.
Close up of the fin. The seller claims this is the original one that came with the board. If so, it’s remarkable that it has retained its color over the years! Pic via eBay
The fin stands out as well. The seller claims that this is the original “two-tone powder blue fin.” Board #999 has an identical fin, although it looks like the color has faded over time. It’s interesting to note that boards #103 and #479 have wooden fins. The auction listing for #103 describes it as a reverse mahogany fin. Board #865, meanwhile, has what looks like a fiberglass fin similar to #586, but it is a burgundy color. I’m not sure if there’s any discernible pattern for why a given Hobie Phil Edwards Model surfboard would come with one type of fin or another.
Goodness gracious, this board has some beautiful lines. Pic via eBay
The starting bid for #586 is $2,400. All the historical data I have for other Phil Edwards sales involve all-original, unrestored boards: #103 apparently closed at $4,925; #865 is still on sale for $4,000; and #999 was estimated to sell for anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000.
If you’re interested in the board — it would make an ideal gift for your favorite vintage surfboards blogger — please check it out here.
Greetings, Shredderz! Today’s post features the first-ever woman to have a signature surfboard in her name: Joyce Hoffman. As evidenced in the photo above, Hoffman rips! This shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that Hoffman is a part of the legendary Hoffman / Fletcher clan (daughter of Walter, niece of big-wave surfer Flippy, sister to Dibi, aunt to Christian and Nathan Fletcher…the list goes on). Joyce Hoffman was one of the few women who surfed Oahu’s fearsome Sunset Beach during the 1960s. In addition, Joyce Hoffman was one of the more accomplished competitive surfers of the decade, racking up a number of contest wins and even a famous Sports Illustrated writeup in 1965. Hobie Surfboard produced the Joyce Hoffman Model starting in the mid-1960s in order to capitalize on her growing status.
Joyce Hoffman (left) and Margo Godfrey Oberg (right). Makaha, 1968. Photographer unknown; pic via Pleasure Photo
There is currently a Hobie Surfboards Joyce Hoffman model for sale on Craigslist, which is a great opportunity to shine a light on the board and its namesake. You can find a link to the board here.
Pics above are via the Craigslist posting. The Hobie Joyce Hoffman model measures in at 9’9″, and it features a step deck and a removable fin. Before we proceed, can we get a shout out to the poster for providing clear, detailed photos of the board in question? ShredSledz.net would have about three times the number of entries if more sellers posted great pics of their boards, but I digress…
The classic Hobie bolt-through fin clearly indicates the board was made in the 1960s. Check out the picture above on the right, which is a top down shot of the deck side of the tail.
The Hobie Joyce Hoffman Model pictured above is from Hobie’s initial run of boards. You can tell by the Joyce Hoffman signature and the diamond shape. Hobie Surfboards has an excellent blog post detailing the history of the board, including the fun fact that Joyce’s “signature” was in fact drawn by her mother! According to Dick Metz for the Surfing Heritage and Cultural Center, the initial Joyce Hoffman model was introduced in 1967. Check out the SHACC’s link here, which has some great pictures, as well as a cool explanation of the board.
Pictured above is the SHCC’s Hobie Joyce Hoffman model. The fins on the SHACC and Craigslist boards look quite similar to one another. There’s a separate post on Hobie’s website dating the SHACC board to 1968.
Close-up of the signature on the SHCC’s Hobie Joyce Hoffman Model. You can see it was also signed by Terry Martin, the longtime Hobie shaper. Pic via SHACC
The Hobie Joyce Hoffman Model belonging to the SHACC also has a signature from Terry Martin. I think it’s possible Martin could have shaped the board being sold on Craigslist, but given there are no signatures anywhere, it is difficult to say.
Close-up of a fin signed by Joyce Hoffman and Terry Martin. The yellow fin was an extra fin that goes along with the SHACC board. Pic via SHACC
The SHACC board also came with an extra fin, which you can see above. Note the construction: you can clearly see the screw, which was used to bolt Hobie fins through the decks of the boards. Swaylocks also has a thread with pictures of another first generation Hobie Joyce Hoffman Model; you can find the link here.
Finally, at some point the Hobie Joyce Hoffman Model was redesigned with a floral logo. I believe this happened sometime around 1968. As detailed in the SHACC post, Dick Metz believes that less than 400 of the first generation Joyce Hoffman Models were produced.
Close-up shot of the logo from a second generation Hobie Joyce Hoffman Model surfboard. As you can see, Joyce’s first name was removed from the board. Tsk, tsk, Hobie! Pic via Swaylocks
The removal of Joyce’s first name from the logo is suspicious, to say the least. One has to believe Joyce’s name was eliminated in order to make the board more appealing to male consumers. Curiously, the Joyce Hoffman Model was still referred to as such in Hobie advertisements.
Hobie ad from 1968. The board in the center is the second generation Joyce Hoffman Model. Note that the second row of photos shows the corresponding tails and fins for each board in the ad. Fitting in with the times, the second generation Joyce Hoffman Model had some vee added to its bottom. Pic via the incomparable DIS•PLACE•MEN•TIA
On the bright side, no amount of cynical rebranding efforts can dim Joyce Hoffman’s radness. The board’s seller is asking $600, and you can find a link to the board here.
Greetings, Shredderz! As your weekend comes to a close (it’s almost midnight here in California), here’s a selection of a few cool boards I saw for sale over the past few days.
Rich Pavel / Steve Lish 5’8″ Fish on Craigslist
Steve Lis design
Hatchet glass on fins
Cool old Moonlight Glassing logo!
This thing has already been sold, so there’s no link. It went for $700. This is a MUCH cleaner example of a Pavel / Lis / Choice fish than the one I featured a little while ago. This one has some really cool touches, like those glassed-on wooden hatchet fins, and a nifty older Moonlight Glassing logo.
This board is no longer for sale, but there are some nice reference points. First, Surfy Surfy has an old blog post on another Pavel / Lis / Choice board that was shaped in 1979. It looks very similar to the one above.
Finally, there’s another Pavel / Lis / Choice fish for sale in the Inland Empire, which you can find here. It looks very similar, but I think it’s overpriced at $1K. I believe the date on this board is wrong as well — I tend to believe sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s is more accurate. Two other notes: the Inland Empire board was glassed at Diamond Glassers and it has a Clark Foam logo, so we know it’s pre-2005 at least (when Clark went out of business).
This thing is in impeccable condition. It might take a bold surfer to show up to a crowded lineup with this bright pink paint job and the heart-shaped patch on the deck, but that’s a small price to pay for a board in such great shape. The poster claims this was purchased in 1972 as an older stock board and was never surfed. It certainly looks all original. Sadly, it’s hard to find reliable info on Hobie boards online. The board is listed as 8’4″, and it looks like the Silver Bullet model was produced at least beginning in 1969. Check out the rad advertisement below. The only catch? The board is listed at $2,450…hope you brought your piggy banks with you.
I’d like to say one thing up front: the board at that link is in terrible condition. The price is indefensible, too. With that said, the board has a cool checkerboard fin, and it sports a variant of a classic Rick logo I haven’t seen before (see above). The logo above has atomic rings above it, a la the classic Greg Noll marque. Any time I find a logo that doesn’t appear on Stanley’s Surfboard Logos or Stoked-n-Board, I consider it a success.
The price on this bad boy is steep — $1400. But it’s in beautiful condition, and I just have a soft spot for the clean lines of 70s single fins. I love the contrast between the green pin lines and the yellow color on the rails and the bottom.
Bon weekend, fellow Shredderz! If, like me, you’re in rainy California, I’m here to deliver some sunshine in the form of what looks to be a vintage surfboard in pretty primo condition.
Pictured here is a Hobie longboard that is currently for sale on eBay. It’s not going to be cheap – there’s a reserve on the auction and the buy it now figure is at $1,700 – but it’s a beautiful board.
The poster claims this 9′6″ longboard was purchased in 1965 and kept in pristine conditions in the 50 years since then.
It’s hard to find detailed knowledge on vintage Hobie Surfboards online, mostly because Stoked-n-Board doesn’t have its usual wealth of information on the brand. While there’s a serial number visible here – looks like 16837 (probably?) –one of the few tidbits S-n-B offers for Hobie is that the numbering is not reliable.
To me, it seems extremely likely that this board hails from the 60s. Stoked-n-Board has two other data points that are interesting. First, S-n-B claims that Hobie offered glass-on mahogany fins in 1964, which matches up well with the timeframe for this board. Second, S-n-B claims that Hobie offered 3/4″ spruce stringers in 1966. I can’t say whether or not the stringer is spruce, but it looks 3/4″, and again, this is in the ballpark of 1965.
The board is clearly a pig shape, defined by Surf A Pig as having “weight, belly, wide point aft, a skeg (D fin) and a narrow nose.” There aren’t enough pics to see the bottom of the board and a belly, but the other criteria have been met. The pig silhouette also matches up to the 1965 date mentioned in the post.
If you’re the paranoid type, the one concern is that the board is in almost TOO good of a condition. It is exceedingly rare to see 50 year boards that have aged this well, with no damage or dings anywhere. I can’t say for sure either way, but if I were looking at buying this board, I would be interested in doing some research as to whether or not it had been restored or re-glassed in any way. If the board is indeed all original, this is a pretty stunning example of an original 1960s Hobie.
Today, little children, we are going to do a quick little lesson on one of the most famous boards of all time. This is the first post in a new Shred Sledz series that hopes to shed light on the creations of the one and only Phil Edwards. Today we will be starting with the famous Hobie Phil Edwards model, one of the most collectible boards ever made.
For a certain generation of surfers, Phil Edwards is and will always be a legend. For starters, he was one of the first people to ever ride Pipeline, which is about as awesome as it gets. The picture at the top of this post – taken by the legendary Leroy Grannis, and courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Surfing – depicts Edwards surfing the fearsome Banzai Pipeline. Edwards is one of the rare humans who shaped as well as he surfed, and his name remains associated with some of the most sought-after boards in the world today.
Given Edwards’ resume, you would think there would be tons of information floating around online. Sadly, this isn’t the case. I had always assumed Edwards had passed away, given how little is said of his current whereabouts. But apparently he is alive and well, and he visited the Hobie factory about four years ago for an event. You can find a recent photo on Hobie’s website, which I’ve included below.
Phil Edwards at a recent Hobie Surfboards event. Photo via Hobie Surfboards
Phil Edwards his best known for two surfboards: the Phil Edwards “Honolulu” model, known as such for the “Honolulu” branding written on the board; and then the Hobie Phil Edwards signature model, which was produced over a few different time periods. This post will deal exclusively with the original run of Hobie Phil Edwards models. I will be devoting separate posts to Hobie Phil Edwards model re-issues (post 1960s); the Phil Edwards Honolulu models; and finally, a grab bag of some random boards that don’t fit into any other buckets.
According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, Hobie’s Phil Edwards model was produced first in 1963. Today these boards are incredible collectors’ items. This post will examine three different Hobie Phil Edwards boards that were recently up for sale. The hope is to give some kind of context on this wonderful board, as well as what kind of prices it commands on the open market.
Hobie Phil Edwards Model Serial Number #999
The first board featured here was sold at the recent Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction. The picture below depicts a Hobie Phil Edwards model with serial number #999. The estimated closing price was between $2,000 and $5,000; I was unable to find info on the final price for the board, however. You can see the beautiful glassed-on D Fin in the pictures, the triple stringer design (with a wider center stringer), and then the silver foil label.
The second board is a Hobie Phil Edwards from the 1960s, also in excellent condition. It is a 10′ board that is currently for sale on Surf Garage, and the listing claims it’s all original and dates to 1968. Here you can clearly see an example of the “foil” label that can be found on the earlier runs of the Phil Edwards models. Later on, especially with reproductions, these labels were replaced by silver, non-foil laminates beneath the glassing. This board is being listed for sale at $4,000, which is steep, but if this indeed all-original, that is in the ballpark of similar boards. You’ll also notice this board has the same features as the one sold at the California Gold auction: same triple stringer setup, same D fin, and then the foil label. It is serial number #865, as clearly shown in the picture. My last note is that this board seems to be in suspiciously impeccable condition. I am wondering if it was restored, but I have no further info.
Close up of the famous Hobie Phil Edwards foil logo. Photo via Surf Garage
Hobie Phil Edwards Model Serial Number #103
The third Hobie Phil Edwards model was also sold at an auction, but this time it was at the US Vintage Surf Auction. This board has the same hallmarks of a Hobie Phil Edwards model, as explained above: you can see the triple stringer design, a glassed-on D fin, and, of course, the distinctive silver label with a clear serial number (#103). The auction claims that this is the lowest numbered Hobie Phil Edwards they have found in existence; I have no way to verify if this is indeed the case. It’s also curious to contrast this silver label with the one on Serial Number #865. #103 is way more faded, and the deep blue of #865 looks more like a green. There are likely differences in photo editing, etc., that explain the discrepancy, but I found it interesting nonetheless. This board was estimated by the USVSA to go for somewhere between $5,000 and $6,000, but again, there’s no info on what the final price ended up being.
What’s interesting about these original boards is I can’t find an example of a Phil Edwards signature on any of them. I tend to believe that none of the original run of Hobie Phil Edwards boards bore his signature, but I would love to know if there are any examples I might be missing. Edwards signed the re-issued version of the Hobie boards, which will be the subject for a future post.
Hobie Phil Edwards Model from John Mazza Collection at Pepperdine University Serial Number #479
Finally, I’d like to include a shot from a board that Pepperdine University has as a part of their John Mazza Surfboard collection. It’s a 10′ Hobie Phil Edwards model from 1963, and they’ve got some great pictures up on the site. In this shot you can see the fin. I’ve heard conflicting reports, as some sources indicate the fins are made of ash wood, and I’ve also heard they are made from balsa. I can’t say for sure. But I do know they’re pretty awesome to look at.
Closeup of a Hobie Phil Edwards fin from John Mazza’s collection at Pepperdine University. I’ve read that the fins on these boards were made of ash, and I have also read that they were made out of balsa. Photo via Pepperdine University.
And as a bonus, I came across this old Hobie ad on Swaylocks. From left to right are the following surfers: Joey Hamasaki, Joyce Hoffman, Mickey Munoz, Phil Edwards, and Bill Hamilton! Note how each name has an Encyclopedia of Surfing account linked to it. That’s a murderer’s row of surf legends right there. In the middle of an ad is an example of a classic Phil Edwards model. You can see the triple stringer and the silver foil logo.
I hope you found this post useful, and stay tuned for parts two, three, and four on Phil Edwards and his boards!
If you’re in the Jersey Shore area and you have an inexplicable but no less compelling urge to check out a cool vintage surfboard, I would like to humbly suggest this Hobie Seaboard model, which can be found on Craigslist (Update: dead link removed).
I had never heard of this model before, so I decided to do some research, based on the info provided in the listing (which warns not to call “unless you’ve done your homework”, so consider this a quick crash course).
First, the poster claims this board was shaped by Mickey Munoz. In the second picture you can see what looks to be a Mickey Munoz logo laminate that can be found on the Hobie boards he shaped. Sadly there’s no closeup on the Craigslist posting, but this is consistent with other examples I have seen.
You can clearly see the Munoz logo laminate, and it is also located at the tail.
Surfboardline.com has an excellent feature on Hobie collector Mark Jeremias’ collection. That post features a 6′10″ Munoz-shaped diamond tail single fin from 1976, and it has a great closeup shot of the Munoz-laminate, also at the tail. (Interesting note: the year on this laminate says ‘71…maybe they just never updated these for every year the boards were produced).
So, returning back to the Hobie Seaboard in question, it definitely seems like a Munoz shape. What makes the Seaboard interesting is the clear “Seaboard” model name next to the logo.
Usually, the incredible Stoked-n-Board is my resource of questions of obscure surfboard information. Strangely, though, S-n-B’s Hobie entry doesn’t have a ton of info, so here is my best effort to provide some context around the Hobie Seaboard model, and put it all in one place.
The Seaboard model is associated with a few other well-known surfers besides Munoz. As you can see in the Craigslist post, the poster claims that well-known Florida shaper Greg Loehr dates the board to 1972. I found this Swaylocks thread that indicates the Seaboard model was a signature model made for Loehr back when he was a pro, and that it was shaped by both Munoz as well as Terry Martin. The Swaylocks thread is a “Hot Seat” feature in which Loehr answers questions posed by readers, so I tend to think this is reliable info.
The Hobie Seaboard model also makes an appearance in the book “365 Surfboards”, as the Craigslist poster says. Here’s the relevant picture, and you can find a lot of the book posted on Google Books:
The outline in the book looks similar to the board above, but it’s hard to see any clear logos.
The entry in “365 Surfboards” confirms that Gary Propper was also involved in the creation of the Seaboard model. Apparently, Propper was instrumental in getting Loehr his own signature model, which of course became the Seaboard.
Finally, I’d like to point out that there were multiple versions of the Hobie Seaboard. Surfboards.com has an example of another Hobie Seaboard, but with a different logo that clearly calls out Greg Loehr’s involvement:
Picture from Surfboards.com
The Seaboard listed on Surfboards.com doesn’t seem to have a Munoz laminate, though, which is interesting.
Anyway, I think this is such a rad board, and as a native East Coaster, I love the involvement of various east coast surf luminaries. It’s being offered for $600 on Craigslist, and unfortunately, I can’t say whether or not that’s a decent price. It looks like there are some scrapes on the right hand rail when looking at the deck, and I think any serious buyer should check that out along with the rest of the due diligence.
Let it never be said that the good people at Shred Sledz HQ don’t appreciate history!
The v bottom surfboard – named after the deep “vee” shape in the tail – certainly has earned a place in the annals of surfboard design. I can’t say it’s the longest chapter, or the most widely read…but it is interesting, if nothing else.
The timing of this board unfortunately coincides with the death of Australian legend Midget Farrelly, the sport’s first world champion, which happened yesterday. Midget was one of the pioneers of the v bottom design. RIP Midget.
If you’re in the Santa Cruz area, you can check out this 8′2″ Hobie V Bottom on Craigslist. It’s pretty beat up in places, but I can’t see any glaring flaws in any places. As always, it’s hard to really say unless you’ve seen the board up close.
But man, more importantly, check out that tail and that crazy vee! Such a cool shape. There’s a guy at my local surf spot who has an old Surfboards Hawaii vee bottom that I ogle whenever I see it. Lately the shape has seen a bit of a revival with Bruce Fowler’s V Machine, which is sold at Mollusk and has attracted a bit of a cult following.
