Graham Nile and Summer haze singlefins

Jim from St Austell has sent photos of some of his boards. Here's one from St Austell's most famous surfer Graham Nile. Nile was a big powerful goofy footer who was on the British team at the 1972 World Championships, and won the European title in '73 and the British title in '76. He started shaping in the early 70s and opened a surf shop in St Austell.

Here's a rare board on the summer haze label; Jim got it from a guy who bought it in the 70s, and before that it was owned by a lifeguard at Croyde, and had apparently been used in a conest by ex British champ Richard Carter. Thanks for the photos Jim.

Graham Nile 1975

Tris by Hillsey

Heres a Tris shaped by Mark Hills that I picked up recently. Its an early 80s 5'10 with grip deck and three fins and a cool spray. Its been surfed hard though, needs a big dose of tlc - just wish it was in better condition.

any ideas ?

Patrick from Wales has sent photos of this board and wants to know - what is it? Good question Patrick - did John Conway make any pop outs with mad channels and bonzer set ups ? Although it looks like it was originally a twin keel and then the big fin was added ; an unusual board to say the least - anyone out there know anything about it, Patrick would love to know.

John Hall singlefin

Here's a nice early 70s board by John Hall of Tiki , with its original rubber stick on leash plug, from Alex's collection. John Hall grew up in Sydney Australia and was in the same school year as Nat Young. In '69 he went to South Africa for a couple of years and started shaping professionally before settling in Devon in around '72. He became one of Tiki's top shapers through the 70s, also making a few of his own boards like this one. By the early 80s he got into the windsurfing craze and was shaping them, as were a lot of shapers by then, cashing in on the new high demand.

from Atlantic Surfer ,late 70s

1978

Kong and Rabbit Hot Stuff models

Here's a great mid 80s channeled thruster, Gary 'Kong' Elkerton model from the Australian hot stuff label, made under licence in the UK , not sure of the shaper, could have been Chops or Martin Wright ? Glassed by Phil Northey. Thanks to Stephane in Biarritz for sending the pictures.

Theres a couple of early 80s clips of Kong on Hot Stuffs on youtube , www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAaxluPqZLs , and on Kong's Island with Rabbit and Chappy, filmed by Jack McCoy www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHhIII0h9Ic for a bit of 80s trippyness.

From Tube News 1985

Stephane also has this Rabbit model single fin from around 1980/1, it could be a British board too, see what Chops is holding in the ad below, same airbrusher ?

From Wavelength no1 1981 courtesy of Graham

John Conway singlefin

Heres a rare board from Alex's collection, an early 70s singlefin by Newquay surfer John Conway. Conway started his own board label in 1970, having begun his career in 1964 with Freddie Bickers as apprentice carpenter and shaper. His boards were well known for their craftsmanship and finish, and especially his classic bird logo.
After editing the last few issues of Atlantic Surfer , John started Wavelength in 1981 which went on to be one of the UK's most successful surf mags. He travelled widely for the mag and supplied many photos himself. In 1981 he organised the first British pro am contest, the Newquay surf classic, a mainstream event offering prizemoney to UK surfers, won by Nigel Semmens. This led to the Euro pro in '82 and full blown ASP world tour events from 1983 when the worlds best came to Newquay. John died in 2003, leaving a great legacy to professionalism in UK surfing.

1983 Fosters pro ASP line up - Steve Daniel and Nigel Semmens on the left competed against legends including Shaun Thompson, Tom Carrol, Cheyne Horan, Tom Curren and Rabbit in decent surf at Fistral.

We're half way through winter , now its time to look forward to some warmth ....

New finds

January 18th is officially supposed to be the most depressing day of the year in the UK , but I had a great day - the sun shone, there was a bit of surf and I picked these boards up very cheap. The shortboard is an early 80s Best Ever twin fin by Martin Wright in St Agnes, and the hollow bodied bellyboard is a Unicorn Surfrider , painted with an iron cross motif, 1940s or '50s.

1980s Roger Cooper thruster

Stephane from Biarritz has sent photos of his early 80s 6'1 Roger Cooper thruster in really nice condition. Roger grew up surfing on the Isle of Wight before moving to South Wales and shaping for various labels. Someone told me my Hawaiian Style quad is a Roger Cooper shape, and he also did some Larry Bertleman models.

Roger Cooper winning the South coast champs at Compton in 1969.

Ocean Magic twin fin by Mooney McAllum

Here's another great board from Alex Williams, its a late 70s 6'4 twinnie Ocean Magic shaped by Mooney for British champion Steve Daniel. The board appears on the cover of Wavelength no1 and Steve Daniel's Plymouth surf shop ad. Steve was one of the best surfers to come out of Devon, always at the cutting edge of board design, stocking international shapes in his influential Barbican surf store, and befriending international surf stars like Mark Richards and Shaun Thompson. His shop had boards by these two, plus the first Simon Anderson thrusters in 1981.
In the mid 70s Steve and Nigel Semmens surfed on the world IPS tour, competing against the world's best in Hawaii, South Africa and Ausralia, and he travelled widely freesurfing. He didn't get his British title till 1981, long overdue. Thanks for sharing it with us Alex its a beaut; if you can give Alex and more info on his boards he'd be happy to hear from you, email alexcam@eclipse.co.uk .

Above and below, shots of Steve Daniel by Alex , late 70s/ early 80s. Note the Mark Richards twinnie above.