Rare stringerless Jay Surfboards singlefin dating from around 1969 shaped by Phil Jay. Phil opened London's first surf shop in Putney in the late 60s, which sold his own boards from his London factory and even some foreign imports - my Dewey Weber Australia singlefin was bought new from Jays in 1970. Phil is well known for his Easy Rider single fin pop outs from later in the 70s (with the lightening bolt logos ) ,the main rival to Chapter's pop outs.This is an unusual shape for British boards at the time with its very wide diamond tail. The underside has a great deep green tint with yellow pinlining, and the fin is a Greenough Waveset. It has six registration stickers from Cornwall dating from 1972 to 1987, and measures 6'5 x 21 1/2 x 2 1/2.
There can't be many surfboards which have London as the factory address !
From British Surfer 1970/1
My first board came from his shop in Wandsworth on East Hill...completely incongruous place for a surfshop. It was a blue swallow tail and I tried to ride it for the first season but kept slipping off because nobody told me about wax. There was usually a sign on the door that said "Gone skating - Wandsworth roundabout".
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling the board mentioned is now in the museum and if it's not that one it's very similar. By this time it was "The Phil Jay Surfshop"
i got a phil jay,
ReplyDeletelove how you can feel the resin pin lines etc,
perfect norfolk coast surfboard, short with loadsa foam!
to own
an original retro feels great!
I have a 1972 Phil Jay 7' with glassed-in fin.
ReplyDeleteBurnt orange with pin lines - it looks great in the living room now as I don't take it out anymore.
Jimbo
I hadone and left it behind when I movedin the attic! Wish I had it now - bought from Wandsworth in about 1970 - swallowtail about 7' with a crazy parrott jungle kind of scene on the board!!
ReplyDeleteHi! I recently found my uncle's Jay surfboard that I'm guessing he bought in the early 80's/late 70's while in law school in London, or in Bermuda. It is in decent shape - maybe a few dings here and there, but nothing bad. The fin is glassed on/there is no fin box to change it out. Do you have any idea of the rough value of this board?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Rob