I found this board on a local surf shop's 2nd hand rack - something that never seems to happen much these days. I've got two surf shops near me, both with outside racks and whenever I drive past I keep one eye on the road - of course, and the other on the noses of the boards in the rack - the best way to spot a vintage board. On this occasion the noses were - skinny...skinny....skinny...fat ! There was also a flourescent haze hanging around the particular board visible at 100 yards. Time to park up and check it out !
Was happy to find out it was this early 80s Lightwave twin/thruster shaped by legendary Californian shaper Clyde Beatty. Clyde was a top shaper of rocket and keel fishes through the 70s, as well as being on the pro circuit, and he is also considered to be one of the first to use epoxy resins on surfboards - hence around 20 epoxy resin decals on this board. Clyde was a friend of Paul Ju Jury and in the early 80s he came over to Bude to produce boards with Ju and then set up Lightwave in Boscastle north Cornwall. He was all about board performance and strong but lightweight boards, and the clear epoxy top coat obviously helped. But like many 80s boards they weren't made with a long life in mind so I was lucky to find such a clean one, and its still very light. I actually like the day glo airbrush too - although I probably shouldn't - may be a case of its so bad its good, and its definitely pure 80s. The board measurements are 6'3 x 20 1/4 x 2 3/4.
I found this board on a local surf shop's 2nd hand rack - something that never seems to happen much these days. I've got two surf shops near me, both with outside racks and whenever I drive past I keep one eye on the road - of course, and the other on the noses of the boards in the rack - the best way to spot a vintage board. On this occasion the noses were - skinny...skinny....skinny...fat ! There was also a flourescent haze hanging around the particular board visible at 100 yards. Time to park up and check it out !
Was happy to find out it was this early 80s Lightwave twin/thruster shaped by legendary Californian shaper Clyde Beatty. Clyde was a top shaper of rocket and keel fishes through the 70s, as well as being on the pro circuit, and he is also considered to be one of the first to use epoxy resins on surfboards - hence around 20 epoxy resin decals on this board. Clyde was a friend of Paul Ju Jury and in the early 80s he came over to Bude to produce boards with Ju and then set up Lightwave in Boscastle north Cornwall. He was all about board performance and strong but lightweight boards, and the clear epoxy top coat obviously helped. But like many 80s boards they weren't made with a long life in mind so I was lucky to find such a clean one, and its still very light. I actually like the day glo airbrush too - although I probably shouldn't - may be a case of its so bad its good, and its definitely pure 80s. The board measurements are 6'3 x 20 1/4 x 2 3/4.
Surf Scene '83
Ben Banford 1983 with a Lightwave . Photo Alex Williams
Clyde Beatty on left, mid-late 70s with some of his sweet looking fishes
I work for the company that made and still makes SP115!
ReplyDeleteits still used after all these years ? Must be good stuff
ReplyDeleteSpent 3 years in Bristol Poly surfing with Ben Bamford, heard he is now living in the BVIs - lucky sod. Think he was part of Lightwave, seem to remember they got heavily into making windsurfers.
ReplyDeleteyes the graphics on this board have a bit of a windsurfery feel. Wonder if there are vintage windsurfer collectors ? Rather them than me
ReplyDeleteI had a lightwave board back in the day was friends wth Ju it was epoxy i think one of the first for sure i seem to remember they had some problems with it mine delamed in the canaries to hot for it !Happy Days
ReplyDeletehey ive just pulled my old lightwave board out of the shed and wanted to no a bit more about it its shaped by ben bamford
ReplyDeleteHi, I have an original Skidaddle Supersprint Board which had built in skegs, Alloy Mast, Wooden Daggerboard and Trapezoidal Boom, together with a copy of the original Board Test Number 1!. Must go and free to a good home. Collect South Birmingham. Any takers? Will hate to junk it. 07734802002
ReplyDeleteI have a lightwave we acquired recently any way to find out more about it.
ReplyDeleteUsed to have a LightWave 260 windsurfer, regular hayling island sailor whenever it blew force 6 or over, extreme sinker but amazing in the right conditions, tightest carve gybes of any board
ReplyDelete