Early Ocean Magics

Ocean Magic might be the longest running Cornish board maker, started by New Zealander Pete McAllum in c. 1971 , originally made at St Mawgan , and it is still going strong under Nigel Semmens in Newquay. Nigel took over Ocean Magic in the early 80s and it has been based in Newquay ever since.
Before starting OM , Pete shaped Stuart, Nomad , and also worked for Bilbo. This board of Ryan's must be one of Pete's first OM's, bearing the original logo. Its an unusual board, a gunny speed shape with a lot of rocker ...in fact its almost a banana !
Its got a lovely Greenough inspired fin set well back at the tail and its mirroring some shapes being made in Australia at the time. Will have to ask Ryan for the dimensions. I've only seen two OM's of this age and the other is  completely flat with little rocker  , a total opposite of this board.

1973

 The other early OM

This was made a few years later, again by Pete McAllum .The shape has got a lot more user friendly and less experimental, and it looks a sweet shape with its baby swallow tail. Nice pinlining and airbrushing by Pete. I think Ocean Magic at this stage was pretty much a one man band ; Nigel Semmens came in as apprentice and then shaper.  I think this font is from Ocean Magic's second logo, dating up to the mid 70s . The board was given to an electrician in exchange for a payment owed , well inland. It doesnt look like the board's seen many waves.

1978 the Kevin Keegan logo

tow in skimboarding Brad Domke

Although when I think of skimboarding I think of the kids who play around on them at the local beach, there are some really talented skimmers ripping and getting big airs in the shorebreak. But this guy Brad has taken it to the next level in a big way .Barely holding on through big fast barrels and constantly fighting the fact his skimboard wants to do its own thing . Amazing stuff.

coming soon

Coming soon the infamous Revolver Singlefin shootout. Contact Gee to get involved

Next surf meet

Here's one for the calendar - the next Vintage surf meet will be on sunday 9th june at Fistral beach Newquay , starting around 10 am. Free parking for exhibitors. More details to follow..

Momentum

Remember this ? I think Taylor Steele's Momentum was the first surf video I actually bought. It was a classic vid of the early 90s, made in 1993 and defined a generation of up and coming rippers mainly from the US, who have become household names over the last two decades.
Here are Kelly's and Rob's sections - pure gold. I especially like Rob's section, great style and effortless moves, and his board looks less dated than kelly's Merrick.

Original Momentum surfers two decades on !

new finds

Shaun scored some good 70s boards last week , including this rare Outer Limits single flyer pintail , shaped by Martin Geary . Very sleek design with a wooden fin which looks nice but is usually quite thick. Martin was a good and powerful surfer and there are photos in 70s mags of him rocketing down Moroccan point breaks - this would have been a good board for that. These Outer Limits, with logo by Fuzz Bleakley , were from an individual and small production factory, and are prized today. 7'6 x 19 x 2 1/2 ish.

Outer Limits ad 1972

Nice pair. Both by Tris Cokes. The swallow tail with the small logo and deep purple tint  is the earlier one, probably 1973 or 74, and the yellow one would have been made just after and looks more of an all rounder. See how the fins changed in those years too. The swallow is 6'5 x 19 1/2 and the roundtail 6'4 x 20 1/2.

Thanks to Shaun for the photos.

Tris 1973 

Tris on a surf trip to Aberdeen 1968, photo Graham Sorensen

Tris boards with Neil Wernham artwork, from the museum's collection.

I spoke with Neil last week ( he lives in NZ)  and he said he did quite a lot of sprays in between sanding ; the first ones were done with spray cans and cut outs, and then he got an airbrush which was much better and allowed him to do much more spontaneous designs. He still has the same airbrush and came back in 2000 to  work on a few more Tris boards.

It sounds like life in the Tris factory in the 70s wasnt very regimented and work could stop at any time if there was something better to do like a clean swell at Porthtowan !

Alex Knost, one fin , no leash, laying down some old time style

Longboard for sale

 For sale  - mid 60s longboard made by Ron Surfboards, Australia. As you can see its ready to surf, has had some restoration in the past. A fun board for small summer waves - you'll be getting the longest rides . Its in Cornwall, asking price is £350 ono. email  ianwarwick@hotmail.co.uk .

Cheyne Horan personal board

 There's an important piece of surf history going under the hammer on Aussie ebay at the moment. A board most self respecting Oz collectors would sell their grandma for - this 80s singlefin made at Hot Buttered for Cheyne Horan, which he has pesonally vouched for that it was a board he rode at Bells. All original including the red star fin . The guy who's selling it has just realised he's sitting on a gold mine ! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151022152371#ht_1021wt_1397
This is when Gee starts to get excited . Cheyne left one of these behind when he came to do the Fosters in Newquay one year. Rumour has it that it was to pay his bill at the headland hotel. ?

Boards for sale

 A collector in North Devon has some boards for sale all in excellent condition. This one is an 8ft Bilbo hull from around 1968, which looks to be in immaculate condition. It would be hard to find a better one and looks a fun board to ride. Offers around £500 , which seems reasonable if you've been keeping track of the prices old brown ones are going for on ebay.  Offers to scootersqueezes@hotmail.co.uk  .

A similar Bilbo from the pages of british surfer mag, 1969 ; although this is more of a pig shape with wide point back.

 SOLD 5'10 Ocean Magic twin fin by Nigel Semmens in Newquay, early 80s. Classic board with sharks mouth artwork and channels on the underside. Offers to email above.

 SOLD Early -mid 80s Fulmar quad, 5'10 again and shaped by Graeme Bunt in North Cornwall. Rare board in nice condition. Offers again to scootersqueezes@hotmail.co.uk