Some boards survive better than others

 I was stoked to hear from Paulo in Portugal , who wrote that he has the very same Freedom pictured above in the classic 70s photo with Steve Harewood . I've always loved this board and wondered if it was still around ; however I was a little gutted to see Paulo's photos of what it looks like now ! See below.
Paulo was given it by a friend 20 years ago, so it has been in Portugal a long time . With a hell of a lot of sun and water damage, Paulo asks is it worth restoring ? Its debateable !

 Luckily I was able to buy this 6'6 Freedom around 10 years ago, a sister board to the one above, and possibly even the one behind Steve in the photo. Although its been surfed quite a lot, its still almost as good as new and one of my favourites. Its amazing how different boards' fates can be !!

Quo Vadis surfboards (Tris in Lacanau, France)

Thanks to Jean-Pierre for sending in photos of his beautiful Quo Vadis singlefin. Quo Vadis were essentially Tris surfboards, but made in France. How did this come about ?
Well the story goes that in 1978 Philip O'Loughlin, an Australian living in Lacanau-Ocean ordered a batch of boards from Tris surfboards (at that time Johnny Manetta and Chops Lascalles were heading Tris as Tris Cokes had sold up his share) . Philip owned Lacanau's first surf shop Lacanau Lou, which had ran from approx 1973 I think. UK boards had a very good reputation in France.
Philip wanted around 70-80 boards and arranged for the Tris guys to come down and shape at Lacanau, supplying all the materials and equipment in a factory converted from an abbatoir nicknamed 'The Ranch' . Chops and Johnny shaped, and Teep sanded, finished and made fins . Chops, although a great surfer , had not got a lot of shaping under his belt at this point, but these French boards were a good opportunity to improve his skills under the watchful eye of Johnny.
Jean Pierre has also written abou Quo Vadis on his French surf blog - http://surffrancecollection.blogspot.fr/

''Chops, Philipe and myself named the boards Quo Vadis, Latin for 'where are you going' and I designed this beautiful flowing broad s shape with the words Quo Vadis on it. It became quite sought after. In fact, Chops and myself carried on using the logo when we got back to England.''
''The surfboards looked absolutely stunning in the new showroom in Lacanau-Ocean .It was very French, very avant garde ;all polished glass and steel,  with rows of the beautiful Quo Vadis surfboards. I was quite proud of that trip'' From 'Looking for something to find'' by Johnny Manetta, which makes a good read with lots of great Cornish surf history.

Lacanau Lou , trade show? with Quo Vadis board/ boards on the rack. Late 70s

Johnny Manetta at the factory/ showroom with a lovely Quo Vadis

Quo Vadis swallow tail, owned by Jean Pierre's friend Gerard in Lacanau.

It seems the Quo Vadis mainly had ply fins

Beautiful boards in the stylish French showroom

Factory at the Ranch, Johnny and Teep

Tris crew on a French surf trip, early 70s.

 Chops back in Cornwall with some S boards , photos by John Conway, 1978/9

Real Surfing mag

Real Surfing magazine issue 2 out next week, published in Newquay. This issue has an article on the vintage surf meet last june, enquiries to realsurfingmagazine@hotmail.com .
Limited edition and demand is high, so get your order in quick