Tig 6ft singlefin 1970. This one has 3270 written along the stringer behind the fin, which according to Tigger means it was the 32nd board he shaped in 1970.Here is some stuff and history about Tigger's surfboards, written in an email from him to Alex about a board Alex has.-
'My first foray into surfboard building was under the TIG surfboards label which was 1969-1970 when I worked out of the greenhouse at Rosmerrin, Treyarnon Bay.
TIGGER NEWLING SURFBOARDS, all had the optical illusion triangle logo, which I designed.
This was my second phase of board building, I did everything from design, shaping to finishing and sales, the workshop was located on the St Merryn Airfield in an alleyway adjacent to Airfield Studios. Later I moved to the Chapel when I entered the Jolly Good surfboards phase.
THE TNS phase was when I won the British Championships at Freshwater West in Pembroke in Summer 73. The board I rode was similar to yours and the outline in the poster. 6'6" x 19 Round Pin.
It is the board on the roof rack of the trusty 2CV. Shot taken at Freshwater west. I am ***** frozen. I like the blue smiley face on the windscreen.
I would date your board (above) between may '73 and november '74. With the likelihood of '73 because of the small hindu/ buddhist icon on the bottom, which I think I only used during the beginning of the Tigger Newling surfboards phase.
The Pops Patch address was my home. A shanty up behind the Constantine Bay stores comprised of a Caravan and a lean to shed where I lived with my then wife Jean.
This phase of design which your board typifies, was influenced by Australian and Hawaiian Design. Especially Terry Fizgerald's Hot Buttered Surfboards, and the surfing of Wayne Lynch, Michael Petersen and Nat Young. On the Hawaiian side Dick Brewer's Outlines and the surfing and shaping of Reno Abellira.
I was still mulling over what I learned on my trip to Australia for the world Titles in 1970, which saw "one hit wonder" Rolf Aurness demonstrate on his 7'0" pintails that you needed a bit more length and speed than the 6'0" Aussie elliptical boards if you wanted to surf Bells well on a single fin.
After returning from Hawaii in Summer 75 I started Jolly Good Surfboards, most of which were shaped by me in the Chapel on St Merryn Airfields and laminated and finished by Johnny Manetta at Tris Surfboards in Porthtowan. That label ends with my departure for Australia in late 1976.'
Jolly Good singlefin
That brings back memories, first board in '69 was a 6'10" Bilbo pop-out replaced in 1970 by a Tigger Newling shaped 6' egg, however it was glassed locally by Bob Rogers (a Pembrokeshire legend) and sold with his logo on! The British at Freshwater in '73 was my first competition, I was still in school, I came 3rd in the Juniors to Nigel Semmens and Clive Rodell(?) in large surf - it's the only competition trophy I've kept! I was riding a 6' Tiki swallow tail the replacement to the Tigger board.
ReplyDeletehi Tim, thats a good bit of history. Do you have any old photos of the tigger or the comp? Your tig sounds pretty similar to my one above, also 1970, with down rails. Your hawaiian style logo is a classic of the era- shame you never got paid !
ReplyDeleteHmmm.... I can feel a 'hunt in the trunk' coming on! Didn't you feature the cover of the '73 British program a little while ago?
ReplyDeleteHi Tim/Tigger, found this on Google! I'd love some shots of that '73 Freshwater contest if there are any floating around...'scuse the pun!
ReplyDeleteHope you are both in Good health...ironically I live at freshwater, near Manly, Sydney now.
Warm regards, Clive Rodell.