Warwick bullet skateboard

These Warwick bullets were made in the UK in the late 60s, as an entry level board which undercut the more serious skateboards on the market . It also had a brake which helped the learner rider, but was not popular with experienced skaters.
In the mid 60s Bob Groves, and Bilbo had already imported real skateboards from the US - Hobies with laminated hardwood decks and proper cast metal trucks .Then Bilbo began to assemble them over here using US trucks and wheels , under the Hobie and Bilbo logos. These boards were only available in surf shops and were quite expensive.
The Warwicks were for sale in general sports shops across the country , and sold in their thousands. They had a plywood deck, inferior wheels and pressed metal sheet trucks. Many were also exported to Australia !
Finding a good condition Warwick now is hard but not impossible ; the Hobies and Bilbos are gold dust.
Thanks to Tony for some of this info.

Riding a Warwick, British Surfer no.1 mag, 1969.

Below- surfer and skater dude Prince Charles in the early 70s. He was a keen surfer while at uni in Wales and as he says of skateboards - ''I have got one of me own you know '' and ''If I'd known there were skateboards here I'd have brought my protective paraphernalia '' ! A classic piece of film.

Zuma Jay kneeboard

I bought this board from the dump, covered in layers of spray paint. After some sanding back I found out it was a Zuma Jay from Bude . Its a twin fin kneeboard or kids board , 5'2 long with multi fins and channels. In good condition under the paint, its got a great logo which looks more 70s than early 80s when the board was made. It would have been pretty bright when it was made !
Zuma Jay was one of Bude's main surf shops. The main Zuma Jay company was in California, and the Bude one was an offshoot of that with boards shaped locally under licence.

A good shot of a day glo Zuma Jay . The girls look a bit more California than Bude.

Zuma Jay channel bottom on ebay.

Early 80s ad
Thanks to Kirsten and DJ for the photos.

Tiki mini gun with 70s wax

I picked this board up late last year. It had been in a garage in Cheshire for over 20-30 years , luckily only 15 miles away from where my Dad lives so I asked him to get it for me. It looks little used since the late 70s and still has the original coat of wax, which is a lot harder than modern wax and a bit like candle wax. It was made around 1975-76 and is 7'3 x 19 1/2, a gunny shape possibly by John Hall. Under the wax (which I will leave on for prosterity) the deck is near perfect . I love the warm grey tint, one of my favourite colours for boards, and the red pinline sets it off well. The board is very flat on the deck, with little volume at the tail. Designed to be ridden Terry Fitzgerald style - on good waves .

Tiki ad 1977

Surfboard Wax in the 60s by Tony Cope

Wax is rubbed onto the deck of a surfboard  to build up a sticky layer to  prevent the rider slipping off when the surface is wet.

The only available wax in the early 1960`s was a block of solid paraffin wax, purchased from a local chemist .  A typical   1 lb block  ( about 450 gm )  cost  1/6d  .............   today, about 8p.

You needed a block each of Hard  and Soft wax and a pan full of boiling water,  to treat the deck of a new board.You dipped the end of the Hard wax  (melting point 70 degree C, meant for candles)  into the hot water to soften it, then rubbed the bar hard across the surfboard deck until blobs built up on it.

The much stickier Soft wax  (45 degree C, meant for skin-care products)  was rubbed straight onto  the previous coating , making a good adhesive surface.

On really hot days the Soft wax could melt, leaving only the base of Hard wax below to prevent the rider slipping off a wet surfboard.

Today`s surfboard waxes are a mixture of candle wax, bee`s wax , colouring and scents (!) , and handle a wide range of temperatures.   And they don`t need softening in hot water.

A big improvement .

 An original block of Waxmate from the mid 70s ? , distributed by Tiki. It still smells nice !

 1979 ad showing the waxes Tiki distributed. 10 p per bar !

 and one from 1973.

Thanks to Tony for the info on 60s wax . It sounds a right hassle in those days , and surf wax without the smell just doesnt seem right.

random photos

These are some photos I had saved on file for future use ; but there are enough of them to make a post of their own. Any credits I have missed out please let me know.

Freedom surfboards in the late 70s with a sweet swallowtail , and distinguished visitor Rick Griffin on the right.

British health and efficiency mag from 1974, cant make out the logo of the board though.

Sennen surfers, late 70s

Original Pure Juice advertising leaflet . These were made by Phil 'Jay' Jenkins, plus guest shaper Kevin Cross on a few . Thanks to Alex for the pic.

Austin Healey ' hardtop' surfwagon in South Africa

A lineup of great characters . We were very sad to lose Chops this year.

Pete Sandy and his Friendly Bear by Bob Head . Photo Alex Williams.

A very rare order form from Acorn surfboards, Swansea, late 60s.

Tiki singlefin with a Hewitt bros artwork

John Baxendale's photo of a North West surf club outing, late 60s. A great image of moggies and long raking fins.

A reader sent in this photo of his dad in the 70s and asked if I could make out the logo of his board . I couldn't -  can you ? The one one the floor is a Tris.

Airbush on a Kneetrembler kneeboard bought by Andy at Phil Jays in London in the 70s. Not a lot is known about Kneetrembler boards. They made stand up boards as well as kneeboards and were producing in the mid 70s.

Some classic 70s sticks here , including a nice Space Gypsy .Pat Kieran in the hat ,photo by David Lawley, North West surf club.

A rare Kon Tiki waverider, still in original packaging ! Made of Balsa it states ' on the wave rider no child can sink !'  . Nothing to say a child could get knocked off it by waves.

Vans of Pembrokshire surf club, possibly at Easky . John Hall's boards, and Bedford van.

A great workshop shot of Bob Powers surfboards early 60s, photo Jean Yeo.

Skewjack singlefin by Chris Tyler

 This is a rare recent find for Alex , an early 70s singlefin made at Skewjack near Sennen by Chris Tyler. Skewjack was a notorious surf camp /hostel which I have written about here  . So far only two Skewjack boards have surfaced in recent years, so theyre pretty rare and Chris Tyler can't have shaped a lot. Whereas the other Skejack board is a 1st gen. twin fin, this one is a narrow diamond tail (1972/73) , a shape that was in fashion just before swallow tails became popular. It is signed Chris Tyler for Simon, and is approx 7ft long.

 Chris Tyler at Skewjack

 From the Skewjack early- mid 70s brochure . Another Skewjack board can be seen with the same logo and yellow rails.

Sennen lifeguards were often also surf instructors for Skewjack visitors. Here are Dave Curl, Jeremy Gilbert and Harvey Hoare , with a Bickers , Bilbo and unknown possibly another Bilbo - good summer boards.

Earlier and much larger logo, a stunning piece of artwork.

1971, from British surfer magazine


70s Sennen surf scene filmed by John Adams and Geoff De Vaney