website w/ vintage kneeboard shapes 1973 - 1990's

mutiny · Post by **mutiny** » Sat May 03, 2003 12:35 pm

If you dont already know www.surfresearch.com.au has interesting samples of vintage kneeboards from the early 70's to present. (About 6 kneeboards)info on the designer as well as dimensions are provided. I think It would be an interesting project to try and detail the progression of kneeboards from the early days to present. info on the shapes, waves they were designed for, riders intentions ( getting barreled or hitting the lip or both) etc. I have found a Rick James 5'6" double winged single fin pintail with a box for the fin. I believe it is from the late 70's early 80's. Anyone have any clues to the shaper? or era? any info would be helpful
thanks. Mutiny

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Sat May 03, 2003 2:40 pm

Flexman · Post by **Flexman** » Sat May 03, 2003 4:27 pm

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Sat May 03, 2003 5:14 pm

mutiny · Post by **mutiny** » Mon May 05, 2003 7:46 pm

I want to thank you both for the info and the Rick James board. Sounds like both flexman and beeline could chronicle in book form the evolution of the kneeboard both here in the US and Aus. there probably wouldnt be a huge audience for the info, but for the history of the sport, it needs to be done. start with current shapers of kneeboards and detail thier influences and mentors, and move backwards until some form of kneeboard tree can be traced to the begining.

lowrider · Post by **lowrider** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 5:07 pm

Hi all
Its a great idea to chronical Kneeboard design; there is of course a great tradition of innovation, particularly in the late 60's & 70's.
Kneeboarding was pretty avante-garde back then too.
I've got a bit of a collection of old craft if the site gets up.
cheers!
Andy

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 6:38 am

Freeline Design Surf Shop owner John Mel would be just the person to ask about KB history. John moved to Santa Cruz in 1969 after a stay in Hawaii.
Prior to that he was a shaper in SoCal for (I think) Hobie where he cut his shaping teeth on the night shift under the eye of Skip Frye.

John was both a stand-up and a KBer and has been designing and shaping KBs ever since.

A lot of design experimentation went on in the Santa Cruz area -well, the entire Monterey Bay area - which stretches from north of Santa Cruz down to Big Sur. We had a lot of great waves to test out new KB s.

I'll try and get my photos together and get them online for everyone. I have shots of almost all my KBs since about 1971 (when I bought my first brand new KB after riding used and/or borrowed boards, plywood and surf mats). While a lot of KBers rode twins then fishes, I came from the single fin school into tri fins (with glass handles ...ouch) into thrusters. There were also experimental boards with multiple fins and weird fin box placement trips- an advantage of working with John at Freeline.

With the November contest on tap for Santa Cruz it would be a good time to corral John and ask him about KB history.

hart · Post by **hart** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:47 am

[quote="Flexman"]`
While he was an inspiration to the Australians, George Greenough`s early experiences in California were ironically true to the ancient saying, "a prophet is never accepted in his own home town".

Flexman,

I've only just read this post and had to acknowledge it. Greenough was (and is) an enormous influence to Australians..and not only to kneeboarders..but to some of the most influencial surfers/shapers of our lifetime.

In a bizarre coincidence, I received an e-mail from Bud only recently and we were talking about Peter Crawford (vale PC)..the same word was used.. generated by a comment from Michael Nov at Peter's wake..all kneeboard surfers have a proud heritage, we have had some clever teachers.

Regards from an Australian.

red · Post by **red** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 3:25 pm

Those pics of double wingers remind me of my 2nd KB
Remember the "stinger" design that was popular in the mid-70's?
The front half of the board was a pretty normal single-fin shape for the time, but there was a huge (1-2" wing) about 2/3 down the board, often accompanied by a step in the bottom deck.
Aft of the wing the rails were just about straight, tapering into a 9" swallow tail. Board was about 22 1/2 wide at the wings.
The rails were hard and low enough to have been shaped using a square
I guess there was hefty v through the tail, but don't recall

It was interesting in a KB design. I bought it out of ignorance (cost me 40 South African Rand, too - an entire summer's savings!) and spent the next few years in emergency departments, getting stitched up - those hard rails were murder on the shins.

It was able to pivot on the wings right in the bowl, back into the tube, and pivot out again. - a truly bizarre thing. A mate says he heard a bunch of visiting pros (Rabbit, PT and others) were impressed when the saw me pull it off at my local. Aah, pinnacle of fame!

By the way - that was the year PT won his first pro contest (the Gunston 500) - his soul arch bottom turn was truly beautiful to behold in big waves.

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 6:15 pm

check out this link

http://www.surfline.com/surfaz/fish.cfm

and this one

http://www.surfline.com/surfaz/grannis_leroy.cfm

was leroy grannis the first known kneelo maker 1931

hart · Post by **hart** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 10:47 pm

The fish is too cool.

kidrock · Post by **kidrock** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 3:05 pm

Yeah, Frye's a master. Does he shape KB's anymore?

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website w/ vintage kneeboard shapes 1973 - 1990's

website w/ vintage kneeboard shapes 1973 - 1990's

Re: website w/ vintage kneeboard shapes 1973 - 1990's

Re: website w/ vintage kneeboard shapes 1973 - 1990's

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