The Deus/Boardcollector Surf Swap meet

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

12030252_1655265451386688_4370454697235409414_o.jpgBondi in a stiff sou-easter is no place for a surfer. I was reminded of that when I stuck my head out the front doors of Bondi Pavilion at 7am on Sunday and copped a blast of uninterrupted onshore. The view was depressing: choppy grey swill broke in random fashion from the northern corner to the south, and despite it being Sunday morning fewer than five surfers had bothered paddling out. It was a dismal scene, to be sure, I turned my back to the wind and rain and closed the door.

Inside the pavilion a similar battle with the elements was playing out. Though the walls offered protection from the wind, intermittent showers were slowing the work of those preparing for the Deus Boardcollector Swap Meet.

The centrepiece of the meet were the Show and Shine stand where random punters could display their collectable boards, and also the Wall of Joy where pre-1990 surfboards went for sale. Tents were raised while optimistic weather forecasts were exchanged.

“The Bureau said there was only a 30% chance of showers this morning,” said the fellow standing next to me unpacking his boards. “I'll take those odds!”

It was raining as he said it.

I laid my boards out, mostly a selection of Webber Insights and Channel Islands that defied the pre-1990 cut off. They did, however, meet eBay's definition of 'vintage' - that being anything over 20 years. All were shaped between '91 and '93.

Age wasn't the only thing that separated my collection from the other boards being unsheathed. Evidently spray jobs weren't popular in the early 90s. To balance the colour palette I mixed a few brightly coloured 80s thrusters among my minimalist 90s sticks. One was a red and yellow Nirvana with 'BC for Pig' written on the stringer that I'd had a few years. Clearly 'BC' was Bill Cilia but 'Pig' was always a mystery to me, though my finely tuned powers of deduction figured him to be a big fella. The board was three inches thick.

Mid-morning, as the clouds were slowly clearing, I saw someone photographing the board and sending a text. I approached him for a chat. It was Bill Cilia's nephew giving his uncle a little thrill. Uncle Bill promptly replied to the message: “Pig is Ross Clarke-Jones' brother.”

Mystery solved, just like that.

Later I received a call from a fella who wanted to buy a board I had for sale on the Wall of Joy. The board was a Shark Island Design shaped by deceased Island charger Geoff 'Soulman' Solness, but unless you were raised in Cronulla during the 70s and 80s that info would mean very little. With this in mind I aimed low, just happy to make any sale.

As it happened the buyer grew up with Geoff. “We were friends since we were about six years old.” He wanted to pay more but I indulged his good vibes and declined the offer. Feel good act for the day #1 complete.

You could quite easily spend your whole surfing life ignorant of the history and provenance of old boards. Don't worry, your surfing wont be any poorer for it, off the tops won't be any slower, tube rides any less deep, yet if you stop and open that door a network of connections and context is at once illuminated. The sport assumes a cultural and historic depth that you'd been unaware of.

Of course history isn't the only reason people collect things, nostalgia is clearly linked to youth and many a surfboard collector has filled a shed while searching for his Rosebud. At times I'd count myself amongst them.

Back at the appraisals desk some of those acquisitions were getting the once over. Situated next to the Wall of Joy was the 'Expert Appraisers' desk manned by Damion Fuller, Gav Scott, and myself feeling like an imposter next to the towering mountain of knowledge Damo and Gav posses.

Much like Antiques Roadshow, punters could front up at the desk with their boards and have them examined and priced. And Damion, adding his showman's flair, figured it'd be best to do it over the loudspeaker for all to hear.

12063462_10207830881708820_2824012933837071173_n.jpg“This is like the Nazis romping through Beaujolais in World War 2!” said Damion excitedly and I wondered where the hell he was going with this. In front of us was a grimy single fin with a black wax job that clearly hadn't been touched in decades.

“When the Germans raided the vineyards they found bottles of wine from the 14th century, and here, ladies and gentlemen, is the surfboard equivalent of a 500-year old Beaujolais.” If I didn't know Damion better I'd figured it was a set up.

The board was a Michael Peterson single fin shaped for Gold Coast Designs. Old mate had owned it since he was a kid, stored it under the house and had to keep stopping his Mum from throwing it out.

“Tell her it's worth about $3,000. That should stop her.” He trundled back into the crowd grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

img_8488.jpgSimilar items were presented and appraised: an MR personal rider from 1980, Hayden Kenny V-Bottom, Wallace tracker, and a Lopez Lightning Bolt. The last one was a set up; Gav owned the board, he could care less about having it valued but the board was once ridden by Peter McCabe in Tubular Swells. McCabe and Dick Hoole – who filmed Tubular Swells with Jack McCoy – fronted up and took the microphone.

McCabe talked about Lopez, Hoole talked about the film, but linking them all – in fact the very reason they were there now – was the board. McCabe signed it and handed it back to Gav.

With the appraisals over and the forecast finally come good I retreated to the bar to drink beer in the afternoon sun. Two drinks in and I received a tap on the shoulder. “Can you do one more appraisal? asked Damion.

“OK, what is it?”

“An early-90s Webber Insight...”

Oh the scenarios that played out in my head while walking back to the desk. Of course I considered shafting him, telling him it was a pig then lowballing an offer. Fortunately it had two fins missing and dings all over. My integrity would remain unchallenged.

"It's worth bugger all now, but if you clean it up and store it away it might be worth a bit in coming years." I then explained why that was so, giving him an unsolicited lesson in design. Maybe he appreciated it, maybe he didn't. Maybe I'll see it at the next Deus/Boardcollector Swap Meet and I'll regret not being a bastard.

(MP single fin photo by Julian Dunn)

Comments

radiationrules's picture
radiationrules's picture
radiationrules Tuesday, 29 Sep 2015 at 12:32pm

"if you stop and open that door a network of connections and context is at once illuminated. The sport assumes a cultural and historic depth that you'd been unaware of." - pure gold that writing and sentiment for me Stu - or one maybe simply - one man's fish is another man's poisson

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 29 Sep 2015 at 7:52pm

Sounds like a fun day.

Fun read too.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 29 Sep 2015 at 8:20pm

I wholeheartedly concur Blowin.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 6:40am

Better photo of the MP for Gold Coast Design (photo by Adam Scard):

12010632_10153251815912865_2443779461560301662_o.jpg

peterb's picture
peterb's picture
peterb Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 8:31am

Beaujolais?
That plonk never gets a vintage, and you can buy it by the half gallon, in buckets. G'day Stu, all well?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 9:09am

The surfboard history was sound, but the European history and viticulture? I'll leave that to the experts such as yourself, Pete. Stone's passes as a top drop 'round these parts.

All's going well. Second book out yet?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 8:38am

Would like to see a pic of that board cleaned up.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 9:14am

Same. 'Twas hard to believe something so valuable was allowed to sit in squalor. Clean that sucker up and let it sparkle.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 10:02am

Speculating but that airtight thin layer of grime may have gone someway towards preserving that board.

Sort of like a fibreglass confit?

peterb's picture
peterb's picture
peterb Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 12:35pm

Thanks for the opening Stu, I'm over here with the poets and deep thinkers.

http://bennisonbooks.com

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 3:46pm

...and dabbling in quasi non-fiction crime noir, I see.

If that's not what the genre is called then you're welcome to borrow the phrase.

peterb's picture
peterb's picture
peterb Wednesday, 30 Sep 2015 at 4:29pm

Quasi non-fiction crime noir that travels to Bondi in 1948. It was a big day.