Approx $$$ for new Surfboards: Mid 70's, 80's, 90's

MRsinglefin's picture
MRsinglefin started the topic in Saturday, 19 Aug 2017 at 4:20pm

I'm compiling a list of my surfboards purchased since 1967 to 2017. The first few were 2nd hand from my first mal $20 then the start of the shortboard revolution with reshaped mals to my first new 5' 6" Sam Egan in 1970 after I finished my School Certificate ($90) The next week twin fins hit the scene !!!

Thank God for paper runs and milk runs to pay for surfboards. No way parents would buy me a surfboard

I can remember in 1972 after my HSC going to Bells and renting a caravan at Pat Morgan's and purchasing one of long keel base 7' board($120 ?), then 1975 on a gap year from University purchasing a Morning Star from Ray Richards in Newcastle for my South Africa trip ($140 ??)

Can't recall costs for 1980's Col Smith (Newcastle) 6 channel, mid 80's MR's, 90's Tommy Peterson Fireball Fish, early 2000's Dahlberg, mid 2000's Byrne Surftec 6 channel

2016 I paid $860 for custom red MR Supertwin + $140 for FCS 2 for trip on Barenjoey
Next month I'm picking up a custom red 7' Jye Byrnes Bonzer (40th wedding anniversary present from the wife) She already has the ruby 40th ring

In all I have listed 30 surfboards over 50 years mainly Sam Egans' or MR's

Would appreciate any memories Swellnet readers have paid for their custom boards so I can fill in the memory blanks. I can remember the size, shapers and colour / sprays.

middy's picture
middy's picture
middy Thursday, 24 Aug 2017 at 11:44am

Shit yeh! Reddys underated! Time it right it's a reform Fun Park. Last time I surfed it was with Vic Legend Howard Hughes. Shit everywhere but Reddy's on the Pump.

Ash's picture
Ash's picture
Ash Thursday, 24 Aug 2017 at 1:36pm

My 1st board (1975) was borrowed, but just as I was getting the hang of the old mal I had to give it back. Hired a few from Punk, then bought a light blue resin tinted Gordon and Smith ( under a hundred I reckon ) from a Brighton surf shop that completely got me hooked, unfortunately months later I forgot to occy her down properly and she hit the bitumen. However moved on and got Frosty to shape me a 5'11" round tail single ( good board ) and then a Louis Ferriera twinny copy that I loved, he was a good shaper, but it also met the same fate as the G&S, this time by a mate that borrowed it to surf Myponga.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 24 Aug 2017 at 6:20pm

old dog slip down to West beach and buy that John Arnold single fin on GumTree - $150 neg
bit of weekend repair work she's a wallhanger

talkingturkey's picture
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talkingturkey Thursday, 24 Aug 2017 at 6:39pm

Good stuff about the 75 Aussie titles. Legendary in SA. Before my time, but I did have an old B&W photo of PT swinging off the bottom on a solid wave at the Dump (!) that was featured in the newspaper at the time (had an uncle who worked there).

When I was a grom, it was the Aussie titles in SA ten years later that was a big deal. The Aussie titles were still a big deal then. All the soon-to-be stars on the world stage. Take a pick. The winners were Sanga; Branno; Nick Wood.

A coupla of more lower-key standouts: Greg Brown. Made the open final. And a bloke who absolutely ripped: Glenn Kelly.

Also, the Big A, Andy Inkster, made the final in his division.

Decent waves at Parsons too.

Oh yeah, have a read of this. See what you think.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/south-australian-surf-culture/news-st...

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 24 Aug 2017 at 7:09pm

TT your uncle- M . . . . ?

Shatner'sBassoon's picture
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Shatner'sBassoon Friday, 25 Aug 2017 at 1:58am

You forgot Connie Nixon, ya misogynist bastard.

And did Nick Wood win the cadets? Sure?

talkingturkey's picture
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talkingturkey Friday, 25 Aug 2017 at 2:26pm

Hah! Nah, my uncle once won a Kenny Rogers lookalike comp. And his FIRST name is Gordon. True!

I've got a mate who's got a Godfather called Mike. He is or was literally and figuratively the 'Godfather' of cricket journalism. A doyen at the very least.

Funny story about the time he got me and his God-son into the hallowed journalists and commentators area at the Adelaide Oval when India vs Australia, and Warnie vs Tendulkar, was on. We had just got back into civilisation from out west the night before, and were feeling and looking quite 'special' the next morning of the game.

We didn't know where we were going once we got in the ground, and eventually staggered into the Channel Nine commentary lounge area by mistake looking for directions to the News Ltd/Australian area, where the one and only Bill Lawry looked at us, chuckled, and said in that classic Bill Lawry voice that us fellas needed to go a couple of doors down. I seem to remember the look of disdain that Tony Greig gave us too. Fuck, that dude was huge!

We found the Godfather who showed us to our seats, and then we sourced some steadying morning beers, and then got into a further spot of trouble of sorts as drinking beers at that time in that particular place wasn't a good look...apparently. Rupe wouldn't approve!

Ah well, at least we got to see the two greats battle each other...from the scoreboard end! Happy daze!

Shatner'sBassoon's picture
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Shatner'sBassoon Friday, 25 Aug 2017 at 1:58am

A tale worth telling

talkingturkey's picture
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talkingturkey Friday, 25 Aug 2017 at 2:24pm

Actually, Udo, I've got the 'newspaper' uncle (since retired), but I also have a 'surfing' uncle (since retired) who used to go by the name Moochie! Hung out with other 70s reprobates in the deep South.

old-dog's picture
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old-dog Friday, 25 Aug 2017 at 7:36pm

@ turkey , That 2010 article by Gerry Wedd was classic, thanks, Personally I will always see him as the most talented surfer to ever come out of S.A. Every time I started to think I was getting pretty good Gerry would paddle out and make me realize what a kook I really was. I couldn't see how anyone in the World could have surfed those mid coast waves any better ,he was way ahead of his time. So next time you see a Jesus like figure hitching to the point stop and give him a lift , you may learn something. Cheers.

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Shatner'sBassoon Saturday, 26 Aug 2017 at 9:58am
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Sunday, 24 Sep 2017 at 2:01pm

1975 Flaming Huey sacrifice, I walked hot coals for my shark chomped green turtle platter.
1976 Palm Beach garage sale: $25 got me a square railed polynomial banana board. (Rare)
Truthfully! I've never seen another true polynominal tail on a board ever since.
I'm not ashamed to say my surfing improved outta sight with this backyard biscuit.

(Glitch) Thick soft squared rail, banana boards were an unmarked underground anomaly.
Put it down to a bad batch of Burford Blanks? New angle for 70's surfboard researchers.
If this helps...They roamed around same time as the SHANE wafers were popping out.

You'll need to look deep as I can't recall any with a Decal. That's the key for collectors.
You will be able feel the drop off soft rails that are more familiar to rescue boards.
Weirder still was a companion generic skateboard of the day that also put out.
I paid homage to it in my "Skateboarding The Gold Coast Brochure".

1976 Custom Dick Van Straalen textured deck 6'10" round' pin cost me $180. (Real pounder)
1977 I reshaped it into 6" (wide tail swallow) moved the fin real high and it flew like a fish.
1978 I paid $40 for 2nd hand Hohensee psychedelic sea cucumber + fin box.(A real creeper)

(Sorry no prices below) From this point I got lucky and scored free boards shaped by Vege.
1979 I rode a Derby 6'4" swallow with fin box a very nice board thanx. (Like-Hot Stuff rails)
1980 I rode a Sky 6'2" Twin Fin (Town & country swirl model) ...Say nothing etc...
Like everyone else we ditched the shopfront for Punk... no secret we roam free as basherz.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 24 Sep 2017 at 5:04pm

2017 and WTF makes Perry surfboards worth $1480 / Bennys Boardroom.

spudsurf's picture
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spudsurf Monday, 25 Sep 2017 at 9:33am

Haven't bought a custom yet. My first board was from Goodtime surf at Woolloongabba, in 1986, for $60. It was a 6'2" Goodtime hotdog surfboard with the mushroom logo and it was about 10 years old.

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spudsurf Monday, 25 Sep 2017 at 9:54am