I have a 1972 Campbell Brothers thruster, 6’8 shaped by Malcom… I’ve been doing my research and it seems that the first thrusters were shaped in the early 70’s but they were shaped with a longer center fin. This shape has all three fins of the same size with a deep double concave to vee. It looks like a modern day shape but with three times the foam. I am wondering if anybody else who is knowledgeable in board history can tell me when the first true thruster was being shaped. I hope I have a piece of surfboard history on my hands.
Pictures please!
Well we need pics.
Q: >I am wondering if anybody else who is knowledgeable in board history can tell me when the first true thruster was being shaped.
What you have is a tri-fin experiment, not a thruster.
3 fins all the same size in any configuration, does not a thruster make
Ever heard of Simon Anderson?
Campbell Brothers did the first bonzer in '70 (Large center fin with small triangular side fins). They added the single to double concave in '72. Mc Tavish did the tri fin (large single fin with side bites) in '71 and Anderson made the thruster in '80. No one had done 3 fins of equal size until Anderson. I doubt your board is from '72, but I’m no expert. CB’s have made plenty of thrusters in the past. Malcolm doesn’t really do them anymore. Is there a chance you may have the wrong date for your board.
Aloha Croft
Call Duncan Campbell at the Haleiwa Cafe and ask him. 808-637-5516
Sure would be nice to have some Photos.
Talked to Malcom yesterday an found out that this board was from the early 80’s the 72 in the picture was in reference to the board number. Still a rare board though, campbell brothers thrusters are hard to come by. Here are some pics
https://swaylocks7stage.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/photo-1.JPG
From those pictures I definitely could have told you that wasn’t from '72. But still a cool find. Bonzer bottom thrusters are great boards. A friend of mine got a hand-me-down fish from his cousins (the Malloy’s) with a thruster set up and bonzer bottom shaped by Malcolm. It was a magic board for him for years. Rode it until it fell apart. Taylor Knox is surfing better than ever on his CI model which is a bonzer bottom thruster. Good stuff.