pics are here…
my nephew is just learning. he’s @ 5’9" and a fit 145-150lbs. he’s already been standing up with no problems on my 7’6" funfish. I’m thinking this might be a decent starter board for $100?
i havent seen it yet but i’m thinking if it’s watertight and not waterlogged and has a fin, i might pick it up for myself if he’s not interested.
;D
Forget your nephew - keep it for yourself! Looks just like the Inspiration I had from George Panton back in the 70’s but a little racier. Those round pin singles are great when it gets juicy in Florida. Otherwise they can be a challenge (grab the longboard). George used to sell Nomads too out of Cocoa Beach Surf Shop, and Ron Heavyside (the shaper) is still making Nomads in South Florida. THAT’S a quality board!!! Thanks for the memories …
who’s the shaper? see it on the stringer?
Roger Hinds used to make a nomad model thruster… as far as thruster go it was good.
-j
www.nomadsurfsport.com - the site is kinda bare, but Ron is still there!!!
not sure of the shaper as i havent seen it in person yet. depending on how thick it is, it might be too small for my 6’3 220lb noob frame but i’m sure my wife and/or kids could learn on it if the nephew isnt interested.
Definitely too small for you but a great little piece of history nonetheless. When I was in college
(early-mid '70s) several of my friends had Nomads just like that. A respected label at that the time.
known for clean round pins and quality glassing. I rode a 6’8’’ diamond tail Nomad in mainland Mex
in ‘76 and ‘77, it was my traveling partner’s small board but just right for me when he needed his 7’0’’.
Got some really good waves on that thing; it was a clear triple-stringer that I’ll never forget.
not a reply to you Mike D., just wanted to chime in… being a grom in S FL I used to love driving past Nomad surf shop(have no idea of any connection to the surfboards), never really went in too often, it just meant we were getting somewhere where there might actually be some waves, its been many many years, but i think it was near a little town that consisted of all mobile homes right on the ocean, the name slips me, but I do know some developer (big surprise) tried to give every mobile home owner something like a million bucks to leave so they could put up hi end condos… just enjoying the memories, also reminds of Fox surf shop at the deerfield beach inlet… lots of memories just seeing this board. good to know the shaper is still doing his thing… thanks
nomad surf shop in S. Fla. is in Delray Beach. It’s still there. I grew up in Deerfield and had similar experiences driving up the coast- passing Nomad meant that you were near that turn at Boynton Inlet where you’d really see if you were going to score or if you needed to make a detour for 95.
Other memories of Nomad include getting stink eye from the employees, who were of course the Delray locals, when stopping in to get wax.
That mobile home area is still there, but there’s a lot more there now too.
A buddy of mine has a really nice old Nomad single fin; it’s much shorter than that board with a wider tail, and it’s an absolute blast.
Snag that board. If your kid can’t use it now, he’ll be able to someday.
Wow, that is about as close as you get to the first board I ever rode in 1977 growing up in Daytona Beach. We had to “borrow” my friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s board to do it! I’ll never forget it!
Nomad is in boynton beach.My first board was a twin fin from Ron.I know his 2 sons really well since they run the shop now and we grew up surfing Delray.Ron isn’t doin so well these days he has some issues for sure.
surfercross -
Sad to hear about Ron. I talked to the kids about a couple of years ago trying to get in touch with Ron. I was going to get him to make some retros and they said he still shaped on a limited basis. Those 70's down railers he made went great in juicy waves! And the glassing was top notch too! Sending out prayers from this end ...
we got ahold of it the other day. i made some small dings watertight with suncure and my nephew’s been riding it all weekend!
the fin is a little strange - it looks like it has a finbox but the fin has been “attached” with some dark material. i’m not sure if it’s resin or something else. i might take it down to a local shaper tomorrow and see what they think.
it’s a cool shape and i like the single fin on it. it’s way too small for me but i was able to paddle out. it’s also very thick. it’s 6’8", @ 19" wide, and over 3" thick.
I talked with Ron Heavysides last year.He still shapes boards.His kids run the business.I used to work with him sometimes back in the 70’s.I may have glassed and glossed that board.Lime green and narrow resin pins were my thing.He and I and 3 other people power drove (except for pit stops) from Lantana Fla. to Sandiego in 1970.All of us crammed in to van.Now that was a trip. RB
GREAT work cleanlines! Man, those boards rivaled MTB’s back then, and Inspirations were in there too. Tomb and Reeves may have still been around (but I don’t think so), and I think Salicks were up and running by then (early 70’s) … Wow, when you stop and think about it, Florida’s East Coast has produced some world class surfboard craftsmen as well as damn good surfers … still does … and if you go back a bit how about Holmsey? And Daytona Beach Surf Shop by Miller - I hear he’s shaping again. And there’s always Pat O’Hare and Bud Gardner and Balsa Bill and etc.,etc.,etc. … ps - any update on Ron?
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I talked with Ron Heavysides last year.He still shapes boards.His kids run the business.I used to work with him sometimes back in the 70's.I may have glassed and glossed that board.Lime green and narrow resin pins were my thing.He and I and 3 other people power drove (except for pit stops) from Lantana Fla. to Sandiego in 1970.All of us crammed in to van.Now that was a trip. RB
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wow, awesome, thanks! he's doing really well on that board. some guy offered him $200 cash the other day on the boardwalk and he said "no." he got a quote to restore it for $300 but we'll see how that goes.
Does it look like this?
havent been around in awhile, but yes. it looks like that one! but it's green.