9'1 Gordon & Smith Hot Curl Question

General Discussion
1

I just rode a beat up old G&S Hotcurl from about 1968, it was around 9 feet with knifey rails and rode amzingly well. They guy split befre I could get any measurements.

I would like to have a good shaper (Shane Smith in N.H.) reproduce one for me in Volan, but I’d love some dimensions please.

Could anyone please tell me about:

Width? Nose? Tail? Rails? Rocker? Thickness? Experiences? Anything?

I appreciete it.

Thanks friends!

2

Hi John,

Those were a nice stick, about the nicest thing G&S made in that era. Don’t have one , but let me ask around. If you know Tony P. , ask him too, he knows a few people. Also, pass on my regards to Shane and Team Short Bus.

doc…

3

Thanks Doc, I appreciate it. I may beg Tyler to do one, he should know. G&S can do it too I guess, but that’s getting expensive. Not sure if they would do Volan, etc. I want authenticity just short of a waveset fin, a fim box & true ames will do just fine.

Here’s my website, contact me through it, I met Larry once, real nice guy, he does great retro shapes.

www.johnhintlian.com

4

I have an 8’0" hotcurl stringerless that surfs unreal.If you want the dimensions I’ll take them for you.Sounds like the same board only smaller.

5

Please, thank you!!

Would be stoked for any dimensions you can get, esp, width, nose, and tail.

Also, could you please describe the rails?

Thanks

reply to:

john@johnhintlian.com

6

I have one in the shed, won’t be able to check it until later in the week.

7

Great, hit me back, I appreciate the help

8

I had a 9’3" flared stringer Hot Curl… “Another in a Long Line of Barney’s Hybrids” was inscribed under the glass. My friend Craig Schumacher gave it to me.

It had a reddish orange bottom and overlap with yellow foam stain between the stringers on the deck. It also had a big old nylon(?) flex fin that you could just about tie a knot with. The dings that sucked water curiously turned yellowish - I’ve never seen that happen before. The dimensions please…

***19" nose, 17" round pin tail, 23" wide a little behind center***

In the nose area the bottom was flattish in the center with a 50/50 rail - the break from the bottom to the rail apex started fairly close to the edge. The middle had a bit of belly and the break towards 50/50 started closer to the stringer. The tail had pronounced lift and was rounded more evenly. A pretty complicated bottom actually. I could sketch it out better than explain it.

Rocker was kind of reversed - like the blank had been turned around before templating. Not sure on exact rocker dimensions… tail kick was more abrupt and nose was pretty flat.

Not sure on thickness either… about 3" thick but pinched 50/50 rails.

When Skip Frye was contacted about making one like it, I got the usual runaround… he doesn’t do flared stringers cause he can’t stand them on end in his shop after shaping, round bottom tails suck - literally, “regressive design”, Homie don’t DO that anymore, etc. I ended up with a 10’ double ender pintail Eagle which is undoubtedly a better all around board but I still miss my old Hot Curl.

Somebody (you know who you are) lifted it out of my barn 30 years ago when I lived in Topanga… I’ll know it in a heartbeat if I ever see it again.

9

Thanks,

I’ll be passing onthe split stinger setup, pretty, but it will be tough enough getting a shaper to do it after descibing the complicated bottom.

Thanks

10

I got a shaper lined up, with alot of details, but as you well know, a picture says a thousand words.

Anything would be most welcome, I’m going forward on this.

Thanks

John