Omigod. A beautiful- no that’s way too subtle a word for it- pristine, immaculate three stringer 8’4 honest-to-goodness Tom Parrish North Shore semi gun is on my living room floor right now. A few minutes ago I was in a surfshop when the familiar old label caught the corner of my eye-and I thought no, it couldn’t possibly be. I nonchallantly got closer (avoiding drawing attention) and sure enough it was a Parrish, and it was for sale, not a museum piece. Now I looked around to make sure I wasn’t on candid camera. Nope. So my pulse raced slightly and my mouth got drier and I looked around making sure no one else had cash out already. Could it be no one else had seen it? Memories shot back 30 years ago to the North Shore when Parrish was THE man, making perfect Sunset round-pin shooters for everyone who was anyone. Rabbit, Shaun, MR, Ian, Peter, the Marks, Margo, and countless others. How the first perfect board I ever had was formerly a pro’s used 7’0 magic Parrish that opened up Sunset and North Shore barrel riding for me, until it was stolen. And above all, my buddy’s cherished cherry 8’0 three stringer Parrish trusty magic Cadillac that effortlessly handled anything the North Shore could offer up, and how lucky I felt when he let me borrow it, until it tragically walked off years later. How we still even now during barBques talk of that board and the memories we both have of amazing times on it! How friends reverently brought their dinged Parrishes to me to fix up special, whereas they themselves would glob crude resin repairs on their other boards, even Brewers and Diffs. How unparalled smooth, fast, high performance and yet utterly dependable they were on the heaviest of waves. I hear Tom is now an attourney in Wailua, and anything he’s shaped lately is no doubt low-key for friends. I’m lucky to have a piece of fantastic memories again. I can see myself aging gracefully on it or something similar after I get tired of pushing myself on my tiny Merrick high-perf chips. Now the only question is, do I keep it, or ride it a few times, or just give it right away to my buddy as a great gift? As much as I covet and would enjoy it, it may just mean more to him. Comments are welcome especially from anyone who fondly remembers great times on Parrishes.
Use it.
The buoys around here are 12-18’, so should be big enough.
If your buddy is Tom himself, you can offer it to him.
I had 3 Parrish’s, then switched to Eberly when the shapes were taking longer and longer. I just can’t wait, and nowadaze only buy boards off the showroom floor.
So…
you meant to post a picture, right?
Tell me you’re going to post a pic of this gem!
I guess if you really love his boards you can order a brand new one from him directly:
Check out his website…www.tpsurf.com
Yeah- Eberly was classic. He got me totally hooked on his Coca-cola habit. I originally thought him nuts to gulp down two six-packs of Coke a day, yet soon after starting to sit around watching him mow foam like he did I got hooked on the habit too. He was definately more accessable, more than once he made me a board in just hours, and I can still remember watching the resin smoke thinking the whole place would go up in flames.
howzit tubedog, check the classified ad section here i posted the board there. the board was a little long for me. glad to see you stoked. catch some barrels for me aloha
its a hammer…bang that shit
Yes!! Great line!! I watched a bro unpack a log he ordered over the phone this summer. After 10 minutes of watching him wrestle it out of the cardboard I let him enjoy it for a full 30 seconds before I told him that was the best it will ever look.
They’re pretty hanging on the wall, but that makes them useless.
Never a doubt it was going to be ridden, fellas, question was whether to test it myself, or give it to my buddy right away. I failed the true buddy test I admit, took it out myself to some very clean overhead point-style reef and had a blast, easily stroking into smooth early entries, and fast down the line right away, with the extra momentum and power in the climb and drop that a three stringer gives. A true limo ride. It feels so great to feel the glide again. For me, it’s way preferable to a fuller nosed longboard. Now of course I must try it in some size. It just begs to be taken out in some serious double to triple overhead DayStar. Who am I to try to refuse?
God bless TubeDog!!!