What does the term “bonzer” refer to in surfboards and surfboard design?
If memory serves me…A couple of guys that surfed the Ranch designed the bonzer fin system…I remember reading a Surfer Mag.in the late 70’s about the design…side fins that are set about a 45 degree angle outward and a very low triangle, maybe about 7 or 8 inches long…I saw one in Bruce Jones shop about a week ago hanging in the rafters. As far as working? I think they started the tri fin revolution, and what you see now evolved from the Bonzer fin system. Someone please correct me if I’m not quite hitting the mark.
What does the term “bonzer” refer to in surfboards and surfboard > design? “Bonzer” is a Oz slang term = to “bitchin”, the shit, da bomb. It is also a surfboard design developed by Malcolm and Duncan Campbell from Oxnard, CA. The Campbell Bros. came up with the design, in a very crude form, in '71 or so as teenagers looking to make a board that would hold in on the steep hollow waves at their everyday breaks, Silver Strand and Point Mugu. Their father suggested a dull concave hull that would create a “venturi” effect, that is direct and move the water along the bottom of the board faster and stronger. This came from boat hulls. Also two keel fins were placed along side the concaves outside the center fin. The keel fins were toed in and canted out. The boards worked and the boys started shaping them for themselves and their friends. Of course they were very crude as anyone on this board would know if they look back on their first attempts at shaping. They sent out letters of intrduction to some of the major builders at the time, addresses garnered from ads in the “Surfer.” Keep in mind the whole industry was in the thros of change. No more longboards, back yard builders were setting the pace of new designs and every week there was somthing new. The big name builders from the '60s either had to get with it real quick or they were gone, passe. Bing Copland of Bing Surfboards granted the boys an audience and was amazed to see that they were teenaged boys with long hair and not much time in the trade. But Bing and his head shaper at the time, Mike Eaton, realized the boys were on to something valid. So valid in fact that is was and is the pre curser to the modern dull concave thruster. Forget Simon Anderson, he agknowledes the Campbell Bros. Mike Eaton took the design and has gone in his own direction with it and has made thousands and thousands of “Bonzers” over the last 30 years. Malcolm and Duncan took the side keel fins and split them in two and off -set them creating the 5 Fin Bonzer about 17 years ago. That’s the real short version. There may be a full feature in “Surfers Journal” in the future. Learn and remember the roots.
What does the term “bonzer” refer to in surfboards and surfboard > design? Check out www.bonzer5.com for the story straight from the originators. I shaped a modified version some 10yrs and it works great.
Check out www.bonzer5.com for the story straight from the originators. I > shaped a modified version some 10yrs and it works great. i shaped a 6’5 and 7’4 three months ago and rode them in sumatra in may. for REAL surf it is still a VERY valid design, especially for those of us who grew up on single fins. kudos to the campbell bros. cheers. jim dunlop
orig. Tim gives a great description of the original development of the Campbell Brothers’ bonzer design. Circa 1971-1972, with Mike Eaton shaping, Bing sold the first commercial Bonzers with the rigid straight side fins - and developed a following in pockets including the Manhattan Beach Pier. After moving to San Diego in 1974, Eaton developed the flexible side fins, and then the “Zinger”, a four fin model with an interesting “V” plane. These boards have had a large following in the Sunset Cliffs/Ocean Beach areas of San Diego for decades. Rumor has it that Eaton has decided to no longer commercially manufacture surfboards, to concentrate on paddleboards. IMHO, this is a huge loss to innovation and design in surf boarding.
Here you have some pics: http://foros.hispavista.com/El_foro_de_Nacho/attach/556/ http://foros.hispavista.com/El_foro_de_Nacho/attach/557/ http://foros.hispavista.com/El_foro_de_Nacho/attach/558/ http://foros.hispavista.com/El_foro_de_Nacho/attach/560/ http://foros.hispavista.com/El_foro_de_Nacho/attach/563/ I don’t know how to post pics in this forum… Good Waves, Coque.
i shaped a 6’5 and 7’4 three months ago and rode them in sumatra in may. > for REAL surf it is still a VERY valid design, especially for those of us > who grew up on single fins. kudos to the campbell bros. cheers. jim dunlop Jim, did you do the bonzer as a tri or as a 5-finner as Cam.bros are doing now? I would like to stop by your shop and take a look at’em next time I am down in Jax if that would be alright.
Jim,>>> did you do the bonzer as a tri or as a 5-finner as Cam.bros are doing now? > I would like to stop by your shop and take a look at’em next time I am > down in Jax if that would be alright. all i’ve ever done are the 5-fin variety but i have the template for a 6’8 bing (mike eaton) 3-fin (circa '75) if going that far back floats your boat. stop in and chat. cheers. jim dunlop