I have a question about the Da Cat fakes that were made in the 1990s. Does anyone know where I can get information about this. I heard there were articles in the L.A. Times and in The Surfer’s Journal, but have been unable to find these issues. I have a used board that is purported to be made by the same shaper. No it is not a Da Cat but it had some similar attributes. I’d appreciate any info.
Some joker in San Diego has trademarked the name of Miki Dora. I knew someone would because you can’t trademark the name of a living person. If I were a rat fink all about money type, I would have done it myself.
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I have a question about the Da Cat fakes that were made in the 1990s. Does anyone know where I can get information about this. I heard there were articles in the L.A. Times and in The Surfer’s Journal, but have been unable to find these issues. I have a used board that is purported to be made by the same shaper. No it is not a Da Cat but it had some similar attributes. I’d appreciate any info.
Send an Email to Guy Motil over at Longboard Magazine
He is the editor and chief and might enlighten you on that shaper.
I rember reading about it years ago.
I do rember 1 thing about the article that Noll said he would had the guy shaping for him once He inspected the fakes.
Here did it for you. From the USPTO.gov
[Mark Image]
Word Mark MICKEY DORA “DA CAT”
Goods and Services IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Clothing, namely, t-shirts, knit and fleece shirts, woven shirts, sweat shirts, swimsuits, pants, walking shorts, caps, jackets, footwear, socks and headwear
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Design Search Code
Serial Number 78526412
Filing Date December 3, 2004
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Owner (APPLICANT) Kraszewski Terry S INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 1585 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. San Diego CALIFORNIA 92107
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Other Data The name MICKEY DORA “DA CAT” does not identify a living individual.
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
Like I said someone thinks theres a mint to be made. People will do anything for a buck.
There literally is a huge page of Cafe Press produced “Da Cat” products out there in cyberspace…thong underwear, even coffee cups to use while you work at the aircraft factories of Dora’s nightmares.
The guy that made the counterfit Da Cat model boards ran out of a garage in the Valley or the South Bay maybe a decade ago. I’m sure someone else has done that too. I don’t believe that scam is related to any trademarking and current merchandising. Contacting Longboard magazine is probably the quick and easy way to go.
I remember the article- the guy was making black “da cats”. I think he was out in Agoura. Classic.
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Like I said someone thinks theres a mint to be made. People will do anything for a buck.
Not only recent copies, but the originals were ripoff marketing scams as well.
I may be the only one here who ever owned a black Cat, and I’m here to tell ya it sucked, from the ‘what’s the worst possible color for a surfboard’ black glass job to the bogus ‘noseriding’ channels on the bottom. They worked badly if at all, turned in a way that could best be described as ‘glacial’ and not only couldn’t ya keep wax on 'em, they delaminated so fast it was like watching somebody inflate the thing.
What ya might call ‘designed to be replaced’. From the get-go.
Debatable if Dora ever used one, but he most certainly got some bucks out of having his name on 'em. As did Greg Noll. Who pumped 'em out by the hundred, pioneering ‘surf marketing’ of ‘name’ surfers, capitalising on Dora’s carefully crafted anti-hero act.
So rather than think of these recent items as some sort of scam, I consider 'em to be faithful copies of the original - both in appearance and intent.
doc…
The domain name is already taken. The official Dora website is currently bare bones and non commercial. No thongs for sale.
there was an article in the times (and other papers) about the scam. the guy was in the valley, making some really nice , thin, da cats (like they got to be the last couple years of production)he had the decals and all…yep- noll was impressed with this guy’s work and the rumor was miki had given the guy the decals, etc. and was makin’ a quik $ from those fakes in addition to the re-runs he and noll were doing at the time…
I did a search (hey, its lunchtime and flat) The article was in the L A Times on July 5th 1995, on page E1. I could not get anymore out of the LA times website but maybe someone has lexus/nexus, microfilm, or some other way to pull it up. I’d love to see it. Everytime I see a black cat I think it is fake.
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Quote:Like I said someone thinks theres a mint to be made. People will do anything for a buck.
Not only recent copies, but the originals were ripoff marketing scams as well.
I may be the only one here who ever owned a black Cat, and I’m here to tell ya it sucked, from the ‘what’s the worst possible color for a surfboard’ black glass job to the bogus ‘noseriding’ channels on the bottom. They worked badly if at all, turned in a way that could best be described as ‘glacial’ and not only couldn’t ya keep wax on 'em, they delaminated so fast it was like watching somebody inflate the thing.
What ya might call ‘designed to be replaced’. From the get-go.
Debatable if Dora ever used one, but he most certainly got some bucks out of having his name on 'em. As did Greg Noll. Who pumped 'em out by the hundred, pioneering ‘surf marketing’ of ‘name’ surfers, capitalising on Dora’s carefully crafted anti-hero act.
So rather than think of these recent items as some sort of scam, I consider 'em to be faithful copies of the original - both in appearance and intent.
doc…
As usual Doc…you hit the nail sqarely on the head.
Da cats were mostly for those surfers wanting the name and the look of surfing rather than to have the best surfboard for their surfing. This was the first truely big hype in the pre surf industry market. I have ridden one a few times and thought it was the biggest dog of a board.
I think Phil Edwards was way more of a pioneer with his hobie Cats and boards designed for speed.
Da cats models, like the K models and many of the popouts capitalize on the fame of someone and are primarily sold to kids or surfers where the name on the board is at least equal in importance to how it rides. Even good surfers fall for it sometimes: Look at the Channel Islands, many a good surfer will dish out the bucks on a very expensive Merrick that does not ride any better or hold up as good as many local shapers stock thrusters, but with that label under their arm, in their mind, it sets them apart.
What the Dora folks will find out is there is not as much interest or money in that name as some may think. It’s surfing after all and Pool shooting contest pay more.
Also Dora has been looked at by many as some great person to know and be seen with. He was a credit card thief and scam artist who happened to be one of the most well known of the Malibu crew right when beach blanket bingo started ruining surfing. I find him more of a pitiful figure than a great one.
MR.Greg DA Bull, Noll,
Illustrious elder Noll,I am trying to find the guy who ruthlessly scammed your Da Cat Model enterprise.
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I am planning a similar rip off of another CYSTine chapel marketing enterprise and would like his input in constructing the scam plan.
-
I have lost touch with the guy tthat dropped in on your da cat scam
I owe him 100,000 dollars and need to get in touch with him.
3.My son was the guy that coppied the boards you made in the sixties.
he changed his name and I forgot his address.Could you please give it to me so I can tell him the bad news ,his favorite uncle died and left him 3 million acres in eastern oregon and we have a buyer…
without his signature the deal is stalled.Thank you,mrs. Urda Mae Stanzstyle.
4.I met the guy at the beach and he dropped his map to the lost dutchman mine and I want to return it to him.
…ambrose…
greg noll has the guy’s name memorized…
maybe the surfing heritage guys have it…/
e-mail greg liddle he loves that story maybe he remembers it.
maybe greg noll can make you a copy of the guy’s boards…?
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As usual Doc…you hit the nail squarely on the head.
Well, hey, even a busted clock is right twice a day…
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Da cats were mostly for those surfers wanting the name and the look of surfing rather than to have the best surfboard for their surfing. This was the first truely big hype in the pre surf industry market. I have ridden one a few times and thought it was the biggest dog of a board.
I think Phil Edwards was way more of a pioneer with his hobie Cats and boards designed for speed.
Exactly. Though you’d be amazed at how many wannabes or never-were types who came on the scene just after that think those things are the greatest thing since sliced bread… The real deal were people like Edwards, or Harold Iggy and the shapes he did for Weber plus his work developing the first shaping machine, or any one of several others.
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Da cats models, like the K models and many of the popouts capitalize on the fame of someone and are primarily sold to kids or surfers where the name on the board is at least equal in importance to how it rides. Even good surfers fall for it sometimes: Look at the Channel Islands, many a good surfer will dish out the bucks on a very expensive Merrick that does not ride any better or hold up as good as many local shapers stock thrusters, but with that label under their arm, in their mind, it sets them apart.
Again, exactly - the hype always seems to go past the reality. Don’t get me going on a few of the big names I’ve dealt with - I found their products to be garbage, third rate , but they had the cojones to hype it and the fools bought it.
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What the Dora folks will find out is there is not as much interest or money in that name as some may think. It’s surfing after all and Pool shooting contest pay more.
Also Dora has been looked at by many as some great person to know and be seen with. He was a credit card thief and scam artist who happened to be one of the most well known of the Malibu crew right when beach blanket bingo started ruining surfing. I find him more of a pitiful figure than a great one.
I’ve run across a few people who knew Dora. People who I thought highly of. And it’s a funny thing, they all, without exception, hated the guy. His rep was, again, crafted. Dunno that he ever won a contest, but he did have that reputation, though as much for bad manners as anything else. And then, as now, the dummies eat it right up. Spending ludicrous money for the oriiginals and the fakes…gotta love their consistency… doc…
Well thank you that helps me find one of the articles I was searching for. As for the rest of the replies, you guys are great, funny responses from some of ya. Especially the fact that Dora has been copyrighted. I have ridden a few and agree that the boards were not that great of riders. I know the story of the 1990s fakes and even the guys name, I’m just trying to document a board I own.
Thanks to the suggestion of people to email for more info.
I talked to Jed Noll at the ARS show about this topic. Jed said there were about 14 fake boards confiscated in all, so your board is probably ok, unless you got one of the fake Da Cats I made and glassed.
The conversation came up because they had a beautiful selection of authentic Greg Noll reproductions that looked perfect right down to the vintage logo, volan cloth, and clark regular weight foam. They were selling the suite of 5 boards for $25,000, they were reproduced from a famous picture of Noll, Griggs and 2 others famous guys on the beach some place in Hawaii
How many fakes does anybody think are out there aside from the 14 Da Cats that were confiscated? There are plenty of underground guys with the skill and know how to pull it off. Da Cats are but one of several desirable (and valuable) collector boards.
Howzit Brother Brose, You know who was glassing those Black Dora's, our man BASA. He was still learning the art of laminating and was working with my mentor Gary Thurnagle. Gary did the clear ones and BASA did the black ones because he was still getting air in his laminations and they would add black pigment to the hot coats to hide the air,straight from BASA's mouth. He was telling me how they used beer cans to put the concave in the bottoms. Gary also stepped in to keep Noll from punching BASA after Bobby told Noll to F&#k off. Aloha,Kokua
I do not know the actual #.
There was one that was glassed after the bust supposedly, without the fake label.
My board was not intended to be a counterfeit but was shaped from the same template, but with modern rails, s-glass and a different stringer set up and a standard finbox.