anyone ride any of skips under 8’ shapes?
Yes.
I used to work at a shop in SD that sold a lot of used boards. Whenever we got a used Frye in I would take it out. I’ve probably ridden over 2 dozen Frye’s, from 6’ to 11’ and there wasn’t one of them I didn’t like. His eggs are just like his LBs and fishes, perfect. I just wish I could get my hands on a used one now.
any good websites to see some of skip’s shapes?
I worked for a longtime friend of Skip`s last year… he owns a 20-25 year quiver of his boards, most still in very good condition. I built him a couple of my custom surf mats. Shortly afterward, he retired and moved to Costa Rica, taking along 50+ Fryes.
That wouldn’t have been Harold R.by any chance?
Billy… No, he wasn`t Harold R.
Frye’s eggs were the benchmark for many shapers in the 70’s. I rode a pair of them to peices. Other egs were wonderfull (Hanley,Holly,etc.) My last Frye cost me an extra 25 bucks more than the others racked-up at P.B. Surfshop. One Hundred Seventy-Three Dollars (american). Also had other Frye’s, but those eggs (6’10"&7’0") were the best all around sticks I ever surfed on.
they work best in typical tourmeline type surf?
Real eggs work well in waves up to 6-7 feet. I am specifically refering to low-rockered, wide pont forwardt single fin boards. Jim Hanley makes a beautiful egg. It is an improvement on the wayne lynch evolution round tail. These boards were different from the displacement hull idea as well. A little more versatile in a wider variety of wave situations. Much more responsive. I really like them. And it was the fish which was happening at that time(early 70’s) on Point Loma. But these streakin fish demanded a point break wave, just like a displacement hull does, only completely different in feel. You never caught the newbreak crew surfing any of the beachbreaks around here because their boards did not work well in that situation. The keel fishes need a high speed peeler just to get 'em going.
The true san diego style 70’s egg was the best choice 90 percent of the time on san diego beachbreak waves. They were versatile in their ability to attack a wave at different angles, and had speed-pump potential. Just the thing in a variety wave like Ocean Beach. Tourmaline is not a very demanding wave-They call it “old mans” for a reason.
I have noticed that most board designs are taken to the edge of usability. Like this: too thin, too short, even too long. Those boards sell well, are the latest new big thing, draw alot of jealous glances. Too bad they do not work very well.
Corky Caroll had it right, by riding sort of conservative shaped boards which worked well in most waves. A surfer who has ability can really shine with a balanced shape.
The Hanley Egg deserves a second look.
All those really great boards were usually ridden until destroyed. The relics left over are usually the odd ones which were flawed, and stowed in the crawl-space, or rafters.
These ultra eggs which both Skip Frye, and Jim Hanley produced were a result of experimentation, and day-to-day evolution way back in the 1970’s. I think the designs are valid.
The egg shapes you see today are three-fin, banana rockered “bastard shapes” not really designed with any real intent. They have lost all the liveliness of the originals which were performance oriented, not beginner safety boards
-JHIMOS
A Skip Frye egg at PB Drive taught me how fun surfing could be. I view my 10+ years of surfing before that day as preparation (and some frustration) for the fun I had riding that board in one mellow beach break session. I’ve always wanted to copy that board, which is still owned by a friend of mine. It’s a work of inspiration, but I wouldn’t be able to stay off of it if I owned it, so it’s better it stays out of my hands.
Yeah, well, riding a frye egg is alot different? Like doing “S” turns down the line and high-speed, on edge direction changes with momentum…instead of relying on the chop hop “fin failure-spinout” style; which is skateboard “vogue”
Discoverin a well-evolved design; built with knowledge, and intent is always an eye-opener.
Those frye round tails are special. They are juicy and can extend your style.
Just…so scary to look at, cause they look sooo different from the “next big thing” you see at surf shops every year.
Perhaps it is the spirit of the builder coming through. And skip is pretty soulful; he’s been around; still doing what he does, still surfing alot, testing, learning what works, The guy has been a real good surfer. He still surfs really well. He does stuff on a wave you don’t expect.
A high line speed driftter. Then, he sort of sets one foot back, attacks a cutback with agile throttle control… I mean, he has all these well developed moves in his bag of tricks.
Japanese samurai swords were thought of that way. The maker’s attitude, and style (spirit) came through during the eventual use of the weapon.
I am not trying to convince you to ZEN everything, but sometimes things are crystal clear about surfing equipment, fads, wisdom, and the meerly wishful.
. Who gets results without going throutgh the process?
Just for love.
-Jhimos.
