When you say “fairing everything out”, do you mean sand down to the original lam coat? Also, why would I add a single layer of 4oz if I didn’t sand through the original lam coat (which I didn’t)? Just curious, not trying to be critical.
Hi -
I just meant to get everything as flat as possible to the original surface… all dents, dings, cracks, chips, etc. to be filled and sanded smooth. I’ve seen some guys who ignore stress cracks or maybe throw some gloss over them - The 4oz layer is sometimes a good idea to tie everything together - sometimes easier than spot patching over everything that received some filler. It just depends on the actual condition of the board and how much work it ends up needing.
Very nice example Sammy A. And right there’s not much to gain from the serial # except where I happen to have an old invoice which helps to give us some info by deductive reasoning
I have invoice # 01011 dated 5/15/68. to Keller’s Surf Shop with 10 boards listed. Serial #'s from 0358 to 1283 with various #'s inbetween.
There is a 9’6 Hot Curl # 0363 and a 9’6 Hot Curl # 1210. A couple of boards are listed as “no numb” including an 8’8 Hot Curl.
There’s also a 9’6 Midget. # 0358 I’m assuming it’s the Stringerless model and an 8’4 Midget V bottom # 1283.
I think the #s and the board lengths tell a pretty good story of what was going on at the time. For some perspective, G&S was building about 30 boards a day. maybe more. I didn’t actually go to work where I was in the factory until the following spring.
Also have an invoice from 4/23/68 with some lower #'s. And some higher ones.
I had an 8’8 Hot Curl. in the summer of '68. A pintail. Team rider Dennis Doyle had it and it was too big for him so I took it over and rode it. It went off the top of my van in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel heading north after the ECSC.
Sammy, check your Hot Curl closely. Is it colored foam? There were some that were taped off and resin tint used for the color.
Bill, mine is definitely colored foam
You don’t happen to have 2034 listed on an invoice, by chance?
monkstar…
I cant see any of the pics you have posted;(
No. But the closest one I find is: Invoice # 1281 July 12 1968 with a 9’4 Hot Curl green top and bottom # 2059.
Lowest # on the invoice is 1225 and the highest is 2081 7’11 Farrelly V bottom.
Pretty good bet you board was built around the same time.
I’ve always been quite sure mine is from 1968. Simply because it’s an 8’8" and a pintail. From what I know, first gen HCs were all squares.
Yes. I would have guessed summer of '68 even without the paperwork.
I really loved my 8’8 pintail. Really heartbroken when I lost it in the middle of the Cheasapeake. Heard a noise. The guy riding with me looks out the window and says. “There goes your board.” Pulled over to see it already in the middle of the bay and moving fast. Really strong nw wind. Outgoing tide. I’m thinking some kid in France found it.
Fortunately right after that I went to work for G&S and we got boards for employee price. $75. Wholesale on your board was about $130. East coast retail with frt was almost $200.
Found the G&S dealer newsletter from Oct 7, 1968.
Starts off: “COMMING SOON: The 1969 version of the top selling Hot Curl featuring a brand new streamline outside shape and a signle lightweight stringer design. This will be available with the regular bottom and rails or a flat bottom and low rails at the tail. We expect this to be another record breaking year for the Hot Curl. As of this date, the old wedge type Hot Curl is terminated.”
Some time in the 60s I was headed to Newport, RI when a guy passed us on the highway with a popout strapped to some sketchy roof racks. When we reached the Mount Hope Bridge, there was the guy driving up from below with just one rack and his board. We saw him later at the beach and asked what had happened. Board plus rear rack blew off the car. He put his wetsuit on and swam out to get it. Rack was a hindrance so he untied it and let it go.
Really? I never saw boards that expensive in RI, even into the 70s. Noll Cats and Nuuhiwa Noseriders retailed around 180, or so.
My first $200 board was bought in 1980 in Santa Cruz. Before that, I’d never paid more than $160. Heck, my Tony Staples egg (6’4") cost me $140 in 1978, with pinlines
Yes, that was the line when I made my first real sales trip. Spring of '69.
Some photos from the factory I took when I first went on the payroll at G&S