I just scored a really neat old beater. It’s a Hansen Mike Doyle Model “Pointed Tail” It’s an old V Bottom pin tail, but I guess it’s from before they invented the word “Pin Tail”. A friend of mine just didn’t have room for relics in his life like I do, and he knew I’d hook it up, make it reasonably water tight. It is an 8’10 #16869 or #16669. It has dual black pin lines that originate at the nose and double back by the tail, and a beautiful patina of age. Somebody at some point cut the last inch or so off the tail and left it bearly sealed. I’m thinking mahogany, or Possibly trying my hand laying up a colored resin and fabric tailblock for it. She’s a little brown, but she’ll swim again, though the old Wonderbolt (Thru the deck with a bolt) fin is pretty dry rotted. The fin is a narrow profiled raked fin.
As I said, she’ll swim again, but besides being the answer to Australia’s question, what’s the story whith these boards?
Colin, My first board was a 10 ft. Hansen, Doyle Model.Bought it used in 1966 when I was a junior in high school. Does yours have the gold emblem laminated into the deck with Doyle’s signature? If it does, you might consider keeping it as a wall hanger, because it’s worth something on the auction market. He shaped for Hansen for a while in the 60"s.
Doyle was a Cardiff Reef guy. Very stylish surfer.
He lives in Mexico now and does a lot of painting, and has written at least one book. He was well known in the 60’s and won some contests. There is an amazing picture of him on the cover of a recent photo history book by (I think) Leroy Grannis. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.
He’s still around, and still surfs. He was at the Scripps Cancer Research Luau in San Diego in August, as one of the Legends. A real sociable guy, he was signing autographs and getting pictures taken with admirers all day.
The Doyle Model I had was a square tail with knifey rails, and was fairly thin for the era. I learned how to pearl on it. Once I got the hang of it, though, it was very fast, and looked racey. A lot of guys would borrow it on the beach and they’d always comment that it was a great board. If only I had hung on to it…it would be on my wall. Oh well. Doug
This board is definatly post Nat Young, crazy Australian V bottom era. The nose is flat going into a round belly then to a deep V. Displacement Hull? The tail rails are rather sharp, but the rails in the middle roll into the belly. The deck seems to be almost completely flat. I can't wait to ride it, but it really should be left untill I can seal it up.
I don't believe the lable has any sort of signature on it. I've seen the number on the stringer, but nothing else. Besides, I'm not really into hanging them anywhere but high in the hook!!
That is not a “wonder bolt” fin. Dewey Weber’s fin system was called that. Not Hansen.
The term “pin tail” had been around for years, before that board was built. Hansen just put their own spin on the term.
If it has a deep V, then it’s an early transition period Hansen. That fin system was used by Hansen during the late longboard period, and then briefly into the transition era. They switched to WAVESET fins around late '68, or so.
Since it’s an 8’10 with a V, I would date it around early to mid 1968, maybe? The earliest “short boards” (under 9’) were most often V bottoms due to the Australian influence (McTavish). By 1969, the concept was reigned in to a more reasonable degree with Vs being more subtle as boards went even shorter.
You are lucky it even has the fin. Most got lost or broken within a few years of usage.