From the way your dad mentioned the boards riding characteristics, I’d say he had a single finned, G&S Stinger. I do recall seeing them offering the popular mid 70s Ben Aipa design. If my memory serves me correctly, G&S offered Stingers with different outlines, some were sleeker, like the ones Larry Bertelmann was riding, and others with slightly fuller outlines for the mainland conditions. Stingers did make a small comeback in the late 80s when Ben Aipa revamped the design with some modern tweaks when he was with Town & Country Surfboards. He modified the outline and added the thruster fin set up. I had one and it rode quite well. I still see Ben riding longboard stingers with the thruster set up and the set up seems to work good.
Ok so I extracted some more information tonight and no wonder I was confused. The board WAS a single fin, but the one he had attempted to be made like it he decided to get a tri-fin. Not sure if the design will even work well with tri. Also the bumps/wingers were real close to tail where as but all the old board I saw from then had them far up. I did get right that it was a G&S though.
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Was single, but wanted tri
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Pin Tail, pretty thin in the tail
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Bumps real far back
That is about as close as a description as I am going to get I guess, now I just need to find someone who might have made something like that… or more or less knows what it is. I wonder if the design even works with a tri fin… I’m sure it could with some small alterations.
that would be a rounded pintail
but I think the whole outline is more of an egg or speed egg shape
a pin tail is narrow rounded means not pointy
the G&S Magic is probly the board you want
get it as a two plus one then it can be surfed as a single or with side bites
Hey Oceankyle,
In my previous posts I may have forgotten to mention what a totally cool thing you are doing for your dad…really…really cool…
Good for you!!!
Woody
Thanks Ken, I think you are right and the 2+1 is a great idea I hadn’t thought of!
Thanks everyone for help! Time to put in an order
Kyle
If you are in SD area I am getting rid of an original G&S Magic from 1968-9. I even have the original fin for it too. Let me know. Just send me an email. lgshimo@hotmail.com.
In 1972 I bought a second hand board from a friend. It was a Gordon & Smith Magic and was around 7'6" or 7'8"....can't remember exactly...that was a long time ago. What I do know is that I loved that board...my first one. I got up the first try and it was just great. I have never seen another like it. The emblem on the front was sort of psychedelic and multicolored. On closer examination it was a guy's face with long flowing multi-colored hair. In another spot in small cursive type lettering, it just said, "Magic".
Since I bought it second hand, I don't know what year it was manufactured. I do know that I later found a G&S t shirt with the exact emblem on the front. Loved it too.
In around 1974, the board was stolen and, the t shirt wore out.
Although I'm now 63, I have two boards...a 9'2" longboard and a 7'6" funboard. Neither ride like my old magic though.