I’ve been looking at hot curl boards… does anyone know much about the finless idea it all seems very interesting.
check the archives!!
Roger
Cheers dudes!! these things are something else! I really wanta have a crack at one… but really want as much info as pos first anyone built one out there?? they seem to have a flat tail rocker and a very low nose rocker, strait rails too… Wood would be the way to go but balsa that big I cant find in NZ. Anyone glued strip like with kayaks?? that’d be interesting… hmmm
At this time I am in the middle of 6 more of them for the next seasons of filming in Hawaii. I carefully picked wood with the most rocker and have gotten some really nice deck and bottom curves out of it, nothing compared to modern boards. George Downing was by my place to have me build him some balsa blanks and talked to me at length about the early days of when the Hawaii crew carved out the first hotcurls. I have one with really dark western cedar rail t-bands, he couldn’t take his eyes off it! Not much achival footage exists of the old guard riding these boards, but Bonga has shown that they were and can be ridden in a fairly hot dog style
Just finished yesterday. My interpretation of a hot curl board. Made it mainly as a wall hanger, but plan to give it a try when the North swells return.
Will try the picture again.
that’s a thing of beauty!
Got any more pictures of it?
wow nice board!! got more pics of the bottom maybe?? got to say these boards are fasinating… they have to be the speed thing of the future!! a lot of thought could go into hull shape on this idea… manoeuvrability could be gained too as well as speed with shape there so much like a conoe in a way.
Here are a few more shots of the board I call “The Hawk”. My brief career in the surfboard business started at Velzys
And one more.
Viejo,
I too got my start with Velzy, after the split with Hap, when he opened the San Diego shop in 1960. Right away I can see what’s wrong here. You forgot your roots, the shop is WAAAAAY too clean! Did you lose your taste for knee deep shavings? Kidding aside, that’s some beautiful workmanship. You done the craft proud.
Bill we just missed each other at Velzy’s. Yater and were working there in 59 and moved to Santa Barbara that winter. Glad you liked the board.
Hey Jim and Vegio… since you two are problely the only people who know about hot curl and have riden them I wonder if you have any thoughts about rocker on hot curl boards? I was thinking of having the centre of rocker farther back towards the tail and more in general too to help with turning of the monsters. I have had a look at Dale Solomonson’s ideas any thoughts would be great if your willing! I’ll problely have a go in foam though because its faster make try and build another…
Jim, I saw your boards in Longboard. What beautiful craftsmanship! The boards you and Viejo are making are a credit to you and your skill, and show a real respect for the medium you are working in.
In my opinion, the craftsmanship shown in your boards far surpasses the boards of the past. Great job, and thanks for another good dose of inspiration for the rest of us. Doug
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Bonga!
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventthumbs?event=0DBE0009
I feel like a mere mortal when I look at these shots by Scott Austin Hartvigsen at highsurfwarning.com
Surfore, how the heck do you think I feel when I get to see the world champion on my replicas. The men of yesteryear rode standing tall, in the same waves we see ridden today on the most advanced, lightweight, leashed surfboards on the planet. Iron men, wooden boards!
Great shots by Scott on those masterpieces by Jim Phillips. Shot by Scott H..... must be Haliewa!
Roger
Hey Viejo
What are the holes in the tailblock for…
Is it my eyes or are there slight concaves towards the tail on the rails.