Hi! I have a single fin fish shaped by shaun tomson and I’m looking for info on it. It’s about 5"10 and has the number 2311 on it but no other dimensions. Any info would be appreciated. Eg: year, value etc.
thanks!
That’s not a fish. and Tomson didn’t shape it
What has this become, the collectors of obsolete and overpriced surf equipment appraisal site? Its value is very close to ZERO Yankee dollars although there is a breed of retro knuckleheads who actually might be in the business of appraising and trading such foolish items - you can recognise them by their beards… they missed the memo that IT IS NO LONGER THE 1970’s (remember: retro is the antithesis of creative)
What is a ‘single fin fish’? It actually is very fishy looking (plan shape) as opposed to the thruster swallow tales of the present regime called ‘fish tails’ by ignorant generation maggot (?) but with a single fin it categorically cannot be a fish - a fish is specific thing. Ask Steve Lis.
Actually, the first fish that Lis made were single fins. Still doesn’t make that Tomson board a fish, though.
Addendum:
There were two factories for that label. One in Durban,SA and one in Manly, AU
They were also subcontracted out to various other companies with Bolt Japan, Hobie, Infinity, Barnfield Hawaii, and Creative Shaping from Merrit Island FL among them.
So, any one of a myriad of guys could have shaped it.
hi beth !
welcome to swaylocks
are there any initials on the stringer , by any chance ?
cheers !
ben
The fin is cool.
Transparent lexan. Brittle and not very durable. Snapped a few before I gave up on them.
“You can recognise them by their beards…”
I have a beard…???
What's with the star? Some kinda Bobby Owens rip???
Aloha
Ace, You gotta beard? I take it your 65 and ride a board less than 8 foot! Damn buddy, you are my motivation just turned 62! Oh yeap my beard is grey!
There’s nothing else written on the stringer. I’m in South Africa and found it in a friends garage. Thanks anyway!
great stuff !
I ask , cos I have a saffa mate , travis , back in perth , whose dad [south african] brought out one with him , also . [YES , it was also a SINGLE fin ! …although , unlike yours , it was not a winged swallowtail , but , rather , a pintail … ‘SAFARI’ surfboards , from memory [ … ? Shaun’s dad’s factory / company , was it ?]
And another mate had a shaun tomson twinny , which I photographed and had a few surfs on , while he was here … it’s on ‘one ’ of the chipfish61’ threads here , somewhere ? [maybe one of the photo threads ? or the 'board and fin setups threads , perhaps ? [it would take me probably MONTHS of scouting my photobucket uploads to find it , no doubt …]
[plan B …‘GOOGLE’ is your friend …and , " google images " , too…]
https://www.google.com.au/#q=shaun+tomson+surfboards+vintage&undefined=undefined
Shaun Tomson Surfboards
Manly NSW:
1977
Darryl Holmes
Manufactured under license by McGrigor Surfboards, 186 Harboard Road Brookvale.
-Tracks, Number 56 May 1975, page 14.
Decal image thanks to Mick Mock, Surf Auction, November 2011, #126.
Safari was Max Wetteland’s label in SA. Tomson rode them before his own label came to being, and I think Spider Murphy was Tomson’s “go to” shaper at that time.
estute peanut gallery,
I do beg pardon
but is it a “prawn”?
if not a fish thet is
perhaps a prawn…?
…ambrose…
My understanding was that Shaun’s twins were originally shaped by Spider Murphy and as time rolled on, many other shapers both in the U.S. and elswhere have done models for S.T. It was a Spider Murphy design for Shaun that Al Merrick used and incorporated into his line with great success.
That being said, and because you are in S.A., Spider may be the one who could give you a good idea where that board was made.
Happy Holidays.
Prawns are freshwater invertebrates.
Fish are vertebrates: freshwater, marine or euryhaline.
I was unaware that modern surfers cannot grow beards. They must be pre-pubescent or female.
…
One look at the bottom and you know it’s a bird. Just look at the wings and the tail, it’s a swallow.
Spyder Murphy most likly considering where you found it. He didn’t even sign his own boards for quite a few years. Shaun was/is a hell of a surfer, and probably one of the greatest spokes-persons for surfing ever. Got to meet him once at a Surfrider dinner at the Yacht Club in Avila Beach. An Oneill family loyalist even though he spent time with Patagonia and others. In Calif. 70’s thru late 80’s these boards were called fishy looking"Swallow-tails" with a “bump”,
Tomson is notorious for being a real jerk in the water. One of those guys who thinks his status as a ‘pro’ gives hime the right to any wave he wants, all others be damned. That attitude earned him a really good beating a few years back.
A Few years Back? More like 30 years back. He was once a pro. Now He is just another over the hill surfer. Finding it harder and harder to make a living off his past accomplishments. I bet Most of the under 25 year old surfers would have little Knowlage of Shaun… Rabbit, Richards and the other in your face Aussi, South African group.
A Few years Back? More like 30 years back. He was once a pro. Now He is just another over the hill surfer. Finding it harder and harder to make a living off his past accomplishments. I bet Most of the under 25 year old surfers would have little Knowlage of Shaun… Rabbit, Richards and the other in your face Aussi, South African group.