It rides as well as one could expect from an early transitional board. While it is an 8’8", it is basically a shrunken version of the original 1967 Hot Curl. Those were a tad shorter than other boards of the day, mainly due to the extra width carried through the outline. One has to adjust your approach when riding such a board because it has a rounded, rolled bottom throughout…right to the tail’s tip. I mainly use it on small point surf in the Summer. It’s a nice change of pace from what I usually ride, and it allows me to connect with my past in some ways. I’d been surfing for five years when it was made and recall similar boards I borrowed from friends. I believe the rails and bottom contours contain a strong Frye influence, although Paul Bordieri is credited with the design.
The length hasn’t been given, but it looks like it’s well under 8’. That alone would mean it isn’t a '68. Plus, the whole plan shape does not fit the period.
…still I think that this board was redone in the 80s like the poster is saying; not only the glass.
Possible is that short due to the stripped glass (may be the original shape had big dents, dings and damaged outline, so they removed glass and foam)
Then Frye, reshaped shorter, and crew finished.
However, I never saw that tighter foam in a 60s board, another possibility is that is a new board made in the 80s and they told to the customer (or the customer spread that…) that was a refurbished 60s board.
Maybe Frye reshaped the OP’s board a bit. It does remind me of a G&S Gypsy from around 1970. I had a 6-2 Frye cutdown I bought from a friend several years after he purchased it used (still like new when I got it), similar shape (late 60s to early 70s, exact date unknown).
Regarding size and shape, they had begun to change by 1968. This Surfboards Hawaii (7-6, 21", diamond tail) was purchased in the first week of Novermber, 1968. It sat in the shop racks for a few months before I bought it because the established high school surf community thought it was too short and too narrow. Front 30% - 40% had belly. The remainder was flat bottom.
1971 was the year of the Diamond Tail. The Round Tail was a solid 1969 design. By 1970 the Round was fading out, and the Diamond Tail was coming on. The subject Frye surfboard fairly screams 1969 to me.
It would be far easier just to shape a new board and glass it, then it would be to strip repair and regalass an old board. With the time frames given, I can’t believe all that work would have been put into redoing that board. It’s not like you took a classic Frye to someone and asked them to redo it, the board was taken back to Skip. Why would he go to all that trouble?
I believe board was taken back to Skip. My thought is that he would just make a new board before he would strip, repair and regalass one of his own boards. Much easier to recreate rather then restore.
Again go to Bird he would know and if did not know he would ask Skip. I do feel unless the owner was a very close friend of Skip he would not re-do an old board. I can’t even imagine what the cost would be to have Skip do all that work.
It’s a 7’ … I know he paid around $2K+ for it, maybe 6 years or so ago while he was in Cali. The board does have some history, but can’t ask the guy specifics right now as he’s on Holiday. from the last conversation , it was owned by a fairly well known competitive surfer in the 70’s… which ties in with “why” would Skip go through the hassle… he wouldn’t do it just for anyone.
Might take a little while to come back here with the full story for you guys… but as it’s sort of interesting. I will!
going by this Link, I don’t think the price is that far off. Let me know If I’m missing something and if 7 foot boards just don’t go for same prices as 8’, 9’ etc.
Caveat: without any numbers to check on etc… getting the impression if someone bought this board aas a collectible… it’s going to need some type of email/letter from Skip saying what the story is on it. Otherwise it’s value / and bit of it’s authenticity could always be a source of debate.
Or someone just buys, surfs it for rest of their lives, as I’m sure is what Skip would be happier to hear about! what a novel idea
I’d say that $2k is about double what that board is worth. The link you gave has asking prices. That doesn’t work as a barometer for what a board might actually sell for. I see really low grde popouts on ebay listed for over 2k, and there’s even a guy who makes strange looking wooden boards who is asking 500,000 for them. The only true yard stick is what a similar board has sold for recently.
This board being 7’, along with the shape, makes it very, very unlikely it’s from 68.
As another suggested, you should take it to Huffman and get his opinion. Or, find away to contact Frye, himself.
Sammy… thank you very much… that was what I was after.
I was guessing 1,100 on the low end and - 1,500 on high end. I want to help him out but didn’t want to just gift a wad of extra cash.
I’ll bear all the comments in mind.
*shame it isn’t a 8’6+ if it were I’d be happy to pay the price that new Cali shaped boards go for in France (circa 'maybe as high as 1500 for something like this) and just add to my quiver, ride it, enjoy it. wouldnt really care what it was really worth in the Skip Frye collectors world. oh well.