Who here has made one in the last, say, year ?
I have some questions…
ben
[ any bonzer haters, please skip this thread … thanks. ]
Question is why.
Duncan and Mal have moved on, to the five finners, for increased holding power while retaining loosness and speed.
It’s kinda like making a twin fin instead of a quad. You know the quad is more advanced, can hold in better in critical conditions, but you still want simple.
Less stress on runners with quad, bigger sweetspot for turn positioning, more options to change arc of turn once committed with quads.
But…what about Mike Eaton’s boards? People like them so much that they’re damn near impossible to find used. Nobody wants to give them up. I’ve watched people ride them at the Ventura Point and Rincon and they sure seem to carve beautifully.
I rode a 7’ five fin bonzer for a couple of years and agree that it is a more advanced board but it would be nice to ride a 3 fin to be able to feel the changes between the two.
Single fins became obsolete in the competitive world in the late 70’s-early 80’s however, people have not stopped riding or making them. It’s nice to switch into that more fluid, smooth, stylish mode that a single fin forces you into. I imagine it’s similar reasons as this that people would want to ride an older design. I’m game.
Sr Pato
Quote:
Question is why.
Why not?
I think one of the reason people still use twins instead of quads is you can’t go (as much anyway) wrong with it. Less to screw up, easier to master. Seems like there are not all that many shapers that have more than 3 fins mastered. For more fins you have to put in a lot of effort, trial and error(mostly error) to get it right. For the novice shaper it’s just not worth the effort. Just my 2 cents.
regards,
Håvard
Quote:
Question is why.
Duncan and Mal have moved on, to the five finners, for increased holding power while retaining loosness and speed.
It’s kinda like making a twin fin instead of a quad. You know the quad is more advanced, can hold in better in critical conditions, but you still want simple.
Less stress on runners with quad, bigger sweetspot for turn positioning, more options to change arc of turn once committed with quads.
Didn’t answer my question [as usual], and didn’t read the fine print in the brackets either , did you Lee ? [ ie: "bonzer haters skip this thread… " ]…at least, LeeDD, until you have actually ridden both designs, made a few [not thirty years ago either!] … and , therefore , are not talking out your arse [or, ‘ass’ in seppoland! ]
I’m getting sick of your continual thread killing here and at Surfermag, man !
SOME of us are creative… [no point walking around with your head stuck up your bum forever, Lee ! ]
Experimentation is GOOD…it might help you get out in the water more than once a month, even ! And, perhaps , become a bit more stoked on surfing and life too…here’s hoping !
ben
1 Like
But the 5-finned ones just look so damn cool. =P
I would ask TFAD on surfermag (he posts here too). He claims to have ridden them, he says they have a really “buttery feel”. He probably would know the fin positioning.
Apparently, what they did with the 3-fin bonzer is just cut the siderunners in half to make 2 fins into 4 fins. Then they just spaced out the fins a little bit. I’m not sure if this is entirely true, so someone correct me if I’m wrong.
If that’s the case, then the siderunners are 10.5 inches up from the tail, about 9 inches long, somewhere between 2-4 inches high. The back of the fins start at 1.5 inches from the rail. 18-22 degrees of cant.
Not sure on the toe-in, but it’s most likely 1/4" like most other boards.
I’m not sure if this is even true. So basically my whole post is useless.
But I bet TFAD would know.
No, that post is USEFUL, JLW…thanks mate !
The ones on www.surfresearch.com.au, **[click on ‘catalogue’, then look under 1974, click number on right hand side],
surfer design forum,
the campbell’s website,
and eaton’s site all seem to vary roughly around that. I’ve asked the dimensions questions at ‘Surfer’ [T.F.A.D. is good value!!] and the Campbells before, and got good answers to that question already.
Actually, what I was MORE interested in was experience, shared by people who have made and ridden the three finners RECENTLY [as in , the last year] . I would like to hear from and talk with THEM…
Blakestah ? Kalani ? O.T. ? Shwuz ? Rolliges ? … Have any of you guys here made the three fin version of the Bonzer ?? Anyone else ?
…Because , I know of at least THREE people who will be embarking on this design in the near future…
okay … thanks for any help !
ben
** with thanks to Bob McTavish, Mick Mock, and others at the surfresearch site…
the 1974 version [south coast surfboards, Australia ] by Terry Cooper…
1976, Terry Richardson…
1974, Weber 6’8 "
these are my original reference photos…I have also saved TFAD’s , one from Australian Longborder mag [with dimensions !] and of course, the originals, from the Campbell Brothers ’ EXCELLENT website www.bonzer5.com… which has some great shots, plus video [!] of the original 3 fin designs !
Where is Seppoland? They have the same word for a donkey that we use in the US? Do they have good surf in Seppoland? Is the water warm? How do I ask for another beer in Seppolian? I’m interested in “obsolete” surfboards, too. Maybe someone else can answer Chip’s question. Mike
Quote:
" Where is Seppoland? Do they have good surf in Seppoland? Is the water WARM ? "
it’s… right… about… "HERE " !
…as is the aussie way, it’s an abbreviation , for a place that’s a cross between ‘serpentland’, and ‘hippoland’ , hence , ‘seppoland’… (makes sense to US, anyway !)
ben
… when it comes to surfboards, the only thing [that will make us ] ‘obsolete’ is a narrow mind.
Chipfish, the fact I bought THREE Bonzers back in 1973, and rode them all, in varying conditions means I’m certainly more qualified to give an opinion, no matter how askewed and wrong, then YOU!
And of course, they were three finned Bonzers shaped by the Eaton factory.
YOU are still new in this project, while I have used it THIRTY years ago.
And it’s YOU, the person who doesn’t understand what he reads, that says I’m anti Bonzer.
Think about it! I bought THREE Bonzers. How many have you bought!
Now read my posts again about Bonzers. Sure, I mention some things I don’t like about them, but I also say they are fast, are easy fast, hold in well, and are positive.
Now if that sounds like you think…that I hate Bonzers, then you should take some reading and comprehension lessons!
Chipfish, you post some cool old pics, but seems you are more impressed with the theory and evolution of design than just surfing. You can know more than anyone, and post more old pics than anyone, but you should still LEARN TO COMPREHEND what you read!
Ben,
Please note that the creditation …
" ** with thanks to Bob McTavish, Mick Mock, and others at the surfresearch site"
is highly misleading.
surfresearch.com.au is completely the work of Geoff Cater.
Since I go to so much trouble to reference and credit all of my sources,
it would be nice for my own work to be similarly recognised.
Geoff.
Also recentlty added at…
**[click on ‘catalogue’,
then look under 1974,
Cooper Bonzer 6ft 11’’
click number on right hand side #221,
Manufactured by ex-US surfer, Bob Cooper’s company,
the entry also links to extensive Cooper biograhical notes.
Geoff.
ah the drama is so entertaining. i have had the pleasure of owning riding and wearing out of two cambell bonzers i still wish i had them. but i will say if you make one the channelling depth and length are very important to the ride and feel of the board.it gives the feeling of being propelled out of the hard turns and the spray off the bottom is unreal.ahh im gettin all misty for my old board and the rincon on a nw swell, tubes you could drive a bus through.mmmmmm tubes arghhhhh.
I read that the affectionate term “seppo” for Americans was derived from
“septic tank” which downunder rhymes with “yank”. Only in Australia.
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Hi Chip.
Good luck on your bonzer 3. The fastest board I ever rode was an Eaton bonzer 3 egg. I got to ride it one fine, overhead day at Malibu ( I had patched dings for the owner ) and afterwards I was offering the owner any price to have it, but he wouldn’t let it go. To his credit, he still has it, watertight, in great condition nearly 30 years later.
Hey Chip, I’m starting a Bonzer 3 as soon as I can chase down a blank, I’ve made one before (as well as 2 5-finners) but didn’t get too much time on it before I sold it, not enough to give a complete breakdown of the performance anyway. If you’re referencing the '70’s Bonzers, the 3-finners that the Campbells are doing now tend to have a mellower concave in order to make the boards less “tracky” and less sensitive overall. It’s true that the 5-fin uses the idea of splitting the runners into 4, much like the quad fish from twin keel. I think the 5-fins have slightly more area than the 3-fin runners however. Bonzers of all setups are carving machines, once you get used to the feel of them carrying speed through turns you won’t want to go back. TFAD has some great photos of '70’s reproductions at bonzer5.blogspot.com, I think in the June or July 2005 section, as well as a beautiful “bumblebee” bonzer 3. The concaves are quite important, they’re placed to direct the water flow at/through the fins in order to harness/create the venturi effect of accelerating water along the bottom. Good luck, keep us posted, and once you hit that “sacred 5th gear” there really is no going back…I really want to change my Sways name to “Acolyte of Campbell” but it’s too late.
ive made (4) 3-finners in the last 9 months or so…restored an old one too…whaddya need to know?
keep the leading edge of the rear fin even with the back of the runners…runners dimensions are either:
10.5"x3"
or
9.5"x3"
toed in about 1/8" or a little more, but not too much.
canted out between 18 and 22 degrees.
trailing edge of each runner is about 4 1/8" from the stringer, making the leading edge 4" from the stringer.
keep the thickness of the board at the mid-a little forward point, the tail can be very thin, especially on the gunnier shapes.
dont make the concaves TOO deep, theres something to learn from watching the campbell boards being very deep in the early days, and are now reletively shallow…do it to your desire, it all flows!
so , in the 16 months since I first posted this , I am now ready to make a three fin …
…
…thruster ! [ / ‘truster’]
cheers ,
ben
Sorry Chip, I missed this.
I’ve made one and they ride nicely, although I wished that I had made slightly bigger fins. Seems like the two on the rail hold better for me than the single long fin thats toeing in towards the middle of the board. The tail was almost 17", so I had to be careful going backside or on a strong bottom turn going frontside, on a smaller tailed board it may have worked better. My nephew has it now and he likes it. Next time a little bigger fins for my short, 200+ pound build and it would be butter.
Best of luck on your build.
hi Ben,
Are you going to make your own side fins? If so, will they be plexiglass, resin or what? Will it be a Campbell style bonzer or Eaton with the deeper concaves?