Anybody seen one of these kinky things? Herb Spitzer??
I have not had a chance to ride it but somebody local picked up a used one and reports are that it is a blast to ride.
Measurements are a bit out of the box… Over 7 feet long. I think the overall width was 25 1/2". Tail width was around 17" and nose width about the same. It was pretty thick also with a gargantuan beak nose. A vee bottom nose with slots (picture Harbour nose rider) was up front.
Outline had a lot of pull in the tail with double wings. The shallow swallow was about 7" across. Large side fins with a tiny nub of a trailer fin completed the design.
I’m not sure about blank material or resin/glass schedule. With all the thickness, if it was a Clark blank, it was from a big one for sure.
Both sides were covered in a bamboo print fabric - not like bamboo veneer, but a pattern of bamboo plants, kind of like image below…
Every now & then a Google of “Composite Surfboard” brings something interesting to bookmark…never seen a board or heard of the guy - I just get on Google sometimes & collect links. Glad to help - he does look like he’s doing interesting work.
Howzit John, Checked the website and yes it is Jim Mizell who I have known since we were 11 years old. He was one of the top surfers in our surf club and back in 1970 started a surfboard co. named Aquatic Energy. I have to say he did stretch the truth about living in the islands, he says he lived here for 10 years when actually he was here for only about 3. He was a big wave charger and he is a big guy who weighed around 225 lbs. I had heard he was into composite boards from a mutual friend a few years back. He learned to shape from Brewer and Steve Bigler and he shaped me a board (7’ 10" ) semi gun that I would ride at Pipeline back when I was on Oahu. He was a terrible glasser back then and I hope he got better. I watched him glass or try to glass a board and when the resin went off to soon he just ripped the glass and resin off the board as it was kicking, what a mess and in my shop to boot. He hated Mike Purpus and would take off on him every chance he got while on Oahu. Aloha,Kokua