My parents are at that age, where their house is just too much for them. So Dad was cleaning out the Garage, and look what he gave me.
1954 Hobie Balsa. It was re-glassed by Jeff Ho/ Zypher in Santa Monica/ Venice in 1974. Since then It sat in his Garage Rafter, and was never ridden.
I was amazed by how crooked everything was. Nose wasn’t symetrical, Rails have all sorts of wiggles in them. Really feels like it was hand carved. I can’t imagine how you could have so many wiggles if a power plane was used. Definitely a piece of history
Does it have any remaining Hobie markings or logos?
Heavy as solid balsa. I’d guess in the 30 pound range.
No, no markings on it. I remember from when I was a kid that it had the Hobie lam on it. But no signature.
It must have outgassed or something when they glasses and even hot and gloss coated it because there are a few open pinholes on the deck. When it was re glasses it was just a 20 year old balsa log in the glasser’s mind. 40 years later it is historic.
I sure wish they didn’t put the leash plug in it.
That is a CLASSIC ABSTRACT, from the mid to late 1950’s. It could be the twin of my 1958 abstract that was done by Ronald Patterson, to hide the dings in the bottom of my Wayne Land shaped (Burland) balsa. Took me right down memory lane.
to have the leash plug “exorcised”… I will gladly send you a half dozen balsa plugs and you can pick the one closest to the original grain pattern. It’s a devilish crime to have a leash plug in a 50’s board!!
