I need a historian! I’ve just bought an “IKE surfboard” circa early 60’s. Anyone have a clue. The board is 9’1" very rough condition and needs restoration. The board has two Newport Beach surfboard licenses '67 and '68 on the bottom near the fin. This board has 5 redwood stringers, center 1/2, 2 side 1/4", and 2 side 1/8". Can anyone identify this one? Value? I have a picture of the label I can email if you would like to see it.
Eichenberg out of Santa Barbara. Roger at the Beach House in SB could tell you much more than I can. “Ike” still does a few beautiful old school balsa boards that are for sale in the shop now and then. Roger has a great collection of CLASSIC old longboards that include several “Ikes.”
JOhn Ikert from SB had his shop in early 60s , also shaped for Yater for few years and is a fine boat builder in morro bay last I heard. He shapes a few boards for the beachouse in SB.THe spot in the ranch called Johns Pond is named after Mr. Ikert.Does that board have a strange cut fin? laterKP.
Kirk - You are correct. I’m trying to think now where I got Eichenberg. Does that name ring a bell with you?
JOhn Ikert from SB had his shop in early 60s , also shaped for Yater for > few years and is a fine boat builder in morro bay last I heard. He shapes > a few boards for the beachouse in SB.THe spot in the ranch called Johns > Pond is named after Mr. Ikert.Does that board have a strange cut fin? > laterKP. In answer to your question about the fin, yes it does have a notched fin. Its got a cut taken out of the back of it, like a wedge. The rake of the fin has been cut too, so the look is like two trangles put together. What does that mean? Phil
Hey Phil is that Fin blue,anyway those boards are a lot like Yater spoons a lot of hip in the tail and straigter in the nose.That cut in the fin was an idea that Greenough had on his first few kneeboards but I dont know who gave who the idea John and Greenough surfed together a lot back then.THat cut was to loosen the board up a bit and was the start of the flexfin.I had a nice balsa Ike when I worked at Yaters in the 70s,I sold it for 50 bucks???who knew? Keep that thing and ride it.KP.
Hey Phil is that Fin blue,anyway those boards are a lot like Yater spoons > a lot of hip in the tail and straigter in the nose.That cut in the fin was > an idea that Greenough had on his first few kneeboards but I dont know who > gave who the idea John and Greenough surfed together a lot back then.THat > cut was to loosen the board up a bit and was the start of the flexfin.I > had a nice balsa Ike when I worked at Yaters in the 70s,I sold it for 50 > bucks???who knew? Keep that thing and ride it.KP. Kirk, I’ve been at San Onofre all day and just got on the computer to see what’s up. Waves were good today and the Classic Board Contest was going on. I saw some cool boards. Anyway, the Ike is in pretty good shape except for the nose. I went out to the garage and checked the fin, someone painted it red, but I was able to use some acetone to get to the fin color, yep it’s blue. What can you tell me about that? The nose has been redone, looks like someone messed up the spoon and reshaped it and did a piss poor job of glassing it. The glass is overlapped on the deck and hasn’t been sanded smooth. The deck has a coat of blue paint that needs to come off, any ideas on how to remove quickly? When you worked for Yater did you shape? What do you do now?
Sure enough, I checked at the Beach House and they said Ikert. I referred to my old “1960’s Surfboard Collector and Price Guide” and it says Mr. Eichenberg (pg 15.) I’m not saying that it is correct, it is just where I remember getting that name.
Kirk, Just checking on the question you had about the blue fin on the board. Yes it is blue. Can you tell me why you asked. Thanks Phil.
HEY Phil I have had a few of Ikes boards and the good ones had the Blue cut fins on on them.I never shaped ,I ran the retail,hotcoated glossed,boxes,polished for Yater.After I had my first kid I worked in the Pool business with my brotherlaws in ca.and on maui for 20+ years.But I still have a shop in my garage and sell LIddle,Scott Andreson,Andeini and Paul Gross surfboards all these boards are displacement hull type boards aka.stubbies .
Sure enough, I checked at the Beach House and they said Ikert. I referred > to my old “1960’s Surfboard Collector and Price Guide” and it > says Mr. Eichenberg (pg 15.) I’m not saying that it is correct, it is just > where I remember getting that name. Hey John, Where can I get a copy of that reference book you have. I did check with Roger at The Beach House today, he said John comes in to the shop on occasion and he will ask him about my board. I’m also going to send him a picture of the board too. I took off all the old glass off the nose and uncovered the problem. The nose on the deck is missing about 10"x8" of fiber glass. The rails are in good shape at the nose, the bottom from the nose has all original glass and no damage. The exposed deck foam is perfect no cracks, gouges, or dings. The wood is good too. The original shape is still there. It will be real project to get this board back into shape. I weighted the other day, it weights 40lbs. Later, Phil
I’m not sure it’s available anymore. The inside cover says to contact “Breakers House of Publishing” at 978 Pacific Coast Highway Leucadia, CA 92024 or call 619-634-1921. Ike Surfboards listing reads: year - 1964, model - stock, origin - Santa Barbara, notes - Mr. Eichenberg, condition 5 - $215.00, condition 9 (near mint) - $795.00. Those figures are probably on the low side now as the guide was printed in 1994. Roger at the Beach House or Kirk would be much better sources of information and could probably give you a better idea of current valuation. Hope that helps.