It was a great and interesting thread but it was getting a little off track regarding the topic of the forum. But we can talk about his boards and why they sucked. What is/was up with the “WAVE HOLLOW” boards? Anybody know about them and what they were about?
I have some not so fond memories of them. Seemed that they were molded in two pieces and joined at a full seam along the rail. Honeycomb type inside construction with a screw vent plug on the nose(?). Typical shapes of the period, 6"8, Single Fin, pin or diamond tail. Real corky feel in the water. Worst memory: took one out that had been leaking, found out in the middle of a bottom turn the seams were split. The thing split open from the tip of the nose and just pearled. Never to be ridden again, thankfully. Logo was Hollow W.A.V.E., other products might have been some fins/boxes? Who was behind the name? I can’t remember. tom>>> It was a great and interesting thread but it was getting a little off > track regarding the topic of the forum.>>> But we can talk about his boards and why they sucked.>>> What is/was up with the “WAVE HOLLOW” boards? Anybody know about > them and what they were about?
I have some not so fond memories of them. Seemed that they were molded in > two pieces and joined at a full seam along the rail. Honeycomb type inside > construction with a screw vent plug on the nose(?). Typical shapes of the > period, 6"8, Single Fin, pin or diamond tail. Real corky feel in the > water. Worst memory: took one out that had been leaking, found out in the > middle of a bottom turn the seams were split. The thing split open from > the tip of the nose and just pearled. Never to be ridden again, > thankfully. Logo was Hollow W.A.V.E., other products might have been some > fins/boxes? Who was behind the name? I can’t remember.>>> tom The Hollow WAVE was developed by Karl Pope, formerly of Morey-Pope Surfboards. His partner Tom Morey went on to invent the Boogie Board. There were about a dozen or so lengths and shapes offered that were made from plugs shaped by Brewer, Aipa, Yater and some others I can’t remember. Purpus was probably the hottest rider using these boards, I have seen an old video with Ian Cairns riding one too. Pope most current project is the Bi-Sect Travel board. Aloha
As a kid in Ventura I rode for and worked in a shop that sold the boards. I rode them because they gave them to me. They were incredibly strong. I used to throw my board down the street on the way to the water. I also threw one off the pier onto the road and did intentional flyaway kickouts into jetties. (It was my job!) The strength was incredible. I did eventually sink one after punching a hole in it. Then there was the demonstration we did in the shop one time where we would hang the board off the steps and have one guy stand on the nose and the other on the tail suspended in space. That was usually pretty good until some prospect asked me to jump up and down. Snap. The best ones IMO were made from the plugs that Aipa shaped. The weight of the boards was concentrated in the rails. I heard allegations from different individuals that this would cause the boards to spin out. I never had a problem and there are pictures of Purpus surfing sizable Pipe on one and not having a problem. In the end, what doomed the boards (well, maybe one of the things) was the rapidity with which design was changing during that period. The boards were becoming obsolete far to fast to justify the expense of making a mold and sticking with it. They were pop outs. They looked like they should have carried the brand name Mattel. There are times I think I would like about an 11 foot version of one for care free destruction derby weekend surfing. But that would be giving into my baser instincts. Karl is also selling a hollow fin now.
I’ve seen ads for Pope’s hollow fin. I was wondering if anyone has tried one? Are they any good? The ad claims that the flotation of the fin makes the board ligher.