I just got home from making a transaction. I bought, as far as I can tell, a Hobie noserider. 10 foot long, 2 inch balsa stringer. Serial # appears to be 28432 (see pics).
It has really fat rails, an obvious nose concave, a big 'ol “D” fin, and just a few dings.
Sam Ryan’s collector’s guide claims that Edwards and Brewer shaped them. I figure it’s an early one ('65), since it has an old style fin. I have yet to measure any other dimensions
Anyone out there know some solid info on this model?
(Edit)
The blue pigment and black pinline on the nose appear to be original. The white paint on the deck is definitely an add-on. Doesn’t seem to be Slipcheck, no texture, at all.
No noserider models were built until after the ‘‘Noseriding Contest’’, which took place in 1966, as I remember. So, the earliest date for your board, is possibly 1966.
You’re mistaken on the year. The first Morey Invitational Noseriding Contest was held on July 4, 1965. Munoz won, on a Hobie. By the Fall of '65, Hobie was running ads for the Noserider.
This scan is from the November '65 issue of Surfer Mag, which would have hit the stands around September.
I expect it will clean up pretty well. One good point is there appears to be no rot in the stringer, even though there’s a crack in the nose. Since I got it late in the day, I only had time to take a few pics before dark. Didn’t get to clean it much, or check the dims. Still, no serious damage, anywhere.
Talk about a “find”? Here’s where it came from…
My friend’s dad is an avid fisherman from Southern MA. He found the board floating well offshore. His daughter (my friend) tried using it a few times, but it was too big and heavy for her. After storing it in their basement for nearly 8 years, they decided to get rid of it, and asked if I’d like it. I won’t say what I paid, but it wasn’t a whole lot.
Interesting- depending on whether it was found south or north of Cape Cod, I could maybe guess who sold it originally…not that many surfboard dealers selling Hobies in New England around then.
Interesting- depending on whether it was found south or north of Cape Cod, I could maybe guess who sold it originally…not that many surfboard dealers selling Hobies in New England around then.
doc… another Southeast Mass fisherman
Well, “Foot”…
The answer is South. But, it was found within the last 8 years or so. So that would have no bearing on the original purchase point. Who knows where it came from, or how many times it changed hands since it was new?
Anyway, there were only two Hobie dealers in New England, in 1965. One in Hyannis, one in Gansett.
You still have the same comcast addy? I’ll shoot you an email.
Oops! I remember seeing in print, the 1966 date in reference to the contest, and acceepted it as it seemed correct in the time frame. I shaped for Hobie for a short period in 1965, before moving on to Hansen’s. The noserider concept was not yet afoot, while I was there. I would be inclined to believe that Ralph Parker, and Terry Martin, were the most likely suspects, as the shapers. They were both high volume shapers, and the design really took off, after the contest hype. As I recall, the East Coast market was absorbing the bulk of noserider production. At least that was the case at Hansens’. I’m sure the other manufacturers had the same experience.
there was a hobie shop on nantasket beach MA southshore…RAN by Roger Crawford a friend of mine who now buils melonseed skiffs…not sure on the year but i remembeer him telling me he was one of the first shops to have the hobie phil edwards model which he has one of still which is in great condition so it is possible he sold the hobie noserider
I shaped for Hobie for a short period in 1965, before moving on to Hansen’s.
My first board was a Hansen. Is there any chance you recall which serial numbers were common at Hobie’s, when you worked there? By that I mean, were they up to 25,000, 28,000, etc?
there was a hobie shop on nantasket beach MA southshore…RAN by Roger Crawford a friend of mine …i remembeer him telling me he was one of the first shops to have the hobie phil edwards model which he has one of still which is in great condition so it is possible he sold the hobie noserider
Frankly, I really don’t care which shop it came from, originally. I’m more interested in possibly narrowing down the year, which the serial number might be a clue to.
By the Spring of 1966, there were seven Hobie dealers in New England. One being the Narragansett Surf Shop located at 305-A Nantasket Ave, Hull, MA. There were shops in Rye Beach, NH, plus Wilmington, So. Hadley Falls, and Worcester, MA. Also, Newport and Narragansett, RI.
Oh, and the Hobie Shop in Narragansett had the Edwards model the year it debuted, 1964. Two years before the shop in Hull existed.
Tony M- aha, shoulda figgered that one out, and many welcomes to Sways. Same comcast, and by all means.
Also, you gonna be off the Roca anytime soon? Have becks, guestroom of sorts and some mind-bogglingly good rum. Open offer, any time. Very good to hear from you, my friend.
I have no recall about the number series at Hobie, when I was there. It was during the glass-on only era. So the numbers had to be high, per your boards number.
Did Will Jacobs carry the things, or is my memory failing me? . The latter is entirely possible, as I did have a #@^%* stroke this spring.
FB told me about your misfortune. Sorry to hear it. Same thing happened to a good friend, last Fall. The guy’s only 35. Jacobs wasn’t a Hobie dealer. He sold Webers, Hansens, and (surprise!) Hap Jacobs. The Tasca brothers were on his shop team.
Got more dimensions on that Hobie. 17-1/2, 23-1/2, 17. Weight- 29 lbs. Haven’t checked thickness, but it’s quite substantial. Also, removed all the white paint from the nose, and most of the tail area. No other markings, except for the serial #. Dripped a little catalyzed resin into the ding over the number, and it appears to be a 6, not an 8. So the s-n is 26432.