We got this board in the shop today and I thought it was an excellent way to show off the great Clark Foam blank the board is made out of. I know lots of you guys have some gems hidden away, so why don’t you show us your creatve ways of preserving, showing off, shaping, or just plain hoarding CF blanks.
My favorite Clark picture.
This is the board I made from that blank. Mini-simmons-ish. Didn’t work as a single. (I should have known). Made the wooden fins. Burlap inlay on deck. Painted green bottom and rail . Traded it for two Clark planers.
Barry Snyder
LOVE the burlap inlay - how much resin did it suck up durring the lam process?? Did you lay it like glass or vac bag it?
I’ve used up most of my treasured "Clark foam". I say that jokingly. It’s all turned brown. Has to be painted or glassed with pigment. I’m sitting on stacks of Clark Foam lams. Far more lams than I have blanks for. Every density and color. Even some big “Flouro” colored from the 80’s. One thing I have is a Clark Foam decal that is meant to be soaked in water and applied to a window. I don’t know what they call those. All my Clark shirts are worn out. This is one of the last I stringered with my Agave wood. I have since just purchased US Blanks foam. Practically the same foam. More options, better service. I’m happy with it.
Barry Snyder
If someone was producing a foam today that was exactly the same as Clark; it would still be relevant. It would have it's issues, but would still be as usuable as US Blank, Millenium and Arctic. I've got more than a few and they while not as good in quality as the above mentioned foams; are stil very much usable. Mine haven't been stored under a house, so they aren't even brown. They are as new. Clarks are soft. They dent and yellow after glassing. Once you skin an old Clark, you are down to white foam. If you want it to stay white, paint it.
Commonly called a “waterslide decal”. Those were the only window stickers in their day. Some are prized by collectors, especially the vintage woody crowd. Makes the restoration more authentic if the decals are period correct, instead of mylar stickers. I have a few…Weber Performer, Morey Pope, Bing, etc. The most common brand was Morse decals. If it’s a Morse, it’s pretty old.
Yeah, it soaked alot of resin. Wish I would have vacuumed it! Hand layed it up with my fin panel roller. Kinda hard to cut. Hence the fat pinline around the border. Strong as hell though. Glassed with a single 6oz. deck. Rock hard.The cloth also swelled up a bit. Board turned out thicker than planned. It’s ok as I am a bit swelled up myself. HAHA!.
Rode it.
Traded it for planers.
Sammy, thanks for that info. I always wondered what they call those. I remember those from doing model cars and airplanes when I was a kid.
Barry Snyder
Theres several guys locally with a stash of Clark… The existing blanks I think are past the point of usefull life for both boards and collectors alike.
One of the guys has about 30 in his loft.
Bashams has at least 50. Just there… relics at this point I guess.
Every once over you see a guy post one for an obscene price on CL. then it drops… drops and drops again.
It will always be a part of the history of boardbuilding but overall i think people have moved on.
That board is ridiculous, its just a big brag for when it mattered.
Foams foam most people couldnt tell a Clark from a US Blank nowadays.
We’ve got quite a few still in the racks and a batch in my garage. I’ve got a big stack of Clark Foam Tees from back in the day sitting in my closet collecting dust. It was the state of the nation at the time. Things have changed quite a bit since 2005 but luckily the service and quality at US Blanks have kept the tradition going. Clark Foam was always a pleasure to deal with, they were always looking out for the small surfboard shaper as well as the big guys. Lot’s of history from the Clark Foam Days…
Brad
Any one got any 9'2R's?
I have a few clarks left (including the last custom glueup double stringer I ordered just before they shut down) and wouldn’t mind finding another clark T shirt (hint hint Brad how much do you want for a large?). I still find those blanks at garage sales and other places… sometimes as cheap as 25 bucks for an 8’3" (most recent one). Can’t beat them at that price…
I have two from this guy. Held up pretty well. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clark-Foam-Original-Authentic-Tee-Shirt-XL-Navy-SS-/380184864634?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item5884c8a77a
Hi Keith, I’d be happy to hook you up at no charge. You’ll have to come visit tho to get it! I have to check my pile to see if I have a large, I mostly used to get meds. Hope you don’t mind if it’s used??? They are all my old tees.
I’ll check this eve when I get home from the shop.
Thanks-
Brad
Allan Seymour @ classicsurf.com or on ebay as someone above posted. He's the only authorized source on reproduction I believe. I've got a long and short love 'em both. had an orignal, but it's now full of holes and paint.
