Just got back from Fla. Stopped into IWS surf shop at Deerfield Beach. They have a nice collection of old longboards and a Surf prescriptions UFO tucked away in a corner.
One of the longboards was a “sidewinder”. Back looks like a squid head and is shaped to guide water onto the tail. I had heard about them before and was told that it was to aid in noseriding but the name “sidewinder” seems to imply something else. trying to upload a picture.
my friend has a couple of them. they ride great in our fla surf. you are correct,and they work to keep the tail down and the nose up…they just look real strange.
needs a pic…most boards that look ugly at first go the best and the boards that look perfect seem to have something wrong with them…they still work…but never your best board…there is always someting strange or different in a Magic board
If my memory serves me correctly, the sidewinder was produced by Holmesy Surfboards in Fla. in the mid sixties “model era”. I’ll try to post a pic if I can find the magazine that pictured it. I also recall seeing something similar to that shaped by the eccentric, prolific surfboard designer Bob Simmons.
I have a photo but swaylock’s says it’s too big to upload.
yes, the Sidewinder at IWS is from Holmesy Surfboards (it’s my local shop…i’m in there at least 5 times / week). the collection hanging from the rafters belonged to Kirk Cottrell, who drowned in South Africa a little over 3 years ago. he has the best collection of classic boards i’ve ever seen, including 2 flawless “Da Cats” and Greg Noll’s 1997 remake of Duke Kahanamoku’s board, as well as lots of other beauties (i could go on for days about all the boards they’ve got up there). anyhow, if anyone wants to send me that picture (soulstice@gmail.com), i can post it for you.
Got one just let me shake it out of my camera.
Pics in the mail. Also included a shot of what I think was a Hap Jacobs design. Blue board with narrowed tail.
Waaahoo’s pic:
yes, that blue board with the white band is a hap jacobs. here it is…
that jacobs board is one of my favorites. did you see the 1966 Cheater step deck from Harbour (green resin tint)?..i love it. and what about that black Greg Noll with the butterfly stringers?..i’m doing a board like that for a friend of mine, but we’re stretching it out to 10’6".
Ah, can’t remember which one was which. Did like the black noll. Also a dark one towards the back with a greenish pattern and small spots on top.
Wife is a trooper but the air conditioning was too much for her and i was rushing.
Also a dark one towards the back with a greenish pattern and small spots on top.
dewey weber…also one of my favorites…did you see the stringers on that thing?..they’re amazing…another beautiful board (if only they were mine).
Man…that sidewinder brings back memories. '66 or '67 worked after school and weekends forever gophering at Holmesy’s to work off a
“Kim Nielson” model with foam wedge stringer, and early attempt at acid splash. Will never forget his signature on the board
“Pushing to the Outer Limits -KN”
Thanks for the memory.
Soulstice,
On one of your 25 trips there next month could you snap a picture of the Dewey Webber and post it?
sure…no prob
i snapped a bunch of really good pix yesterday after my morning surf. i’ll post 'em up just as soon as i get back from the Kerry rally this afternoon. laterz…
well, waahoo…here’s the weber you wanted…up close and personal.
…and here she is from a few steps back…
…apparently, this board was completely demolished (broken into 3 pieces), and restored to perfection. and it looks amazing…awesome board.
and here’s the greg noll (the one in the middle) that i’m gonna do at 10’6" for a friend (that’s gonna be a fun project)…
Yep that’s the one. Thanks.
That brings back memories for me too.I did a guest stint at Holmesys back around 67 or so.I had just left a job at Glass Research in Jacksonville Fla. and was running down the coast with Wayne Land.I was glossing and sanding back then.Seems like I did resin color on around 20 boards or so before I got the draft notice and had to bail.Things were kind of “hazy” back then so its hard to remember the details.I remember the “Sidewinder” though.They were a bitch to gloss. RB