General spec's are 7' 10'' x 21'' pintail gun. This is a version of those first boards I produced on contract, for LightningBolt, before they set up their own production. This is one of my favorite type of boards to build. The pintail gun design is one of the most eye pleasing surfboard forms. A real thing of beauty, IMO. Of course the board will sport the iconic yellow bolt, top and bottom, as was done on the original boards. I hope to post some photo's when completed, or the new owner may post them. These style of boards, and full on big wave guns, are the most rewarding to create.
I think you are right Bill they are one of the most sexy shapes out there.
But....
I had 2 Bolt boards in the day, one Jim Ellington shaped, the other was a true Lopez. (man we loved thoses ads in Surfer Mag..Gerry & Rory with those goofy rice bowl hair cuts) They were the hardest boards to surf here in San Diego than almost anything I had ever surfed on. They truely need a 2x OH wave to make them work, because i never had them out in a 2x OH wave back then, that's what i figures was wrong with them? If your not on the right wave these things are pigs..
The Ellington was turned into a skateboard.........Chicago trucks....Cadillac wheels.....4 sets of em.....Didn't turn for crap but it went down a hill fast...(just like the original board)
The Bolt ended up one summer in the pool pretending to be a skimboard. Over the course of 2 or 3 days the 6'5" bolt was smashed down tip and tail to a 4'8". My Dad is still trying to get foam chunks out of the pool filter.
Please post some pictures during the build...please. I want to bring back the memories.
Bill I look forward to seeing this beauty!
Kind regards,
michael aka surfding
cant wait to see this!!!
Ken,
I don't expect it to rival that beauty you've just completed! The board will have the classic red bottom layup, with clear deck panel seen on so many ''mini guns'' of the period. The bolt will have the ''shadow'' which was first done by David Burnham, who was the glosser that did those first LightningBolts we built. David was very artistically talented, and the shadow was his ''invention.'' (contribution)
Bill
thank you for the complements. its not done yet so I can still screw it up.
I does have a few oh shits,,,
Here’s a video I shot in the late 70’s. There’s a guy in there Mark Kahalekulu, riding the board you’re talking about, a red 7’ 10" round pin Lightning Bolt, but shaped by Gerry Lopez.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3233746966784752467
Unfortunately, this was the case in many places in the 70s. The mags featured sleek, pointy spears in most ads and the public wanted to ride what their ‘heroes’ rode. Many of my friends were crippled with 7’6 to 8’ semi gun shapes best suited to thick hollow waves. All the while, they were trying to surf waist high East Coast beach and point breaks. Did not work, at all. In some cases, these guys never got much better in their surfing because they were simply riding the wrong shapes and never mastered basic stuff like cutbacks as a result. I always preferred wide planshapes with plenty of curve, and never rode anything over 7’ after 1970. My friends sort of laughed when I showed up with a brand new 6’4 egg, one day. But, the proof was obvious when I went faster and covered more ground than they did on their cool “racy” shapes that would not turn.
Great video.Neat to look back at what was going on.Surf looks fun.
The reason I posted the video was to show that even in smaller waves that kind of board can be thrown around pretty good. Shark Country is a playful wave at this size, not a north shore type of wave. Most of us could only afford one board, and many of my friends rode semi gun boards about 7’ to 8’ long because it was good for big waves. I think 6’ 5" was considered very short for most of us.
I surfed California once in 1980 at Huntington Beach, and I had a hard time there because the waves didn’t have much power from the top. All the power was from the bottom turn and not much push coming back down from the top.
I find it interesting that people will ask about board types and not realize that what works here in Hawaii, may not work at other places. We usually have a south shore board and a north shore board, and when the south shore is big, you just ride your north shore board.
I believe that you should talk to the locals where you want to surf for board advice, not someone on the other side of the world.
sharkcountry,
I throughly related to your description of riding your Hawaiian board in Huntington Beach. A few year’s prior, I made a visit to Santa Cruz, bringing along my South Shore board at the time. In Hawaii, that board was one of my all time favorites. A 6’6" Brewer, with his tri-design of the time. Brewer and Reno were both shaping that tri-fin configuration, large center fin with two smaller side fins (no toe-in). That board just would not work in California. If I had not used the board in Hawaii previously, I would have thought the board was a total dog. Learned a lesson that I have carried with me since.
In my youth, like you, a one board quiver was the norm for me. North Shore, Westside, and South Shore, all with one board. Hard work brought a new 7’8" Lopez semi-gun to go along with my South Shore board and since then have never had only one board. Later on, a quiver was the norm (thank’s Jack).
in the event no locals possess critical knowledge about board specs to match local conditions, where do we go then? this is one huge black hole you’ll encounter in “newer” surf centers, like here in the philippines. hopefully within 3 years enlightenment happens
cheers,
I suppose whom ever becomes the “Locals” will end up being the local experts. I don’t know how someone who hasn’t surfed at a particular break could give much insight on what works best there, especially when weather and tides are constantly changing.
the funny thing is the experienced “locals” here are actually non-locals. as early as the late 60s scores of US servicemen on leave from vietnam ‘discovered’ the earliest-known surf spots north of manila, particularly the beaches near subic bay (olongapo city in zambales) & clark airfield (pampanga). a few of them eventually retired from service and founded the first ‘local’ surf resorts, while some of them check out sways from time to time. personally they’re the best potential references, i’m just not sure whether they have the time nor the inclination to share what they know with non-local (manila-based) locals hehe " )
cheers,
I hear what you’re saying. My point is more about all the people asking about boards on an online forum and getting responses from all over the world.
The exception would be that there are a lot of really good experienced builders who travel all over and have experience riding many different places. On average, I don’t know how many people are that lucky.
every little bit of (expert) help counts i suppose " )
cheers,