when i was out surfing about a month ago this guy had a late 60’s board that had no stringer. it was called a jensen? or something stringerless. i dunno the board was soo much fun to ride and the noseriding was unbelievable. anyone ever heard of this or done it lately? and what is everyones vote on whether to try it or not? Austin
when i was out surfing about a month ago this guy had a late 60’s board > that had no stringer. it was called a jensen? or something stringerless. i > dunno the board was soo much fun to ride and the noseriding was > unbelievable. anyone ever heard of this or done it lately? and what is > everyones vote on whether to try it or not?>>> Austin Over the years, there have been a number of stringerless boards produced… they can have unreal response and sensitivity… but, not many remain intact today because they were kind of like a well-worn, favorite old pair of jeans, always often feeling best just before they finally blew out. IMHO, stringerless boards (especially 7
+ "funshapes") are still totally valid and definitely worth building... just dont expect them to survive too many modern maneuvers like floaters or much use in powerful, overhead surf.
Austin: I just picked up a transistion model stringerless board. Of the ones I’ve seen, many were efforts in weight reduction. The shift to shorter, more maneuverable surfboards and the introduction of some extreme V-bottom designs were also part of this era. The time frame was around the 1968 World Contest held in Puerto Rico, a surprise win by the Australians on a V-bottom design that had some serious limitations in Hawaiian surf. Lots of interesting designs and designers making their mark in history in these years including Greenough and McTavish. Here is a pic of this 8’6" Gordon & Smith Farrelly model V-bottom stringerless. Going to be a restoration rider for me. Overall pretty good shape, a ratty looking old nose repair and multiple rail dings and wounds. The board an orange tint top and bottom with WAVEset fin setup. (does anyone remember which fin template is “right” for this? the Stage IV is kind of lean on surface area for an 18" tail it seems) Tom S.>>> when i was out surfing about a month ago this guy had a late 60’s board > that had no stringer. it was called a jensen? or something stringerless. i > dunno the board was soo much fun to ride and the noseriding was > unbelievable. anyone ever heard of this or done it lately? and what is > everyones vote on whether to try it or not?>>> Austin 
Many of the boards we made in Newport in the late 60’s, early 70’s were from Foss blanks with just a glue line and no wood. Really stiff designs, but the flex made 'em feel alive. In fact, I’m looking at one now here in my office with my old Natural Awareness logo on it. Acid splash on the bottom. I’d give anything to have those days back again!!! aloha, tom
thats crazy. so whats the verdict on this any votes for a stringerless board? what kind of glass would yall use also and how much etc. austin
Have you had a chance to ride your board with that fin? I’ve had and ridden a couple Morey-Pope boards of similar design and fin - one with vee (Tracker) and one without (Deese original) - both could be spun out fairly easy on waves of any size but worked good in small waves. That said, I remember that WAVE had an ad campaign featuring Skip Frye, who experimented with cutting the fins down and eventually developing a tiny “finger” fin which supposedly provided more freedom. I tried one of those and REALLY spun out easy! I also had a G&S Hot Curl with a big raked nylon flex fin (also WAVE) that held in better and still turned pretty nice. I checked the “One World” website and they offer some big area WAVE replicas for $150.00.
The “finger” fin was one I forgot about. There was more material in the base than in the actual fin on that one as I recall. One World was the link I was looking for. I have a Stage IV template original WAVE set on another board but this Farrelly has a broken fin. It is a WAVE set template that I didn’t recall ever owning, very wide base from what is left. One World had quite a selection and gave me some ideas of what this one was equipped with. Thanks for the lead, he has quite a niche market covered very well with all of the reproductions for obsolete fin boxes. Thanks. Tom S.>>> Have you had a chance to ride your board with that fin? I’ve had and > ridden a couple Morey-Pope boards of similar design and fin - one with vee > (Tracker) and one without (Deese original) - both could be spun out fairly > easy on waves of any size but worked good in small waves. That said, I > remember that WAVE had an ad campaign featuring Skip Frye, who > experimented with cutting the fins down and eventually developing a tiny > “finger” fin which supposedly provided more freedom. I tried one > of those and REALLY spun out easy! I also had a G&S Hot Curl with a > big raked nylon flex fin (also WAVE) that held in better and still turned > pretty nice. I checked the “One World” website and they offer > some big area WAVE replicas for $150.00.
when i was out surfing about a month ago this guy had a late 60’s board > that had no stringer. it was called a jensen? or something stringerless. i > dunno the board was soo much fun to ride and the noseriding was > unbelievable. anyone ever heard of this or done it lately? and what is > everyones vote on whether to try it or not? do it!do it while you have the opportunity-who knows, you might get hooked on stringerless boards!No matter what it’s going to buckle at some point,so don’t worry about that,just go ride it!a couple of thoughts about materials:1.I am thinking about doing a “stringerless” using high density foam as a stringer.2.just yestrday i checked out a board shaped by Dave Johnson(Santa Barbara area)that was made of very mainstream glass, stringer and blank, yet a very different resin(EHP or something like that) which gave the board-9’-radical strength/flex.We had that thing turned bottom up and were jumping up and down on it-no cracks,crinkles, dings nothing!In fact it was pulled from the racks and literally thrown to the ground-again nothing in the way of damage.Might be something to check into for your stringerless.>>> Austin
Matt: Down below in the Patagonia/Point Blanks thread Jim Phillips brought up a similar comment regarding a new resin product. I was looking for some info in my question in that same thread as to the source or label of this new resin. “DHP” would equate to the product that Mark Toland was developing earlier this year. He visited Swaylock’s briefly after the Surfer Magazine writeup on this new development and went into a little more detail about his plans. At that time there was equal interest in his product and the low emissions not to mention a strength factor. Do any of these names or mentions match up to what you have seen or heard? The label that was supposed to have initial exclusive use of Toland’s product was www.astsurf.com. No details there as yet. I’m interested in this product but it moved off the radar screen in the last 6 months of mainstream information sources. Thanks. Tom S.>>> do it!do it while you have the opportunity-who knows, you might get hooked > on stringerless boards!No matter what it’s going to buckle at some > point,so don’t worry about that,just go ride it!a couple of thoughts about > materials:1.I am thinking about doing a “stringerless” using > high density foam as a stringer.2.just yestrday i checked out a board > shaped by Dave Johnson(Santa Barbara area)that was made of very mainstream > glass, stringer and blank, yet a very different resin(EHP or something > like that) which gave the board-9’-radical strength/flex.We had that thing > turned bottom up and were jumping up and down on it-no cracks,crinkles, > dings nothing!In fact it was pulled from the racks and literally thrown to > the ground-again nothing in the way of damage.Might be something to check > into for your stringerless.
Matt:>>> Down below in the Patagonia/Point Blanks thread Jim Phillips brought up a > similar comment regarding a new resin product. I was looking for some info > in my question in that same thread as to the source or label of this new > resin. “DHP” would equate to the product that Mark Toland was > developing earlier this year. He visited Swaylock’s briefly after the > Surfer Magazine writeup on this new development and went into a little > more detail about his plans. At that time there was equal interest in his > product and the low emissions not to mention a strength factor. Do any of > these names or mentions match up to what you have seen or heard? The label > that was supposed to have initial exclusive use of Toland’s product was > www.astsurf.com. No details there as yet. I’m interested in this product > but it moved off the radar screen in the last 6 months of mainstream > information sources. Thanks.>>> Tom S. Tom, My understanding when I got the information from my blank supplier was that Toland was hawking his product by doing the drop test that I mentioned. The impression that I got was that the Rusty disappearing stringer boards are being glassed with that resin in order to increase their durability. I think there was a small write-up in one of the industry publications but Mark gave more info when he visited this site. Magoo
Magoo: Yep, I’ve been trying to keep up with that since he visited some 6 months or so ago. I’ve not seen or heard anything else since. The www.astsurf.com site was supposed to be his test bed and they still have DHP link to watch for Summer 2002 debut. Early on there seemed to be equal discussion on the low emissions and toxicity of this new formula. Seems that now the strength to weight improvements are in the crosshairs for marketing. I’m just glad that there is some activity centered on his formula. I’m all too familiar with having a great idea or product and then being faced with the old “how you gonna sell it” dilemma. Sounds like they are firing up the sales force, I’ll take it either way, stronger or cleaner. Tom S.>>> Tom,>>> My understanding when I got the information from my blank supplier was > that Toland was hawking his product by doing the drop test that I > mentioned. The impression that I got was that the Rusty disappearing > stringer boards are being glassed with that resin in order to increase > their durability. I think there was a small write-up in one of the > industry publications but Mark gave more info when he visited this site.>>> Magoo
Matt:>>> Down below in the Patagonia/Point Blanks thread Jim Phillips brought up a > similar comment regarding a new resin product. I was looking for some info > in my question in that same thread as to the source or label of this new > resin. “DHP” would equate to the product that Mark Toland was > developing earlier this year. He visited Swaylock’s briefly after the > Surfer Magazine writeup on this new development and went into a little > more detail about his plans. At that time there was equal interest in his > product and the low emissions not to mention a strength factor. Do any of > these names or mentions match up to what you have seen or heard? The label > that was supposed to have initial exclusive use of Toland’s product was > www.astsurf.com. No details there as yet. I’m interested in this product > but it moved off the radar screen in the last 6 months of mainstream > information sources. Thanks. Tom-yep that’s it.pretty amazing stuff.of course i have no idea what it will do in the long run.>>> Tom S.
i make stringerless boards regulary for my air team riders glassed with a single layer of 4oz each side they last them several months. i make them for customers with 4x4x4 and they last as long as normal stringer boards they have much more flex and are not so suitable to bigger waves due to thier characteristics but suit everyday conditions in most areas in the world. http://www.feraldave.com
i make stringerless boards regulary for my air team riders glassed with a > single layer of 4oz each side they last them several months. i make them > for customers with 4x4x4 and they last as long as normal stringer boards > they have much more flex and are not so suitable to bigger waves due to > thier characteristics but suit everyday conditions in most areas in the > world. i am also interested in varying the flex over different parts of the board without extra glass (re weight) http://www.feraldave.com