Surfboards by Phil

Picked up an old beater as a restoration project. Nose and tail need work. The rest seems to be intact. Original fin. The stringer is badly discolored at nose and tail. Tried some bleach to lighten. My plan is to sand to original weave. Fill low spots and reglass with 4oz. Then add resin panels. Labels are in good shape. I know these were credited to Phil Sauers of the Inland Surf Shop. I don’t think it is a popout since the stringer is full sthickness and I see no sign of fiberglass mat. I’ve see 1 ad in a surfing mag. They used these in the movie “Ride the Wild Surf”. Is this a production board? How long were they produced? Popout? Thanks

Howzit hoggatg, Phil was a personal friend of my family and I worked for The Inland Surf Shop as the repair guy. The boards were not pop outs, they were shaped and glassed at Foss foam. One of mine was in the second Beach Party movie that Phil supplied the boards for and he didn't have enough boards so he asked me if he could borrow mine. My first Phil was a shop board and the second was shaped by Kit Horn after he returned from Oz. I must say that the first board worked surfed really good but the one Kit shaped had so much Vee in the bottom that it would spin out on bottom turns. Phil supplied the boards for Muscle Beach Party and Ride the Wild Surf. If you ever get a chance to see Muscle Beach Party look for a board with a T-band stringer and a blue stripe on each side of the stinger. There's a shot of it in the beginning of the movie and a shot of it leaning against the porch in a night shot. Sometimes wonder what happened to him since we have had no contact for years. Aloha,Kokua

Kokua, Thanks for the info. I have seen the movies, but did not pay close attention to the boards, other than the label. What years was Phil in business? Did he shape? Were there other shapers, besides Kit Horn? I located a Phil Sauers that is the founder of the World Water Rescue Foundation. I have seen photos of Phil on the set of Ride the Wild Surf. He looks to be in his early 30s. That would put him in his 70s now. Could be the same guy. Thanks again. Tim

Howzit hoggatg, I think the Phi Sauers that was the founder is the son of Phil of surfboards by Phil. Phil is about 71 years old now but have no idea if he is even still alive. The guy in Ride the Wild Surf was not the real Phil if that is who you saw photos of on the set. Where can I see those photos? The real Phil was a somewhat small guy and nowhere's near the size of the guy in the movie. I don't remember Phil being a shaper only a surfer and shop owner. Kit Horn stopped by the shop one day when I had brought some boards I had repaired back and he was telling us about his trip to Oz and the new shapes he'd seen. We talked for a while and asked if he would shape some boards like he'd seen and he did. Kit was not a shaper for Phil but just did 3, 1 for me,1 for a team rider and one for Phil's brother John. Is there a ph# for his son who started the W.W.R.F.. Would like to find out if his dad is still alive.Aloha,Kokua

Kokua, I will try to find the surfing mag that has the photos. As I remember, there was a short article about the making of Ride the Wild Surf. I think the photo is Phil trying to teach Fabian how to surf. It is not the guy who played “Phil” in the movie. Here is a link to the Wolrd Water Rescue: http://www.wwrf.org/ Tim

Howzit hoggatg, Thanks for the link,I am going to email Phil and ask about his dad. Would be great if you can find the pics of Phil Sr..Aloha,Kokua

Kokua, I found the magazine last night. Petersen’s Surfing Magazine. Vol. 1, No. 6, August 1964. I will try to scan and PM to you. It is a 1 page article with 3 bw photos. Phill and Fabian, actors in the water at Waimea, and a camera rig in the surf. There is also an ad with one of the actresses from the Ride the Wild Surf movie. Let me know what you find out from WWRF. Thanks

I was working for Dick Metz at the Hobie shop on Kapiolani St. in Honolulu during the filming of Ride The Wild Surf.

Fabian’s board, ridden by Dora as his double, had a series of resin inserts along the bottom installed in it, they had hook eyes in the inserts, this was so they could keep the board steady in one position in the pool while shooting the scenes of Fabian sitting on the board.

Dora had some sever wipeouts and the board had seen some of the Waimea rocks and needed repair.

For bonified surfers, this movie rated very high for the yuk & chuckle factor, it was such a KOOK movie, it must have set back what real surfing was about for years to come.

Sept '64 issue of Petersen’s. Phil ad with Susan Hart.

TonyM, That is essentially the same ad that is in the August 64 issue. Thanks

Howzit hoggatg, Emailed Phil Jr at WWRF but no reply yet. Aloha,Kokua

Kokua,

Finally got scan of article. Will PM on Monday at work. I think I am the only person in the universe that still has dial-up access at home. Too slow to send photos. Hope you hear something soon from WWRF. Tim

What I am more interested in is—What happened to Susan Hart and what does SHE look like these days? Lowel

Howzit McDing, Seeing that she is 44 years older I’m sure she is not quite the babe she was when she did the order form picture. Maybe you can Google her.Aloha,Kokua

Given that she was born in 1941, she’d be about 67 years old, now. I wonder if the years have been “kind” to her? It’s my opinion that she was pretty damn impressive in her starlet days. Look at that body. It’s what a woman SHOULD look like. These days, the accepted norm is a stick figure with plastic bags stuck inside her chest (yecch).

Anyway, she did OK for herself, according to IMDB.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0366537/bio

I could not find many photos of her, online. Most were small and taken from publicity stills in her AIP days. One even misidentifies Shelly Fabares as Susan.