Didn’t that board have hard rails in the nose and very turned up rails in the tail? – does this configuration aid with noseriding?
upturned rails in the tail are better for noseriding. as for hard rails in the nose i dont know if that helps noseriding… it might pick up a little more speed for you while on the nose, it would be a little more maneuverable up there as well. -steve>>> Didn’t that board have hard rails in the nose and very turned up rails in > the tail? – does this configuration aid with noseriding?
Didn’t that board have hard rails in the nose and very turned up rails in > the tail? – does this configuration aid with noseriding? No! The Ugly, and the Super Ugly, had an uprail at the nose, blending back into the wide pt. with a 50/50 rail blending back into a thinner tail still 50/50, then with a thinned out tail, that flaired up starting at about 6" before the corners. There was always a slight concave line from corner to corner instead of boring straight The deck was a step deck, but not quite as pronounced as, say, a Yater Spoon. The trick to their noseriding potential was that they were templated at 21"s a foot back from the nose with a wide point at 22"-22 1/2" some times 23". And between the bevels at the rails there was concave that finally blended out of the rocker 2/3 of the way back from the nose. With the wide nose, the extra concave, and the tail slightly flipped up, at the very end, there was, all things considered a beautiful “Ugly”. I ought to know, I shaped countless numbers of them in the 80’s for good ole’ Con Colburn, God rest his soul, amongst all the other various models of Con Surfboards. Bob Purvy, was the colorful character that deserves the credit for that design. He and I spent a lot of time joking around about that Surfboard’s sucess and it’s undeniable position in surfboard design history. Bob Purvy was a team rider for Con Surfboards in the mid 60’s. Hope he’s well! No hard rails or feelings!
Didn’t that board have hard rails in the nose and very turned up rails in > the tail? – does this configuration aid with noseriding? We had my original “Ugly” circa “67,68 or 69” ??? In the shop about 8-10 years ago. The owner took a measurement as to how far the concave traveled thru the bottom, just about half of the boards length.If my memory serves me correct, the nose was thinner as was the tail for boards of that era. Plus I think Con was ahead of his time with the tail kick in that board. She was some nose rider. Magic Man, didn’t Johnny Rice, also work for Con, sometime in the 60’s ??? R.I. surfer
I agree, The Ugly can be considered beautiful. I believe Longboard Magazine did a very nice piece on this design and highlighted it’s noseriding capapbilities. Unfortuanately I don’t recall any credit being given to those of you involved in the design and shaping of this fine vehicle. Nothing new right? Some great history surrounding this shape. I remember seeing the ads for it as grom before I got my first surfboard. Recently I had to setttle for a knockoff of the Ugly that seems to be pretty faithful to your specs- shaped by Midget Smith out of San Clemente. Is this just his interpretation or did he fit in somewhere in the later history of Con Surfboards? TS>>> No! The Ugly, and the Super Ugly, had an uprail at the nose, blending back > into the wide pt. with a 50/50 rail blending back into a thinner tail > still 50/50, then with a thinned out tail, that flaired up starting at > about 6" before the corners. There was always a slight concave line > from corner to corner instead of boring straight The deck was a step deck, > but not quite as pronounced as, say, a Yater Spoon. The trick to their > noseriding potential was that they were templated at 21"s a foot back > from the nose with a wide point at 22"-22 1/2" some times > 23". And between the bevels at the rails there was concave that > finally blended out of the rocker 2/3 of the way back from the nose. With > the wide nose, the extra concave, and the tail slightly flipped up, at the > very end, there was, all things considered a beautiful “Ugly”. I > ought to know, I shaped countless numbers of them in the 80’s for good > ole’ Con Colburn, God rest his soul, amongst all the other various models > of Con Surfboards. Bob Purvy, was the colorful character that deserves the > credit for that design. He and I spent a lot of time joking around about > that Surfboard’s sucess and it’s undeniable position in surfboard design > history. Bob Purvy was a team rider for Con Surfboards in the mid 60’s. > Hope he’s well! No hard rails or feelings!
I agree, The Ugly can be considered beautiful. I believe Longboard > Magazine did a very nice piece on this design and highlighted it’s > noseriding capapbilities. Unfortuanately I don’t recall any credit being > given to those of you involved in the design and shaping of this fine > vehicle. Nothing new right? Some great history surrounding this shape. I > remember seeing the ads for it as grom before I got my first surfboard. > Recently I had to setttle for a knockoff of the Ugly that seems to be > pretty faithful to your specs- shaped by Midget Smith out of San Clemente. > Is this just his interpretation or did he fit in somewhere in the later > history of Con Surfboards?>>> TS I think Claude Codgen did a remake of the “Ugly” back around maybe the early 90’s. There were a few of them around here, but it never really took off. Please don’t quote me, but I think his label is “Sunshine Surfboards”, the logo is in a rectangle shape, like Con had used. R.I. surfer
I agree, The Ugly can be considered beautiful. I believe Longboard > Magazine did a very nice piece on this design and highlighted it’s > noseriding capapbilities. Unfortuanately I don’t recall any credit being > given to those of you involved in the design and shaping of this fine > vehicle. Nothing new right? Some great history surrounding this shape. I > remember seeing the ads for it as grom before I got my first surfboard. > Recently I had to setttle for a knockoff of the Ugly that seems to be > pretty faithful to your specs- shaped by Midget Smith out of San Clemente. > Is this just his interpretation or did he fit in somewhere in the later > history of Con Surfboards? > TS …anybody interested in a new “ugly” should contact bruce grant. he’s based out of aqua tech in marina del rey. he’s been making ugly’s for some time and as far as i’m concerned is the best source for that model. the pic is a board i made for a good friend(and great surfer) who let his prized con slip away a few years ago. i’ve owned some old uglys so i shaped it from memory and photos he had. i don’t offer these(no mas)mainly because its bruces thing and he’s got the most ugly experience.
…anybody interested in a new “ugly” should contact > bruce grant. he’s based out of aqua tech in marina del rey. he’s been > making ugly’s for some time and as far as i’m concerned is the best source > for that model. the pic is a board i made for a good friend(and great > surfer) who let his prized con slip away a few years ago. i’ve owned some > old uglys so i shaped it from memory and photos he had. i don’t offer > these(no mas)mainly because its bruces thing and he’s got the most ugly > experience. Gene, Did Con’s wife start up the company? I thought I read somewhere where she had and if this is true, I’m almost positive that their company is in Marina Del Ray. Wait a minute, I think I heard of it via an e-mail discussion I had with Johnny Rice. R.I. surfer
Gene, Con was a great person,when I started my surfboard shop in the mid 70s he gave me a lot of insight as well as glassing some of my boards.Herb.
…anybody interested in a new “ugly” should contact > bruce grant. he’s based out of aqua tech in marina del rey. he’s been > making ugly’s for some time and as far as i’m concerned is the best source > for that model. the pic is a board i made for a good friend(and great > surfer) who let his prized con slip away a few years ago. i’ve owned some > old uglys so i shaped it from memory and photos he had. i don’t offer > these(no mas)mainly because its bruces thing and he’s got the most ugly > experience. Gene, What do you think your doing? … Tom, every shaper that thinks that they are a shaper, tries their hand at this Model, at some time or another.You can’t help it. It’s a test of one of the final levels of shaping, and sculpting achievements. Yes, you got a knock-off, an interpretation. Midget, wasn’t a part of the Con surfboard trail. Neither was Gene Cooper-fish.(He never said he did shape for Con). As a matter of fact he just started shaping and paying for the pretty wrappings just a couple of years ago. Sorry, the PIC is a pathetic image of something that’s suppost to pass off as an ugly replica, and I’m not buying into the dribble that there is to much respect for Bruce Grant, that, that is the reason for not shaping his(Gene’s) rendition of an Ugly and calling it something else ridiculous, like one of his other bogus knock-off’s like the could be, MELLO YELLO MODELO UGLYO or something like that. Dude, you don’t have the shaping credentials, to shape this board. I shaped hundreds of Ugly’s, and Super Ugly’s(remember these), CC Riders,and every other model that Con took orders for, including the Rocket Fish. Yes, Rocket Fish, Yes Clyde Beatty used to work for Con as well (team rider, airbrush, some pinline work). The Ugly was by far then, and still is the hardest shape to correctly execute, that I have ever tangled with. Scores of Uglys in the 80’s, years before Bruce Grant, and years after Gary Seaman(son of the great boat designer and builder, Warren Seaman),shaped the first one! I stand corected from earlier, sorry Gary. Bob Purvy a team rider at the time, wanted something new, to noseride. Gary designed the board… Bob rode it. Then decided that he designed it. Starting to take on a familiar sound, boys. The board did well(of course), Purvey was a good surfer, too! Con invested in advertising, the board sold well, there was a court case that insued later, devoted to the designers rights, and royalties,(naturally). As Gary Seaman put it to me today, the squeaky voice got the cookie. Bob got some cookie. Gary, also gets credit for shaping and designing the original Windsurfer plug for Hoyle Schweitzer’s rotomolded sailboard at Windsurfer International, out of the Con factory, the rest is history there. One of the first shapers-craftsmen that worked at Con’s was named Don Donfrey, he taught Gary how to shape. This guy was of all things a concert violinist. Then there was, (according to Gary’s memory), Joe Matsoe, Bill Schrosby(spell), Gary Seaman, and his brother Roy,(who between the two of them were there for a span of ten years, beginning in the mid 60’s). Then on to John Rice(he thinks), to Michael Olivaris, whom I worked with, and Bill Urbany, and then a character from Brazil named Coyote, with his Makita planer (on one setting), and then Mr. Bruce Grant. Gene’s right anybody interested in an Ugly from Bruce Grant’s shaping room, better hurry. He doesn’t wear a dust mask. (Bruce how many times do I have to tell you to put on your mask before you start up next to me)huh? huh? Bruce and I shaped side by side, or should I say, stall by stall at Con’s factory in the 80’s. Better ask which limited edition, of the Ugly, that you are getting! The old logo images are reprinted there though, check the pantone colors one more time again boys before the next run. Gene, Gene, Gene, see that couch in the second PIC, get that thing off of there, I don’t care where you put it. Just lay down with a cold compress and try to come to your senses. It’s crap like this stuff that your trying to cram down the throats of a new generation, an unfamiliar generation with the real story, that take most things that, people like you put in print or “PICs” as to what’s real or truth. These people don’t necessarly know that it’s just your fantasy! You pointed out “according to your memory”, on this PIC torial. Leave your memory’s in the little box next to your keyboard. Spare these people, they don’t need to see these pathetic erronous memorys of yours that you try to pass off as valid examples or samples. Don’t do it again, unless you know what your talking about. IT REALLY MAKES US THINK TWICE ABOUT ALL THE OTHER OFFERINGS THAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE!!. Stick to your Comet, or Hornet, or whatever other Mello wallhanger hairball you cough up. It’s OK , Gene, I don’t have the time to get into that. Yes, we’ll spare you the verbal, for now. And OH BY THE WAY, if anybody needs to be reminded about a Cooper, or worse, see a PICture rendition of an Ugly, that a few year old fantasy shaper, that thinks he’s the cat’s meow (that’s cat’s meow Gene, not "da-cat"s’ meow).(Or is that coming next Gene?).Just tell them to check out their used board rack. Susie Colburn, one of the real hotties on the beach, in her day (nothing cosmetic about her),Con’s wife, shared in the development of Con surfboards, from it’s inception in 59’. She stayed through the divorce, with her eyes on the books,(and our asses) up to the time the business was sold as Con Surfboards. Control Products was sold as a separate entity. Control Products is another story. Constantine Colburn was a great surfer in his day, a great craftsman, and a pain in the ass to work for. I still miss him. We shared the love of fast cars and faster Skil 100’s… Rest in Peace old friend.
Gene, What do you think your doing? … Tom, every shaper that thinks that > they are a shaper, tries their hand at this Model, at some time or > another.You can’t help it. It’s a test of one of the final levels of > shaping, and sculpting achievements. Yes, you got a knock-off, an > interpretation. Midget, wasn’t a part of the Con surfboard trail. Neither > was Gene Cooper-fish.(He never said he did shape for Con). As a matter of > fact he just started shaping and paying for the pretty wrappings just a > couple of years ago. Sorry, the PIC is a pathetic image of something > that’s suppost to pass off as an ugly replica, and I’m not buying into the > dribble that there is to much respect for Bruce Grant, that, that is the > reason for not shaping his(Gene’s) rendition of an Ugly and calling it > something else ridiculous, like one of his other bogus knock-off’s like > the could be, MELLO YELLO MODELO UGLYO or something like that. Dude, you > don’t have the shaping credentials, to shape this board. I shaped hundreds > of Ugly’s, and Super Ugly’s(remember these), CC Riders,and every other > model that Con took orders for, including the Rocket Fish. Yes, Rocket > Fish, Yes Clyde Beatty used to work for Con as well (team rider, airbrush, > some pinline work). The Ugly was by far then, and still is the hardest > shape to correctly execute, that I have ever tangled with. Scores of Uglys > in the 80’s, years before Bruce Grant, and years after Gary Seaman(son of > the great boat designer and builder, Warren Seaman),shaped the first one! > I stand corected from earlier, sorry Gary. Bob Purvy a team rider at the > time, wanted something new, to noseride. Gary designed the board… Bob > rode it. Then decided that he designed it. Starting to take on a familiar > sound, boys. The board did well(of course), Purvey was a good surfer, too! > Con invested in advertising, the board sold well, there was a court case > that insued later, devoted to the designers rights, and > royalties,(naturally). As Gary Seaman put it to me today, the squeaky > voice got the cookie. Bob got some cookie. Gary, also gets credit for > shaping and designing the original Windsurfer plug for Hoyle Schweitzer’s > rotomolded sailboard at Windsurfer International, out of the Con factory, > the rest is history there. One of the first shapers-craftsmen that worked > at Con’s was named Don Donfrey, he taught Gary how to shape. This guy was > of all things a concert violinist. Then there was, (according to Gary’s > memory), Joe Matsoe, Bill Schrosby(spell), Gary Seaman, and his brother > Roy,(who between the two of them were there for a span of ten years, > beginning in the mid 60’s). Then on to John Rice(he thinks), to Michael > Olivaris, whom I worked with, and Bill Urbany, and then a character from > Brazil named Coyote, with his Makita planer (on one setting), and then Mr. > Bruce Grant. Gene’s right anybody interested in an Ugly from Bruce Grant’s > shaping room, better hurry. He doesn’t wear a dust mask. (Bruce how many > times do I have to tell you to put on your mask before you start up next > to me)huh? huh? Bruce and I shaped side by side, or should I say, stall by > stall at Con’s factory in the 80’s. Better ask which limited edition, of > the Ugly, that you are getting! The old logo images are reprinted there > though, check the pantone colors one more time again boys before the next > run. Gene, Gene, Gene, see that couch in the second PIC, get that thing > off of there, I don’t care where you put it. Just lay down with a cold > compress and try to come to your senses. It’s crap like this stuff that > your trying to cram down the throats of a new generation, an unfamiliar > generation with the real story, that take most things that, people like > you put in print or “PICs” as to what’s real or truth. These > people don’t necessarly know that it’s just your fantasy! You pointed out > “according to your memory”, on this PIC torial. Leave your > memory’s in the little box next to your keyboard. Spare these people, they > don’t need to see these pathetic erronous memorys of yours that you try to > pass off as valid examples or samples. Don’t do it again, unless you know > what your talking about. IT REALLY MAKES US THINK TWICE ABOUT ALL THE > OTHER OFFERINGS THAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE!!. Stick to your Comet, or Hornet, > or whatever other Mello wallhanger hairball you cough up. It’s OK , Gene, > I don’t have the time to get into that. Yes, we’ll spare you the verbal, > for now. And OH BY THE WAY, if anybody needs to be reminded about a > Cooper, or worse, see a PICture rendition of an Ugly, that a few year > old fantasy shaper, that thinks he’s the cat’s meow (that’s cat’s meow > Gene, not "da-cat"s’ meow).(Or is that coming next Gene?).Just > tell them to check out their used board rack. Susie Colburn, one of the > real hotties on the beach, in her day (nothing cosmetic about her),Con’s > wife, shared in the development of Con surfboards, from it’s inception in > 59’. She stayed through the divorce, with her eyes on the books,(and our > asses) up to the time the business was sold as Con Surfboards. Control > Products was sold as a separate entity. Control Products is another story. > Constantine Colburn was a great surfer in his day, a great craftsman, and > a pain in the ass to work for. I still miss him. We shared the love of > fast cars and faster Skil 100’s… Rest in Peace old friend. GOOD ATTITUDE=GOOD SUCCESS. BAD ATTITUDE=well, here we basically see what a surf factory is really like, when you take uneducated, drug/alcohol abusing one skill menial workerbee’s and shove dozens of pre-scheduled surfboards down their throats with no paid vacation or sick leaves. It’s a dogs life, why anyone would want to be a production worker has got me! At much less effort you can aquire a college degree, make that money, shape/glass a board at your leisure and surf your a-s off! When did this simple construction skill(surfboard making) become an attitude issue. I know many start up shapers along with many Mexican workers that glass/sand/polish very well,want to work,don’t complain, and have a positive,non-aggressive attitude. LOVE YOUR QUALITY WORK GENE, NEVER HEARD OF YOU BROM. SEE YA DON’T WANNA BE-YA…
magic man, sorry if i offended you. i just built that board for a friend as a favor. he was pretty happy about it and that made it worth my effort. i just make what i make and try not to step on too many toes along the way. obviously i failed here. i’d like to thank all others for the kind words about my work, it’s appreciated. no more posts for me.
GOOD ATTITUDE=GOOD SUCCESS. BAD ATTITUDE=well, here we basically see what > a surf factory is really like, when you take uneducated, drug/alcohol > abusing one skill menial workerbee’s and shove dozens of pre-scheduled > surfboards down their throats with no paid vacation or sick leaves. It’s a > dogs life, why anyone would want to be a production worker has got me! At > much less effort you can aquire a college degree, make that money, > shape/glass a board at your leisure and surf your a-s off! When did this > simple construction skill(surfboard making) become an attitude issue. I > know many start up shapers along with many Mexican workers that > glass/sand/polish very well,want to work,don’t complain, and have a > positive,non-aggressive attitude. LOVE YOUR QUALITY WORK GENE, NEVER HEARD > OF YOU BROM. SEE YA DON’T WANNA BE-YA… OH YEAH, DON’T TAKE THE BROWN ACID, BRO!
I see new generation surfer / shapers bringing in old style / retroesk boards as a tie to a feeling , from childhood stories of grandeur, heroes who ,really ,were nothing more than themselves trying to eekk out a living in a very competitive market. That competition drove some interesting ideas, and scams. Hearing joeblow’s wants of a traditional fish for his"next project". It would seem that some journeyman skills would be more suited than jumping fast forward 30yrs. to “Hey Herb”- “I want this”. Wa Wa Wa… If you REALLY want to learn it, come find the guy who builds them and work for him for free and make it worth their 30 years of research and development. To add my pittance to the Coopfish detailed analysis. It’s tough hearing words of criticism about your work , but it must be looked at in the context of what it really is. I have been behind many of these boards , already flying down the line, waiting for that long slow bottom turn from the guy DROPPING IN out on the shoulder. It makes you wonder why anybody would want that kind of trip. Couple this “unique” design with eye candy finish work and you have something different. Really, it’s all good! It does open itself to criticism when it is totted as something special by the new generation of critter chin dudes who still go home to mommy for dinner. The guys and gals who ride these old school off shoot idea boards, or even the old school rip off boards are very talented athletes, who could ride the floor mats out of your car. So, let em rip . Keep that thread alive!
magic man, sorry if i offended you. i just built that board for a friend > as a favor. he was pretty happy about it and that made it worth my effort. > i just make what i make and try not to step on too many toes along the > way. obviously i failed here. i’d like to thank all others for the kind > words about my work, it’s appreciated. no more posts for me. PLEASE RECONCIDER. I’VE SHAPED/GLASSED BACKYARD STYLE FOR 30 YEARS AND CERTAIN SHAPERS ARE ALWAYS TALKING SHIT BUT I BLOW THEM AWAY IN THE WATER. YOU ARE A GREAT INSPIRING DESIGNER DON’T LISTEN TO NEGATIVES. ‘Art’ is in the eye of the beholder. As a consumer, I only buy from agreeable/positive/STOKED individuals. As the slow sales season comes on attitudes get worse, avoid idiotic negative people, users, abusers. By the way, I was tubed 5 times in a row yesterday in front of my kids and locals, on my backyard hybrid fish. Much hooting… Don’t go picking apples off a tree filled with rotton apples, Just go on down to the next one, Always let your surfing do the talking!!!
Gene, Don’t let one poor reaction chase you away - if that’s what you mean about ‘no more posts…’ Myself & Others here appreciate your input and knowledge. And you know… I don’t think anyone cares if you started Cooperfish 3 years ago or 35, if you produce a good product and know what you are talking about you are way ahead of most of us goons here who are just learning to create a clean shape. I do agree that it’s OK to call bogus on someone who is claiming something that they didn’t do - but I doubt anyone here thinks you did that. You might be guilty of self promotion - but the rant that you got seems way out of proportion with what was done - posting a picture and giving props to a friend? so what. I come here to glean ideas and knowledge from those who are more experienced than me. It’s a great site for that. Negative reactions to peoples attempt at doing something that was requested of them, picking on a marketing technique (your board design names) or putting someone down for attempting to create a shape that they havn’t before are misplaced. Swaylock - I don’t mean to start any flame war here - so you can delete/edit at will - but Gene’s posts have helped alot I think he deserves some props. Eric>>> magic man, sorry if i offended you. i just built that board for a friend > as a favor. he was pretty happy about it and that made it worth my effort. > i just make what i make and try not to step on too many toes along the > way. obviously i failed here. i’d like to thank all others for the kind > words about my work, it’s appreciated. no more posts for me.
Way to go Magic Man kook, driving away a great poster to this forum with your negativity.
Hey Gene-I think your boards are great,your input is great-don’t let negative people get you down.I’m happy someone is making your(our) kind of boards again-now I don’t have to ding up my old Nuuhiwas to surf the thekinda glide I want.Well shaped well glassed-outstanding!
I see new generation surfer / shapers bringing in old style / retroesk > boards as a tie to a feeling , from childhood stories of grandeur, heroes > who ,really ,were nothing more than themselves trying to eekk out a living > in a very competitive market. That competition drove some interesting > ideas, and scams. Hearing joeblow’s wants of a traditional fish for > his"next project". It would seem that some journeyman skills > would be more suited than jumping fast forward 30yrs. to “Hey > Herb”- “I want this”. Wa Wa Wa… If you REALLY want to > learn it, come find the guy who builds them and work for him for free and > make it worth their 30 years of research and development.>>>I would love to work for free at several local factories, but they won’t have me because everyone is so paranoid that someone new will learn some skills and then compete against them. Even though I have no intention to do so. My distaste for this secret society of guru shapers is the reason why I started doing my own thing. Those walls should be torn down. If what they are doing is so ground breaking why not share to whoever and progress to the next level, or do you still want to be riding on the materials 10 to 20 years from now? We learn from the past and progress to the future. If everyone had to start from square one like you suggest J bird, where would surfboard design be? Have you never learned from someone elses mistakes or sucesses? That guy who has been doing a specific shape for 30 years can’t benefit from new techniques or prespectives? I want to make a retro shape with modern refinements and if I can pick up anything at all from someone more knowledgeable than I then I truely appreciate it. Guys like herb, jim, gene, dale and all the others should be commended for the shared knowledge. And in return I share my limited experience to anyone and everyone who seeks it. Whether it be shaping, glassing, or how to make a laminate on a computer. Maybe I miss understood the spirit of the BB, but I thought it was a place to share & gain knowledge and see a new perspective on things. Regardless of how you get information via books, video, on a BB, at a factory, what you do with it will always be your own.
Maybe I miss understood the spirit of the BB, but I thought it was a place > to share & gain knowledge and see a new perspective on things. > Regardless of how you get information via books, video, on a BB, at a > factory, what you do with it will always be your own. WORD!!! Anyone out there ever heard of Charles Mingus?? He wasn’t just a bad-ass jazz bass player, but a brilliant COMPOSER. Mingus borrowed from alot of his contemporaries and you can hear various influences in his music, but it was just exactly that–HIS MUSIC. When you hear Mingus’ music it’s totally original and unmistakbly his sound because he brought something to it–he didn’t just borrow. I think that’s the case here with this Con Ugly thread. Don’t let any of this negative shit keep you from posting your views.