hello everyone, I messaged surfboards by velzy on facebook but not sure if that is an official or fan page. Anyway, the last few days I’ve been taking this board out and this boards just amazes me. It glides so smooth and feels really loose at the tail. I’ve looked on most major search engines and nothing comes up on this particular logo. I read a comment on velzy facebook page that has a similiar logo but could not be determined if it is indeed a legimate velzy. the signature looks like his. I know he passed in 2005 and could not find any of his “newer” boards. its a 7’2 x22 x2 1/2 single fin. I am hoping to get some info on this board. it is in pristine shape , not sure if I want to ride it anymore. rides well on steep 4’-6’ beachbreak.
Relax. Ride it and enjoy it for what it is. It’s not collectible and its resale value probably isn’t any different than any other used 7-2 egg. The XTR logo puts the board no newer than maybe 2000 or so at the earliest. Javier didn’t start doing thermovents in his decks until probably 2004/2005 (I forget). Others here would know for sure but I was under the impression that Velzy hadn’t personally touched a surfboard blank since the 1960s.
If you’re new to XTR construction then just be aware the XPS foam in the blank will offgas and blow delams if the board gets too hot. They’re much more prone to heat damage and delamination than EPS or PU foam blanks. So keep your board in a boardbag and don’t ever let it get hot enough to melt the wax on your deck.
thanks for the heads on caring for my board. I am pretty careful about taking care of all my boards. I am thinking about maybe making this shape as my first board. The rails are pinched throughout so it looks a little too ambitious for me. all I need now is to get my blank and a handsaw. thanks gdaddy
Those are good dimensions for a singlefin, except the thickness and rails might have been aimed at a comparatively lighter surfer. One thing I will say is that for boards of that type is that a little weight is a good thing. Singlefins are more about building some momentum, being smooth and getting some glide; they’re not about muscling the board in the more active and progressive surfing style.
I did about a dozen boards through Javier’s factory, and they always came out a little lighter than a regular PU/PE board of the day with similar glassing. Their regular glassing schedule is great for a thruster, but it’s a bit too light for a singlefin, IMO. But, maybe for this one they went heavier with the glassing.
Back in 2010 I did a 7-0 x 22 with a stringerless blank and bamboo deck over 1.5# EPS and the board came out too light. 2x4 on the deck and 1x4 on the bottom, over bamboo veneers on top and bottom and including high density finbox insert and high density rails. I ended up going back and adding another layer of 4oz as a means of adding more weight. After that the weight was perfect - not too light and not too heavy.
The point being that if you’re going to build one of these then just stick with a regular weight PU blank and use a 6oz glassing schedule. Don’t try to go light weight.
The signature looks like a lam. But since it is the only XTR I’ve ever seen (probably others as well) it is rare just for that. Before, CNC Velzy did do a fair amount of Ghosting for others. I think he did some stuff for Natural Progression out of Santa Monic in the 70’s. May have the name of the company wrong but I know he shaped for a well known Santa Monica builder on occasion and as needed. As needed$$$. In the90’s he turned out quite a few foam boards and they were scattered up and down the Calif Coast. How many of them did he shape? I don’t know. His Balsa Boards were in high demand. I believe he shaped some of those but probably not all of them. I believe Jim Phillips stated on this forum that he had done work for Velzy. Whether shaping or Wood glue-ups. Again I don’t know. Matt Calvani’s name was also tossed around back in the 90’s thru 2000’s as someone who may have shaped some of Dale’s boards. He was a great guy and could really go at a blank in his prime. And I really would consider “in his prime” to be after the Velzy Jacob’s split and the IRS. I have never read his Biography, but I think everyone involve in building surfboards should. I’m making Velzy’s Bio and the Gerry Lopez book a Must read for 2019. Wanna see if I can find any mention of Bill in there.
Check with Javier at XTR. I really like the XTR product, good foam and good resin.
When XTR first got going they tried to get every well known name on board for a model. I read an old magazine article about them and the founder of the company recently. I’ll have to see if I can find the article. I think the guy who started the company was Brazilian. I’m thinking they got started in the 90’s. Velzy signed on with Surftech in the 90’s as well.
Yes. If you can get ahold of XTR they will know the story.
it is definitely a fast and light board. I am 5’10", 180 lbs and it floats me but the paddling was a struggle the first few times. I felt like I dialed it in by the 3rd wave. it works well from the middle of the board. I’ve had rides where I popped up , landed on the tail and it just turns with ease. the glassing doesn’t seem particularly heavy but the craftsmanship is spectacular. it has no heel dents , a subtle off cream rails that runs around and ends at the nose desk with a split. I am thinking of maybe beefing it up at the center , something like this: https://www.swaylocks.com/forums/newbie-shaping-76-egg-single-fin-advice
Here’s a recent podcast/interview with Javier from XTR. He’s from Peru ; )
https://player.fm/series/surf-splendor-2414748/ep-009-javier-huarcaya-pro-of-xtr
I emailed those guys at XTR, will see if they have some history on the board. I will share soon after. this board needs punchier waves to achieve its potential or just a lighter person for smaller waves.
beside it being a great board , what prompt me to write this post was when I was doing the research on it I came accross this on Velzy’s facebook page. I was curious if in fact scumbags are making knock offs of legendary shapers? and why? doesn’t seem like a board like this would merit someone to forge one and try to resell it for a ton of $$$$
What is the board doing that you don’t like? The reason I ask is because I only surf midlength singlfins in smaller and weak conditions. i never surf them in punchy beachbreak conditions. When conditions get faster I switch to multi-fin designs that I can surf more actively.
The picture of the bottom of that board, looking at it from the nose is Classic Velzy.
Stopped by Velzys’ house a few times after eating at Pedros’ tacos across the street. My buddy Bob Moore (check out Surfer Mag shapers tree) new him well. Bob Moore Sr. and Dale guarded together in South Bay. Still mowed an occassional foam blank. Last time Bob and I stopped by we brought a Jacobs 422 to ask if he had shaped it. He smiled and nodded.We put it on rack and he pointed out the full round rails and the step deck in the tail,said it was one of the early ones. At the time it still had some white opaque color on it and a red circle around the Jacobs laminate. Said it could have been a team board but was’nt sure.