I need some help!
Little background info, I picked up this 9’ 1984 Ben Aipa T&C board.
I’m a little torn on what to do, I’ve searched many other threads and forums, but I just need someone formulated opinions.
I would like to honor the board as it’s from a legend, fix it up, surf it, keep it. (I’m not looking to sell for profit or flip boards)
My question is; in its current state (rough) do I…
Make it watertight, keep it as is? It was out in the sun and the glass is wearing thing on the bottom.
Strip the glass on the bottom, fix all dings, dents, roached foam, re print the logos and re-glass the bottom?
Take it somewhere to be professionally restored? (I live on Oahu)
or any other suggestions I’m all ears. I hope this made sense…
I can add more pictures too!
tail needs work its all exposed foam, top deck looks really good, nose needs a lot of work as well…
I would tend to go with option 1. Repair it as necessary to make it a rider. If the bottom is weak, you could strengthen it by adding a layer of 4 oz glass. Restoration, unless you were going for a “wall hanger”, would be too costly.
I recall the pics and vids of Ben back in his day, with his ripping bottom turn, the guy was a wave killer.
1…go to randy rarick
spend all the money
end up with the real thing.
period.
2.fixit slow and meticulous
imbue it wit your heart and soul
surf ewa beach on it till you
got it wired then go waikiki
on a good south mid day
during crowd lag no leash
so it doesnt break pushing
through a six foot set
surf every spot cross country
from castles to flies and back
retire to old surfers home
with one beer on top
DEN… YOU GET EM…
3…hang em in the garage
an dream what each ding story
might be…
now you get em you da steward
or the curator or the next abuser.
Take your place on the great mandala.
build your own best board in the universe
make your own dings and life stories so what
you say about surfing got depth… building your
own world view is an art form… some just move to
montanananana hang da board and tell the stories they heard
down by thhe river.
bless your chosen path.
In that condition, I just couldn’t see a restoration making any sense. You could patch it up and make it rideable, or hang it on the wall, but from the looks even that will be a bit of a project.
If you are really passionate about it, another option would be to replicate the board, in which case you have the best advantage, the actual original in your posession. This is the option I would be leaning toward.
Its a very cool looking old board.
BTW I have done a couple repair/restoration jobs on old beaters like yours, with mixed results. Here are the before and after pics of one such project. At the end of the day, I wasn’t totally happy even after all the work I did. The board was still very heavy, and old and yellowed. I’m thinking of maybe doing a new board to replicate the old one.
