I’m thinking Bunker would have loved these:
http://sharkless.com/gallery/2005/AA_Labor_Day_Canoe_Hal_boards
http://sharkless.com/gallery/2005/AA_Labor_Day_Canoe_Hale_boar
Some videos of skilled skimboarders riding shorebreak also lead to the same question…
Quote:
Some videos of skilled skimboarders riding shorebreak also lead to the same question…
My son and other kiters frequently ride skimboards, sometimes in the surf… all it takes is an edge… and alot of skill 
The boards that Bunker and his crew rode in SD, and elsewhere, had small keel fins(like many of the current kiteboards). I remember a guy in San Diego, Lee Martel, built a board that allowed him to completely retract the fin while riding. Some of these late 60’s designs seemed to be more about ‘the edges’ like skiis, snowboards, and the earliest wooden surfboards.
the bunker and the edge board guys also had fins that were removeable and were
considerably longer base 10-15 inches
proportionally thicker upwards to an inch
had micro tuning apendages
and the occasional handle was attatched to the rails.
the absence of alternative power source
power craft,propeller or jet pump
and or airborne kite
takes the efforts away from
a comonality with traditional
surfing forms.
wave riding remains unique
as a communal tapping of natural
forces with a simplified design form
with little in the way
of tech trappings that plague
the new improved
articulations of the word surfing that
continues to erode the meaning
of the word.
Now if we the people were to call this acivity
KITE FLYING ,no juice nobody would buy in
KITE TOW LIFTING,in mixed conversation would sound like holding on with the foot
there is little surf in the majority of kite venues
aerial acrobatix are the primary goal in these venues
Hang time is a noble goal for aerial afectionados
the kite boards in the attatched photos
are truly breath taking
the wood laminations
mesmerise me
I wish I could feel the surface as the water
will caress them
I look forward to the advances in kites
making it possible to construct
a farther evolution in the surf mats I am now
studying.the quest for un encumbered flight
on the surface of the shore bound natural ocean wave
is only partially explored.
…ambrose…
dora said 'real men don’t use the handle"
surely that couldn’t be true
Flat water kiteboards don’t really need fins as the way in which you ride the board means that the edge of the board in the water acts like one big fin. Most kiteboards do however have small fins and these are usually used for directional stability on landing from a jump and they also give the board more grip in the water when loading up against the kite for a jump. But the fins are used most when you go kiting in waves as you spend alot more time riding the board flat and you also need more drive from the board when travelling downwind on a wave as it is the wave driving you rather than the kite.
Cheers
KS
The boards in the photos(Reinhard’s) and skimboards are being ridden in the surf. They have a very different feel than boards with fins… very loose!.. more like the edge boards.
Many of the kites and boards being produced now are specifically for riding waves… with a handle(sorry Miklos) 
You can call me a puppet monkey if you like.
Yes, Bunker’s keel fins were foiled (early fish fins had no foil) keyed, wedged… pounded with rocks into his boards. Sculpted decks, thick, small, wide point forward and zip lapped rails. One of the fondest memories I have of surfing was watching Bunker(and crew) ride his ‘space vehicles’ in San Diego.
Dora on Bunker, “genetic space child”
Reinhard’s site… in case someone’s interested. http://home.hawaii.rr.com/reinhard/contact/contact.htm
There’s a video to see these boards (and Reinhard) in action.