there is a very good segment in the ‘glass love’ movie on neal purchase jnr., riding one at kirra (I think ?) , as well as sanding the fins . I think I may have posted a shot or two of it somewhere .
Also , I think ‘Consafos’ has one .
Plus sami did a thread on it ?
Do you have a shot of yours , please ?
I would be keen to see it !
cheers !
ben
…my brother , Simon , has one , too …there is a photo floating around somewhere on that thread I did of Simon’s boards . [I think I called it something like "swaylocks surfboard design photo forum " , from memory ?] If you type in “widowmaker” in the advanced search facility to the left of the discussion page , and posts by ‘sami’ , ‘consafos’ and ‘chipfish’ [one at a time] , that should keep you amused until I am back online …goodnight ! [ it’s 1.18am wednesday here in w’ozzieland , now ?!]
[edit] here ya go … "advanced search " , I just typed in ‘widowmaker’ for ya …
Great footage of Tom Curren riding one of the original WM’s from Dave P. at Oceanbeach San Fran. He’s ripoping on it. I think it’s in the movie “Searching for Tom Curren” or “Ferrel Kingdom”. Not sure but worth watching. The board sure worked well but then again it was TC surfing!
Yeah, Chip’s right- there’s a few of us who love the things. (I’ve posted a pic of mine up here before). I think as far as most people go, ‘widowmaker’ refers to the shortboard version and the basics are big center fin with smaller sidebites and, on the Parmenters certainly, wide point forward. I’ve owned/ridden bigger ones, all in the 6’6’ to 7’6" range but I’m seeing smaller boards with the set-up in a few places- Dain Thomas at Sea Surfboards is making some really nice looking boards, and Neal Purchase Snr. is doing some fantastic channel bottom widows for The Swift Movement. Do a search for Terry Fitzgerald and the Drifta as those are 70’s version of the widow- a recent Surfer’s Journal had some great pics of Joel F. riding one. Obviously, I like the things- I’ve found they have all the benefits of a thruster as far as holding in yet still have the drive and feel of a single fin. I rode mine up at Ventura last weekend and was very happy, even though it was blown out a bit I could still feel that board open up when it found the room, and put it in a winter El Porto swell and it’s great fun- they definitely work better when there’s some push, not a great set-up for mushier days. Please post a pic of the 5’6"- I’d like to see that.
The only one I’ve got online is here http://www.thisrichtapestry.com/roidgallery4-quiver.htm - it is the board closest to the camera. When I get a moment I’ll dig out some more useful shots of it and put them up, and pull the board out of the rack (it’s been small here for a while) and measure the fin placement.
It rides really well, but with all three fins in I generally feel overgunned on it in UK waves I’m prepared to surf. It sings as a single fin, particularly with an oversize fin I think. Some of the parmenters I’ve seen (they are probably quite old now) have unexpectedly large base fins… super drivey. 7’1’’ is a weird length, but I knocked an inch off on my first wave in Ireland a couple of years ago, so I guess it is 7’0 now.
This board is very heavy (double 6 deck, double 4 bottom I think) and I’ve found it useful in Ireland, Scotland and our islands. In shifting beach break it is kinda cumbersome… and recently in hossegor I chose other boards over it.
DC,Thanks a bunch for that-great little article abd I too would like to see a nice shot of the board- I might go ride mine now as you’ve got me stoked!
“…I think as far as most people go, ‘widowmaker’ refers to the shortboard version and the basics are big center fin with smaller sidebites and, on the Parmenters certainly, wide point forward. I’ve owned/ridden bigger ones, all in the 6’6’ to 7’6” range but I’m seeing smaller boards with the set-up in a few places- Dain Thomas at Sea Surfboards is making some really nice looking boards, and Neal Purchase Snr. is doing some fantastic channel bottom widows for The Swift Movement. Do a search for Terry Fitzgerald and the Drifta as those are 70’s version of the widow- a recent Surfer’s Journal had some great pics of Joel F. riding one…"
hi Kirk !
…was that similar to this ? [in Australian Surfing World magazine , recently]
STOKED- that’s my new dream board I think- a Fitzgerald Drifta with a starfin, totally awesome! Got to use my Horan board and fin in bigger waves (but not really better- closing out a bit) and it rules. I’m a very happy fellow, and tomorrow I have a free day to hit the waves so no doubt I’ll be even happier. Thanks mate!
STOKED- that’s my new dream board I think- a Fitzgerald Drifta with a starfin, totally awesome! "
…will you make one , then ??
“Got to use my Horan board and fin in bigger waves (but not really better- closing out a bit) and it rules. I’m a very happy fellow, and tomorrow I have a free day to hit the waves so no doubt I’ll be even happier. Thanks mate!”
g-day from down under, new to the game but I have just pruchased a widow maker board/schnubb designed by a guy called Neil Purchase Snr off ebay , 5ft 10 22inc by about 3in thick. I also have a quad fin fish 5ft 9 and I have surfed the widow maker in 2ft and just afew days ago 5 ft and its awsome, I just moved the middle fin back in the fin box and it was quite a sucky wave yet it held the line and was still quite loose and very fast, Its the best board I have ridden so far ,but saying that Neil Purchase Snr is highly acclaimed for his designs.
Just thought I’d let you know what I know about them, I’d rather it than my fish anyday, cheers Ricksta OZ.
