yardsale find - winged swallowtail

General Discussion
1

I came across this swallowtail stinger at a yardsale, so I snagged it.  Its 6' 7" by 19 1/4.  Its got a definite twist to it, I've seen that happen before with wood boards, but this is the first time I've seen it on a foam board.  But I don't think that's gonna matter much, in the final analysis.  It was obviously loved and surfed a lot.  I cleaned it up, and sanded it.  Its a little worse for wear, but thats OK.

Anyway, the way I see it, I have three basic options: 1) fix the dings so its waterproof / surfable, and sell it; 2) do something kinda radical / experimental, like laminate a sheet of eps on the deck and glass over it, making it in effect a step-deck, in an attempt to pump up the volume into something I could paddle and maybe even ride LOL; or 3) spackle and paint it, then re-glass it, into a decorative wall-hanger.

What would you do?

2

Don’t pour good money after bad by fixing it.  Instead a nice act of charity.  Surely you must have a friend who likes riding 6’7 x 19 1/2" stingers that looks a lot like a board that friend used to have in high school.  = )

3

Is that one of Dead Shapers boards? Looks like a fun ride I would fix it and add some art work. Then see if anybody is interested.

4

[quote="$1"]

Don't pour good money after bad by fixing it.  Instead a nice act of charity.  Surely you must have a friend who likes riding 6'7 x 19 1/2" stingers that looks a lot like a board that friend used to have in high school.  = )

[/quote]

Hmmm....I may possibly have just such a friend.  A talented friend who turns out masterpieces such as this, as a mere hobby.  An un-glassed rendition (fair is fair, my board will need some remedial glass work too!) might make for two happy campers...

5

I would definately RIDE it

 

  when are you coming to west oz , huck ?   :)

 

  it ain't an original 70s stinger , i was hoping it was , as my brother has one ,

 

  and

 

  'stingray' ,

 

  didn't you have one , too ? [or was that ben shipman ?]

 

  it reminds me more of the ? early 2000's ? 'stingray' board , by John Carper ... 

 

  which , I always thought,    " a long version of that would be great ! "

 

  6'7 x 19 1/4 " is a LOT of board  [for ME at least !]

 

if that was my board , I would definately be putting in a fin box and riding it as a single fin , as a starting point , to make it more 'stinger-like'  [ with a decent sized fin box ....and move the fin up , a la larry the bert man !]

 

" paging 'oneula' ,  and 'sharky'  ... where ARE you ?!  "

 

cheers !

 

  ben

6

I would give to DEADSHAPER.

7

Hey Ben - I could put a single fin box in...

It came with three fins, the back one smaller than the other two.  If I put a fins unlimited center box in, is there a way to still use the fcs fin if I want to?

I'm on the fence as far as attempting to ride it.  If I could get a little more water time than I've been getting, and if the waves were right, and if just lose a few lbs., and.... LOL

BTW, I would love to give this away to some deserving soul.  Unfortunately, harsh economic realities =) dictate that I try to make a buck or two out of it, or ride it.  Would definitely be open to a trade of some sort, but otherwise I'm going to use it as a learning experience, and then either ride it or try to recoup some of my costs.

8

 

I would KILL Deadshaper. The board value would immediately increase.

9

 

hahahahaha

 

10

Huck: FCS makes a fin box conversion so you can use the FU box with FCS tabbed fins. I just picked one up for about 20 bucks, it works like a champ.

11

yep ,

 

  second what celtic skunk said

 

  also , with a little bit of work , you 'could' make a finbox fin or two [wood core to save $]

'greenlight' here  have some GREAT screw tab attachments for fin box 'fixes'  if , like me , you tend to snap tabs ? [caused by tab tickness , and drilling issues , in my case] ...you can almost 'convert' existing fins , that way ....

  I take it that 'deadshaper' was the board's creator , originally , from the preceding comments , then ?

 

I say again ....

 

  " Ride it , ride it  , RIDE IT !!  "

 

THAT is , actually , what surfboards are FOR !  :)

 

[lose some kilos, ['lbs' ...aren't you guys METRIC  , yet ??!! ] if neccessary , to be able to DO that ....a GOOD motivator !!

....how many 'lbs' are we talking , anyway ?? .....compared to ....just maybe having /  ?getting more ? PADDLE fitness / strength / timing ??? ]

 

   cheers , mate !

 

  ben

 

 

12

“What would you do?”

 

Buy it with the best intentions.

Be stoked.

Get to work right away and start to fix the dings.

Put it down because something else comes up.

Think about the board at work and while doing other more important things.

Forget about it.

Find the board months / years later and remember, “oh yah, this board could be really cool!”

Put it back in storage again with good intentions to fix it and ride it ASAP.

A few months later, find it again.

Come to the realization that I will never get it back in the water.

Give it to Stingray.

Be stoked when I see the board a few months later and it’s not only rideable but beautiful.

Tell Ray he did a great job. The guy is only a garage builder but, damn, he’s good with glass and resin.

The end.

13

plan b

 fix dings well, thoroughly

 

  paddle it out the next day

 

  get tubed

 

  ....and it becomes your favourite board , ever  !

 

  look back at this thread in a month , and say to yourself ....

 

 " WHAT was I thinking ,  imagining I was not going to be RIDING it ?! "

 

[ I wonder if I'm getting a message across here ?]

 

 

  cheers

 

 " I'm going surfing NOW ! ..bye ! "  Ben

 

14

[quote="$1"]

...Give it to Stingray.

...The guy is only a garage builder but, damn, he's good with glass and resin.

The end.

[/quote]

OK, sure, thanks for the vote of confidence.  What am I, dog-doo with glass and resin LOL?

15

Hello Huck, ChrisP gave me a cool 80's quad that needed some work. I fixed it up and took it to Big Sur last year. The board was quite a hit with the under 30 crew...and it went well with the other 80's quad that I own. He was just telling a story not bashing.....Fix the board to water tight but not overboard, don't modify it. Share it with others....that board is worth what? 50 bucks?.....$150?.........It's a neat board. no real value in terms of money. Have fun. How thick is the board?

Stingray

16

Yes Chipfish...I owned a Stinger single fin back around 1978. It was red with flames on the bottom. Beak nose, wings and swallow tail. I have no idea who shaped it but it's just a long lost memory now....hey...I still surf!

17

You guys are too funny.  Give it away to someone who will appreciate it.  Go on a diet and lose some weight.  Get in better shape.  Make it a single fin.  Give it away to the shaper.  Kill the shaper.  Give it away to Ray.  Don't modify it.  Share it, its bascially worthless anyway.  Glad I didn't put this up for a vote, LOL.

Lavarat said fix it and add some artwork - I like the sound of that!  Ben says ride it - like I said in the beginning, I'll probably modify it if that's the end goal.  Maybe I'll fix it and see if I can ride it first.  Ray says have fun - and that's the one suggestion I know for sure I'll go with!

BTW, on the stringer it says "convertible" - does that mean it was meant to be ridden as a twin or a thruster, or does that mean single with sidebites or a thruster, or just single or thruster, or you can drop the top and cruise Van Nuys Blvd...what exactly does that mean??

18

hahaha,

You asked what I would do with it.

I can tell you with certainty, that I would do exactly like I said. I know this because it happened before.

I bought a really cool old board off of craigslist with every intention to fix and surf it… I failed miserably. =P

No slight on your glassing work intended. I was making fun of my lack of follow through. =)

I don’t think you should give it to Ray. I’m sure you’ll make something nice out of it…

I agree with Ian.

19

"what would you do ?"

 well, i supose if i was american , and could handle three days with swaylock americans [?]  , i guess i would take that board to the big sur "watchamacallit?" , later in the year ...after you've made it seaworthy ,  and ONCE YOU HAVE SURFED  it , yourself , of course !!

PLUS ....

  I would also get maybe ten or so  battery powered grinder / sanders , twenty fins panels [cut out into at least 40 fin blanks ] ,  and if any of you started whining , saying "I'm bored , what can I do now ?" ...

 

  well...

 

set up tables , vices / clamps .....gather up the main culprit[s] .....

 

  " guess WHAT ? .... it's FIN FOILING time now , guys ... Now , it's YOUR turn , to show me how it's done ! "

 

well, that's never going to happen is it  [but ....it's okay to dream ...well, it is , in MY world , at least !]

 

  but maybe at your next 'shapers day ' [or whatever] gathering , 'someone' among you could whip up a few fin panels , while someone else cuts them out , and someone else foils / sands them , and someone else gloss coats them

 

  just thinking aloud [allowed] here

 

  cheers !

 

 'fin maniac ' ben  [ ....haha oneula , I LIKE  it !]

20

Imagine the dust from a mass fin foiling…

I rekon make it water tight then try surfing it maybe it will be ok?? If not then modify sell whatever takes your fancy but if you don’t try how will you know?

bannana board is awsome btw