Reno's pocket rocket

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:36 pm

Ok, this one is for the more senior ( or history oriented) amongst us,

I have been reading Jeff Hakmans book and am fascinated with the boards that those guys were riding as the shortboard revolution started. There is one photo of Reno with a snapped board that looks like it would be great to ride- if it were whole. Being the curious type, I am keen to find out more about dimensions etc of these boards with a view to making one once I get my head around it. I realise that the boards in question were mostly Brewers or Mctavishes following the crazy days on Maui but do not have much more info. Am re-reading JHs book to see if i missed anythingbu in the meantime.....

Anyone out there who can offer some insight? personal experience? Owns a board?

tune in & turn on

Post by **wayback** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 2:15 pm

McTavish is turning out updated versions of his original "Bluebird" boards and several other shapers are recreating the old single fins. Try McTavish.com.

Post by **Morgan The Moon** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 1:12 pm

I know Gerry Lopez was re-issuing some of his Lightning Bolt boards that they used in the early 70's.

I've seen some pics of Reno running up the beach with a serious gun in the Mavericks book, but I have no idea of who shaped it - and Eddie Aikau rode a red Hobie on the North Shore at around the same time.

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 2:03 pm

THanks for the mctavishlink - they are not really doing what I am after. I could probably try to speak with Bob and he might help me out though.

eddie on a hobie - will have to check that out. thnx.

Have also found a good site at http://www.bing.com which has some nice photos.
I have also since learnt that Mike Hynson moved to Maui right around this time and started making some really good boards under the Rainbow label. Gerry Lopez apparently still rates these highly and so will have to investigate that too.
THe boards i am interested in developed just after the whole s/board thing started and before the boards got really short - quite a narrow window really so I will have to keep digging.
Any of you guys own/ridden any boards like this or similar designs that were around in Oz at the time?

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Tue Feb 03, 2004 2:11 pm

heres a little food for thought.....

http://home.comcast.net/~velzey/wsb/htm ... 97578.html[/img] http://home.comcast.net/~velzey/wsb/h ... 85218.html

mahalo

Post by **Morgan The Moon** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 5:49 pm

Allright KK

I have some info about Reno and his boards for you (thanks to squizzing through that new Surf Encyclopedia).

Reno was a bit of a shaper as well, starting out with Brewer (as you suggested), heading out on his own for a while, before hooking up with Lightning Bolt.

Post by **wayback** » Thu Feb 05, 2004 10:57 pm

Reno's still shaping - or was a few years ago. Not sure how you'd track him down. Larry Bertleman's also still mowing the foam. Wayne Lynch is making replicas of his early 70s shapes, so is Jim Banks.

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:11 pm

Morgan,

- do you really have some good references on Reno?
I have a pretty good understanding of must of what he did back then as a competitor. Would like to know more about his shaping or see pictures of the boards these guys were riding. From what I have learnt so far, most of the boards were pretty narrow but I would still like to see the planshapes.
I saw a semi-gun in a Manly surfshop about two years ago that was apparently shaped by Reno. Anyone got any better than that? Are these boards still around?

thnx

Post by **Morgan The Moon** » Mon Feb 09, 2004 3:46 pm

KK

The info I've got is from a number of sources, but it's pretty light on details (I've posted what I know, not much):

- A newly released Surf Encyclopedia had an entry for him;
- The Mavericks book (which I got from the Library) was also a history of big wave surfing and I'm pretty sure it had a picture of him with a gun;
- He gets mentioned in the 'Eddie Would GO' book (well worth a read);

I'll have a flick through the old Australian Surfers Journals and see if there's any old pics, info

Follow this link for the gerry lopez classic boards line, (http://www.gerrylopez.com/classic.htm), like I said, I'm sure Reno shaped for Lopez in the early days....

Post by **wayback** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 2:27 pm

You might find this interesting. Go to surfermag.com and see the article 'Quiver Love Circa 1976.'

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:06 pm

Nicely spotted wayback, that story is a beaut. Have printed it out and will use for references with the boards I'm planning. How funny is the section by Kevin Naughton?!!?!
" Leashes are for dogs"..

stll on the hunt for more old school gold so don't be scared to throw down any more references you can come up with.

peace.

Post by **coastie** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 6:44 pm

KK

Its great to see some other folks interested in these kinds of boards. I ride a couple of 70's single fins - all a tad over 7'. Real thick under your chest then the plan shape is pulled right in to a diamond tail. The paddle really well and they go straight really fast ... turns are no so hot.

Interest in these sticks is high from a collectors p.o.v. I saw a real nice restore job on an MP single fin the other day, very sweet

joshalohasurf · Post by **joshalohasurf** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:34 pm

Old Skool Boards Are Cool.

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 10:40 am

Coastie, some more info about your boards would be great.
Are they originals?
new?
Who shaped them?
Fin boxes or glassed on?
more dimensions?

I am collecting ideas for a new board that will be based on some of these older concepts - any info appreciated.

Post by **Morgan The Moon** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 4:20 pm

KK

The only thing I found on Reno's old boards was a picture showing the wingers(?!) he put on the tail of his board - not much, but if you want the pic just let me know....

MTM

Post by **buzzy** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 5:15 pm

Wasn't Reno on the Stingers that MR used to use? And didn't he inspire the MR twin fin? I know that both designs post date the pocket rocket era but I'm right, right?

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 12:50 pm

El Buzzo,

THere is a fair bit that went on between MR & the Hawaiians from my limited knowledge of that period. I think MR rode boards by a number of hawaiian shapers including Ben Aipa & Tom Parrish. Aipa was big on the twins, stingers & swallowtails etc, probably due to the amount of input from Larry Bertleman and young guys like Dane Kealoha & Mike Ho. I am sure i have seen photos of MRs quiver from those days with a couple of Aipa stingers in there. See the link above to Quiver Love on the surfermag website which includes a look at LBs quiver of the time.

Reno was in there although I'm not sure how. There were so many hot hawaiian surfers then (as ever!) with guys like Lopez , Rory Russell and Bertelmen and Barry Kanaiapuni ( please forgive the spelling) who all seemed to be riding stuff that was coming organically out of Hawaii. PLus, hot californians ( mike hynson) and Aussies ( Terry fitz, nat, MP) were spending time there to add their input as well.

Surely someone out there can add more than me here? Would love to hear some first-hand experience of the progression from 66-67 longboards through to the twin-fin days.

mahalo

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 1:09 pm

Thumbing through old Surfers Journals I just found a great article by Drew Kampion called " The life and Work of RIchard Brewer". This covers the late 60's to early 70 's pretty well in terms of design. It details almost the exact boards that I was after.

86 x 22 seems a pretty good place to start .

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