bonzer longboards

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:59 am

crew,

Am just in the midst of a design brainstorm over a new longboard and keen to get it made with the 5 fin bonzer set up. It's going to be be a modern-ish shape with a low volume nose ( a la Skip Frye) and modern rocker/rails due to using the first blank we could find lying around. We're thinking of using a central fin box with the REDEX bonzer side fins & a double concave over a slight vee.
Anyone out there with a board/experience/opinion about using bonzers? Fin setting templates? bottom contours? I know a bit having read various things about the cambell bros but I don't have any first hand experience. WIll have a look at swaylocks but appreciate anyone here who has some info to offer.

mahalo.

tkk.

Post by **whitey** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:25 pm

I have seen heaps of pictures of Bonzer concave boards, I would love to get one made, a 5'6 Bonzer Fish style board..... (So does anyone want to "Lend" me $600... ) I have been on the lookout for one to take for a test drive but cant seem to find any. I have never really fiddled with fin setups, I usually just go for the Thruster setup with a 9inch standard fluidfoils fin at the verry end of the fin box for my mals, Never ventured towards 5 fins.
.Whitey.

Post by **platty** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 7:09 pm

TKK. I was sent a pm to day and this photo was attached.platt

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 2:35 am

shit that is a wild photo platty. How are those concaves!##$@%! i'M guessing this is a photo of a campbell bros board from the 70s when they were into tri fins. Still, it gives some insight.

Whitey, I must confess to always coming back to thrusters as well although the ultimate performance combo that I have come across was three small fins in a thruster setup - try yours with a 5" centre fin and see how you go. Still enjoying playing with different things tho and have never really tried a bonzer so we're gunna give it a crack.

will try to post photos when I can. In the meantime, the best bonzer site is http://www.bonzer5.com

mahalo y'all.

Post by **Longygrom** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 1:14 pm

What benifit would having such large fins included on a board with such large concave have?

Post by **ric_vidal** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 10:27 am

TKK,

If you like experimenting you might also consider having 3 FCS plugs put in for your side fins. Not suggesting this for the bonzer set-up though.

I had a board done a few years ago in this manner with a normal 10" centre fin box and occassionally used to run a thruster set-up, but with the side fins asymmetrical (one side in the forward plugs, the other in the back).

This way you can compensate for the forehand versus backhand effort invloved in a turn.

Not for everyone, but at least you still have a board that can be ridden and ultimately sold as a normal board if you want.

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:01 pm

Well I just picked up my new longboard with its Redex bonzer fins system.
90 x 22 1/4 x 3. Rounded pin tail, six ply stringer and pulled-in nose ( Skip Frye style). It looks great and as soon as I kill off this ear infection I'll be getting it wet.

Platty, when I finally get down to your place for a cuppa perhaps we could take a photo or two and post them?

will let you know how it rides.

Post by **platty** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:06 pm

TKK. Sounds good. Brian gave me a snapped "Californian" a while back. Surfed it over Easter in that swell. Went very well. platty.

Post by **Morty** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:49 pm

Im not real sure what the Bonza set up is like, but about 2 years ago Mr Scott Dillon was making longboards with a 2+1 set up where the 2 were little fins that were almost parrallel with the bottom of the board. He reskons it was great for nose riding and stopped spin outs on hard rail to rail turns. Waddayareckon?

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:10 pm

hi morty,

been thinking about this one for a while and don't understand what you mean by " parallel to the bottom of the board." ? Do you mean lying right over? Bonzer is more like 4 + 1.

The bonzer set up is along these lines in that its 2 x 2 side fins are at quite a rakish angle. This combined wit the low, rounded shape of the fins is a quite a distinctive appearance/design. Looks a bit like the fins on a wobbegong shark....the opposite of the upright, greenough inspired fins that we mostly use.
Will be taking it to crescent this weekend to try and get a few miles of turns in - let you know how it goes after that.

Post by **Morty** » Wed May 11, 2005 9:51 am

Yeah, the side fins were almost flat with the bottom of the board.

I know what the Bonzer business is now, thanks for explaining!

Post by **WANDERER** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:40 am

G'day TKK, I'm converting an old windsurfer into a surfboard and i wanna go with a bonza system, are you able to help me with correct fin angles and measurements, just some basic info will do and i should be then able to appropriate the info to suit my board. The board is about 6'8 (used to be 7'5 but the last bit of the tail was reverse rockered, Ok as a keel for windsurfing but no good for surfing, I've chopped a swallow tail into it), it is farely wide in the tail, i reckon some bonza fins plus a larger center fin would work nicely with the single to double concave bottom shape that the board has.

Thanks in advance.

Post by **Morty** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:48 am

Faarg Wanderer, sounds like it would be horriffic to turn the bugga! Concaves, 5 fins, swallow tail.....nasty!

Post by **WANDERER** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:54 am

nah mort it'll be ok, plus i don't want the 5 fin system, just the small side keels + a center fin, see photo>>>

Post by **Morty** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:04 pm

Oh yeah, sweet! There's a section in the DVD Sprout......or Seedling (can't remember which) about these, and other alternative boards. Cool looking things, esp. the clear fins!

Post by **the kalakau kid** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:25 pm

Wanderer,

Apols for the delay - been off air a bit lately. My take on how to approach a bonzer goes like this:

1) Get the Campbell Bros to do it for you. Hope i don't sound cheeky but this really is the best way - of course you've got to get to at least Hawaii first......

2) Use the REDEX fin system. Their bonzer is licensed from the CB's I believe and its pretty straight forward. You can add them after the filler coat is done as its drilled right through the board. Its not really pretty but it works, the fins are reasonable quality and its convenient. Its also pretty true to the CB's ideas I guess. You might need the help of a glassing factory or pro- ding repairer to do this though.

3) Add perspex side fins to an existing single fin. Perhaps this would work for you. Do you need more info? I have a great article from the Surfers Journal on the CBs that I could copy for you and post or fax if you like. let me know. Just be aware that I think the CB's have long since moved on from three -fin bonzer to the five finner. The fins are lower profile and rounder now. More like a part jackson shark.

Is this any use?

tkk

Post by **platty** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 4:28 pm

Here are some photos of TKK's Bonza. platty.

Post by **WANDERER** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:47 am

ummm... okie dokie then... too hard basket... singlefin it is...

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