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[Uncle Grumpy]

Some of you may have seen this board before.
It's a slot nosed belly board shaped by Bob Simmons; the only one of it's kind known to exist.
It has been refinished a couple times but it is the "real deal". The board is balsa with paint over glass.
The board is owned by John Mazza of Malibu and is currently on display at "The Simmons Effect", a retrospective of Simmon's work showing at the Surfing Heritage Foundation here in San Clemente.
http://www.surfingheritage.org/2010/05/very-mini-simmons.html
I met John at the opening and asked if I might take measurements off the board with the intent of replicating it.
He said no problem and today I finally got around to it.

The basic measurments are 40" X 16 1/8" X 1 3/4" with a single keel fin 3' high with a 10" base.
The board has a slight rocker top and bottom, a fairly significant roll on the hull forward of the slot that fades to a soft V in the tail.
Hard knife edge up rails forward of the slot, hard knife edge down rails aft of the slot.



I think I have enough dimensions and photos that I can successfully replicate this unique bit of surf history.
It won't get the Irish Spring paint job tho'.
Stay Tuned for more..........
_________________
Prone to ride.

[Nels]

Busiest time of the year for me, always works this way...but I'd love to check that exhibition out. Thanks for posting it and looking forward to whatever comes out of it.

[bgreen]

John Elwell, who Malcolm Gault-Wiliams described as a friend and
biographer of Bob Simmons advises that this board has not been
authenticated as a board made by Simmons.

John has written: "I do know that at least two were made from broken Simmons boards by some young friends of his but not by him, but by the two young surfers who were good friends from salvaged pieces. They said there really worked great. Simmons would not put slots in a belly board as slots as he told me were for eliminating resistance in a couple of his
experimental boards for paddling".


Bob

[Uncle Grumpy]

Interesting.
John Elwell was one of two people who planned the exhibit and I spoke at length with him at the opening. He made no mention of this.
Curious why they would include the board in the show......
I suspect the fella who owns the board would probably debate the point.
_________________
Prone to ride.

[bgreen]

Uncle G,

From John's email to me it didn't seem he was aware of this board.

It would be interesting to know who John M bought the board from and try to track owners, to establish a lineage. While I was away I went with my wife to an exhibition of early 20th century paintings. It is interesting what they find with these paintings, underneath the paint or even when they take the backing off.

Despite this, it may still be worthwhile to see what a similar board rides like. I am hoping to include an interview with John in the not too distant future.


regards

Bob