I`m wonderng when exactly the first Lis Fish was made? Was it the first board design of that type? What were the main things which separated it from older swallow tails and twin fins? Thanks! Great site!
The first Lis fish was a knee board that ended up getting stood on. I think around '69. Tabeling brought one back to FL from the Cliffs in about 1970 and the surfing he was doing at the time was pretty incredible. Lis was inspired by a surfboard design called the Superboard made by Surfboards LaJolla (the Mirandon Bros.), who in turn was inspired by designs by always cutting edge Bob Simmons back in the 50's, who got his inspiration from a US navy project circa WW2.
And while were at it, By 1972 the fish design had found quite broad approval and that years World Championship in San Diego found the fish topping the mens division, capturing first (Jim Blears) and second (David Nuuhiva) in the finals. By the 1974 US championships, Clyde Beatty had designed a pointed nose version called the Rocket fish. The rocket fish then found its way to Hawaii where Reno Abilera was shaping some which he then brought to Japan for an early pro event. In Japan, Mark Richards got a peek at Reno's board and the following winter, 1976, MR was seen flying across the smooth faces of the North Shores, Off the Wall, directly in front of Dan Merkles 600mm century lens. This sparked the twin fin craze of the late 70's and early 80's. In 1981, Simon Anderson added a third fin and the rest is history.
Dear Mr. Loehr, the truth is! The (rocketfish) was designed by Steve Brom, in 76' for David Nuuhiwa in the first stall next to the alley in the new factory off of Dyer Rd. in Santa Ana. The first rocketfish was originally sold in the Dyno showroom, on main street, in Huntington, Beach, and was called a gunfish and sometimes refered to as a winterfish. It was sold "exclusively" at Dyno Surfboards, until one morning it showed up in the showroom window of the famous surfer of the month's store, directly across the street from the Dyno Showroom on Main St.. Mr. Nuuhiwa was soon, no longer under contract at Dyno Surfboards. Clyde Beatty Jr. was introduced to the design which we all know and love, shortly thereafter. Since the owner of Dyno was fazing out of the surfboard business, and his sons had lost their facination with all of the stars of surfing and found real jobs about then, my rocketfish design grew new teeth under the tigerhead. Thanks to Clyde's investment of time and money over all of these years, the rocketfish has morfed into what it is today, like it or not. And yes, he is still ordering your epoxy almost exclucively for all of the rocketfish that he is still manufacturing. And no, I am not shaping the latest morfed version of the original rocketfish. It sure is a kick, though, to read all about the history of surfing. Keep up the good work SB
Yes,the fish you all seem to want now, is pretty much the kneeboard fish from 1975 or so.Say what you want ,but there it is.Check out the Pavel fish that rasta is riding now-five ft 6inch ,concave deck and bottom ,polystyrene foam glassed with carbon fiber.
...........I can testify to Mr.Magicman's statement of history,but I believe it was the winter or 74/75 December ,if I'm not mistaken. ...........The Gun/Winter fish was 5'-11" ,maybe 6', red top and bottom opague with large yellow eagles.A yellow pinline around the cut lap on the bottom to finish it off............oh yeah,wood and glass fins..........the glass part of the fins was red too! Sounds about right SB? ................I have the window counterpart from across the street,a 6'-4" red rails and bottom with a clear deck,wood and glass fins.Finished with a powder blue pin on the deck side around the lap cut........oh yeah the labels are handdrawn on either paper or directly on the sand finish(pre-tiger label).I would have to check the sig. but I believe Richardson shaped it.I can pull it out of the bag to check for #s and signatures,they're on there.I got it 2 Christmas' ago as a thankyou present from a good friend.The board is in great shape and requires little resto work..........best part is there's no holes drilled in the fins for a zort cord,no deck plugs or stick its either.Who ever owned it , rode leashless 100% of the time. ...........as for the original gunfish ,The last time I saw it was at John Burns house in Long Beach, about two or three years later from it's premier at the Dyno shop.It was beat and delammed.Even the wood was separating from the fins due to neglect,typical Johnny Burns.Herb
The fish is way more popular now, than it was in it's early 70's design .Except for the lis kneeriders.Very few fish were ridden stand up in the early 70's. The fad then, was be like Gerry-overly gunned in Calif surf.The fat stubby fish was not cool for the masses then.The belief then was long narrow boards for anything and kneeboards were barely tolerated.Then MR came along and all jumped on that wagon.Then Simon came along etc......
.........Actually it was T&C's Larry Bertleman twinfin design that got the whole ball of wax started up again,not MR ,HE JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON A YEAR OR SO LATER.I pattern alot of my own hybrid fish after LB's twin outline and foil.Herb
Howzit Tom, Next time I see Steve I'll ask him when he shaped the first one. Aloha, Kokua
The first Lis fish was a knee board that ended up getting stood on. I think around '69. Tabeling brought one back to FL from the Cliffs in about 1970 and the surfing he was doing at the time was pretty incredible. Lis was inspired by a surfboard design called the Superboard made by Surfboards LaJolla (the Mirandon Bros.), who in turn was inspired by designs by always cutting edge Bob Simmons back in the 50's, who got his inspiration from a US navy project circa WW2.
And while were at it, By 1972 the fish design had found quite broad approval and that years World Championship in San Diego found the fish topping the mens division, capturing first (Jim Blears) and second (David Nuuhiva) in the finals. By the 1974 US championships, Clyde Beatty had designed a pointed nose version called the Rocket fish. The rocket fish then found its way to Hawaii where Reno Abilera was shaping some which he then brought to Japan for an early pro event. In Japan, Mark Richards got a peek at Reno's board and the following winter, 1976, MR was seen flying across the smooth faces of the North Shores, Off the Wall, directly in front of Dan Merkles 600mm century lens. This sparked the twin fin craze of the late 70's and early 80's. In 1981, Simon Anderson added a third fin and the rest is history.
Dear Mr. Loehr, the truth is! The (rocketfish) was designed by Steve Brom, in 76' for David Nuuhiwa in the first stall next to the alley in the new factory off of Dyer Rd. in Santa Ana. The first rocketfish was originally sold in the Dyno showroom, on main street, in Huntington, Beach, and was called a gunfish and sometimes refered to as a winterfish. It was sold "exclusively" at Dyno Surfboards, until one morning it showed up in the showroom window of the famous surfer of the month's store, directly across the street from the Dyno Showroom on Main St.. Mr. Nuuhiwa was soon, no longer under contract at Dyno Surfboards. Clyde Beatty Jr. was introduced to the design which we all know and love, shortly thereafter. Since the owner of Dyno was fazing out of the surfboard business, and his sons had lost their facination with all of the stars of surfing and found real jobs about then, my rocketfish design grew new teeth under the tigerhead. Thanks to Clyde's investment of time and money over all of these years, the rocketfish has morfed into what it is today, like it or not. And yes, he is still ordering your epoxy almost exclucively for all of the rocketfish that he is still manufacturing. And no, I am not shaping the latest morfed version of the original rocketfish. It sure is a kick, though, to read all about the history of surfing. Keep up the good work SB
Yes,the fish you all seem to want now, is pretty much the kneeboard fish from 1975 or so.Say what you want ,but there it is.Check out the Pavel fish that rasta is riding now-five ft 6inch ,concave deck and bottom ,polystyrene foam glassed with carbon fiber.
...........I can testify to Mr.Magicman's statement of history,but I believe it was the winter or 74/75 December ,if I'm not mistaken. ...........The Gun/Winter fish was 5'-11" ,maybe 6', red top and bottom opague with large yellow eagles.A yellow pinline around the cut lap on the bottom to finish it off............oh yeah,wood and glass fins..........the glass part of the fins was red too! Sounds about right SB? ................I have the window counterpart from across the street,a 6'-4" red rails and bottom with a clear deck,wood and glass fins.Finished with a powder blue pin on the deck side around the lap cut........oh yeah the labels are handdrawn on either paper or directly on the sand finish(pre-tiger label).I would have to check the sig. but I believe Richardson shaped it.I can pull it out of the bag to check for #s and signatures,they're on there.I got it 2 Christmas' ago as a thankyou present from a good friend.The board is in great shape and requires little resto work..........best part is there's no holes drilled in the fins for a zort cord,no deck plugs or stick its either.Who ever owned it , rode leashless 100% of the time. ...........as for the original gunfish ,The last time I saw it was at John Burns house in Long Beach, about two or three years later from it's premier at the Dyno shop.It was beat and delammed.Even the wood was separating from the fins due to neglect,typical Johnny Burns.Herb
The fish is way more popular now, than it was in it's early 70's design .Except for the lis kneeriders.Very few fish were ridden stand up in the early 70's. The fad then, was be like Gerry-overly gunned in Calif surf.The fat stubby fish was not cool for the masses then.The belief then was long narrow boards for anything and kneeboards were barely tolerated.Then MR came along and all jumped on that wagon.Then Simon came along etc......
.........Actually it was T&C's Larry Bertleman twinfin design that got the whole ball of wax started up again,not MR ,HE JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON A YEAR OR SO LATER.I pattern alot of my own hybrid fish after LB's twin outline and foil.Herb
Larry Berteleman designed?? or Aipa??
DENNIS PANG DESIGN/LARRY BERTLEMAN MODEL, TOWN AND COUNTRY SURFBOARDS 1976-77.Herb
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