1960s 7’3” Con Surfboard foam dry out

Started this project for a friend a couple months ago and will be picking it up again in April/May when temps get warmer.  This was his dads old surfboard left in the woods for years, then in a shed for last 4-5.  Has sentimental value even though it will be completely different other than original foam when done.  Believe it is a 7’3.  Found some images of similar boards in better shape online, with slight differences in the butterfly locations and sizes.

It weighed 26 pounds when I first got it from him.  Might have been more before being moved into a shed for 4 years.  After removing old glass from board except for rails, removing loose guidance system fin box, and letting air dry for a month, weight last check was about 15 pounds.  I’d love to see it get to 14 or less before reglassing next year. 

I plan to fill in some holes/low spots in foam with some total boat foam mix in the spring.  Im curious if I should dig out some of the discolored foam areas or just let it be after a winter of drying (maybe some warm sunny days outside in April/May too).  Same for the old fin box void.  I assume I should just fill it entirely with new foam then cut out new space for modern fin box?  

if you look closely you can see where vegetation was growing out of stringer at the tail like a mini tree.  There was a delamination on the deck the size of your torso.  Foam was in best shape underneath that area in terms of no water damage.  Elsewhere the board had been soaking in it.  

any random thoughts/oberservations welcome.  Letting it dry further for the winter before continuing work on it in warmer months.  Plan to seal with two 4 oz fiberglass layers after repairing/leveling foam, hot coat, and then paint with 1 part polyurethane wet edge paint.

 

 

 

 

 



Cool board.  Shape, outline and butterfly.  Good luck with it.  If you are careful, you can make it look near new.  Lowel

Looks like the “Iron Butterfly” model.  Made in the late '60’s, maybe 1968.  Try to save the butterfly if at all possible

A couple of my friends did own the Con label in the early 90s. If you can measure the butterflys by height and width I may still have some butterfly laminates. May not be the exact colors on your board. No charge. Just PM me. Also that is the original box and fin, put it back in if possible. Take measurements of where everything is laid out, laminates, pinlines, etc.

To realistically rebuild the board I had to rip through both areas where the butterfly’s were, but I did cut around them to save them on the fiberglass for my friend.  The one on the bottom left behind part of it’s print on the foam as seen.


I kept both butterflies but didn’t measure their exact locations from top/bottom.  I have a lot of pictures with measuring tape that might help pin point locations of laminates, and actually one of the butterfly imprints was left behind (see photo above).  That would be great to get new ones for my friend.  I’ll pm you to get contact info.

 

you think it’s worth putting fin box back in instead of a modern one? The fin itself was warped and the box in rough shape with the plugs all messed up (pieces that cover slots wear fin isn’t located).  Sounds like you think it’s worth extra timeand effort to try and keep as original as possible? My initial plan was to just make him a new board with the old foam as I’m no expert.  Like idea of adding new butterfly laminates and pinlines.

All pictures I have are 1-2 months old.  I already ripped off the fiberglass except rails to let it dry out over winter.

 

Give me the width of the wing tips and the height of the butterfly from the little black tips at the bottom to the top of the wings. Run a piece of tape across the bottom and across the top of the wing span and give me the height. The butterflies look like they aer different sizes.Thanks.

Thinking back now I may have the name of the model wrong.  Now I’m thinking it may have been called “Crystalist”, "Iron Butterfly"or “Metamorphorsist”.  It’s one of those three.

Thinking back now I may have the name of the model wrong.  Now I’m thinking it may have been called “Crystalist”, "Iron Butterfly"or “Metamorphorsist”.  It’s one of those three.

Okay, I have to look around to see if I can find the smaller butterfly that goes onto the deck. I have the larger size that appears on the bottom as you can see.Your board is a Con Butterfly model and as it reads on the deck Blue Morphos. I would try to keep it as true to the original, fin box and all but that’s just my opinion.



Wow!!  Those lams are beautiful Mickey.