Can ANYONE point to whether this is an original Weber or a 90s throwback? Don’t need speculation but definitive information if it’s out there.
photos
I’m not connected with Weber except for having sold them back in the day. And yes, contacting Weber would be a good move. Dunno how sketchy their records are from that period. Dunno how true they are either.
Having said that, my speculation- sorry about that. It’s an original looking board, the boat resin repair on the nose adds to that. It’s in suspiciously good shape, though, .looks like somebody laid on a coat of Dutch Boy white latex which would explain the non-yellowed foam. Looks like somebody ‘repaired’ or reinforced the fin attachment, again with brown boat resin. The visible weave of the cloth (10 oz.) and the pale green ‘volan’ look of it tends to reinforce that.
If it was bought in the 1960s and if it was stashd in a loft or basement somewhere before somebody dug it out, cared for it reasonably well, put a large and kinda cobby leash loop on the deck rather than drilling in a plug ( a repro wouldn’t be likely to have a glassed in fin but very likely to have a leash plug) …it happens. Maybe it was used very rarely on a pond. Guys bought boards, got out of surfing, moved inland, went in the Army, whatever, and 30-40-50 years on somebody comes across it… It happens. I’ve seen such boards, more than you would expect. The history of this board,so far as you know it, would be useful.
hope that’s of use
doc…
Call Weber at the San Clemente shop. He’ll probably answer the phone himself (his son)and has good knowledge of boards that were made past and present. I get the brothers mixed up, but I think it is Shea that has carried the business on. Now with a second shop in San Luis Obispo where he attended college at Cal. Poly. His mother Carol knew the business and kept the name alive until they could take over. They had and have a system of numbers to ID boards. I could speculate on the woodwork and the low number, but you asked that we not do that. Lowel
Thanks!!
If you have useful speculation I’ll take it. Thanks!
I’ve called the Dewey shop and am waiting to hear back.
Good call. They’ll be able to help you. The # will tell the tale. I would say that the nose and tail blocks would make one think it is a 90’s or early 2000’s. Originally Weber didn’t do that much woodwork in the 60’s. Both blocks are pretty precise, so probably cut with modern tools,chop saw etc. obviously the leash attachment was added later. The foam looks to be Clark. Walker was out of biz around that time they had to go to Clark. Dewey’s wife was keeping it going while the boys were getting their education. They used a few different shapers. Shrosbe(sp) being one. The outline doesn’t look like it came off the machine, which they use these days to accurately copy Dewey’s designs. Every model he ever did can be accurately duplicated as they have all been scanned and are on file. Carol had established record keeping and a number system by that time. Used to see their boards in Central Coast Suf Shop (San Luis Obispo). I knew both owners fairly well. So I guess Dewey put his boys thru college. Wouldn’t be surprised if those boards were being glassed at Ron House’s “Surf Glass” factory. Along withStewart and Hobie. Later on Steve Albin at Aloha Glass was doing them. All pure speculation of course. Just based on your pics and my opinions. Lowel
There are three 60’s Webers for sale on EBay currently. All three have tail blocks that are consistent with the one on your board. Same design. Can you show me a close up of the fin base? The 60’s were sunk. The 90’s were glassed on.
Please let us know what you find out. Lowel
Everything about this board says original 1960s build. The t band, the fin, the nose and tailblocks, and most all the shape. If it was a more modern build many parts would be very different. For one thing, it would probably have an FU finbox. The low number does not mean much. Weber was not known for keeping accurate records based on serial numbers.
The overall look of the board indicates it is what was known as a pre Perfomer. Before the actual Perfomer model came along a number of boards were made with similar characteristics, most notably the hatchet fin. I suspect this may have been a custom order due to the noseblocks. You rarely saw a stock board with that much wood. I would estimate the year of origin squarely at 1965. That was when the pre Perfomers were made. I am pretty certain that fin did not exist in 1964.
Can you tell what the white stuff is on the deck? Looks like someone painted the board at some point. Could even be old Slipcheck, but that is less likely.
One more point, and it is a critical one. The most obvious indicator that this is a 60s Weber is the fin. The early hatchet fins had a very different outline from the more modern ones.
Compare this current version with the one on your board. The differences are quite apparent.
Can’t wait to hear what Weber has to say.
I was informed by PM that my info on the Weber family and shop is dated and things have changed. Might be tough getting any first hand info these days. Lowel
So, no followup on this board?
Wondering if the OP contacted the Weber shop and if they shed any light on it.
