Newport Beach Locals Test A Few 70’s Surfboards With Neighborhood History | SURFER Magazine
Win a Pair of FacePlant Sunglasses this issue in our FREE subscriber prize draw.
When Bird Huffman, of “Bird’s Surf Shed,” was asked to choose some boards from his collection for the punchy beachbreaks of Newport Beach, he stuck with a motif of drive-y, flat and thick designs. Boards, that after a couple strokes, will have a surfer racing through a hollow pocket.
Young guns Tyler Gunter and Finn McGill experienced the highly effective planing elements of a 5’2″ kneeboard-esque twin fin. A chunky yet complex little board that seems to go 0-100 instantly with no way to bleed-off speed.
Despite never really catching on in California, Ben Aipa’s mid-70s “Sting” design surprised Newport local Bobby Okvist with how well it worked. Bird also shares Hawaiian Larry Bertleman’s preference to ride the design with the fin loose–freely sliding from front-to-back in the fin box.
Stylemaster Jared Mell trims a Robert August shaped single with fluted wings from the early 70s. The “Endless Summer” star’s endlessly classic step-up board comes complete with a heavy glass job, pin lines and no leash plug. No leash, no mercy! Especially on those big Newport Point days.
No Newport-centric quiver of classic boards would be complete without a Russell Surfboard. And Bird tosses one from the late 70s, shaped by streetwear mogul Shawn Stussy, into the bunch. Both rich in beauty and Newport Beach surfing heritage, the Russel Surfboard seems to go just fine in the pocket under Punker Pat Towersy’s feet.
House of Paipo “Shoe” 5’2″ X 22″ X 3.25″
Dyno “Sting” 6’5″ X 19.5″ X 2.75″
Robert August 7’2″ X 19.25″ X 3″
Russell shaped by Shawn Stussy 6’2″ X 19.5″ X 2.75″
Featuring Tyler Gunter, Bobby Okvist, Dylan Hord, JP Roberts (Russell Surfboards), Pat Towersey (Punker), Finn McGill and Jared Mell.
Filmed and edited by Blake Michel.
