Thought this might be an interesting thread...

Try and go back into the Vault, if it still works... That old shorter/thinner something that maybe your too... "mature" to surf now


For me, my magic boards have been:

$70 beta up old 6ft Fish (died about 15 years ago)
I found at a garage sale, really flat with glass on fins that were a hybrid sorta upright, sorta keel... Surfed that thing into the ground.... Makes me happy just reminiscing (hence the thread)

10' Steve Del Rosso Hot Log (still own)
Magic log, so smooth walking the board and noserides like a beast. I'd love one in a 9'6" but I know SDR has stopped shaping these, no idea why.... When I eventually get to shaping myself a log it will be taking the rail/rocker/outline/hull from this board and just reducing tom 9'6" and maybe changing the tail to a pin.

7'7" Ryan Lovelace Thicklizzy (still own)
I've said enough on these, love love LOOOOOOVE ;)

Mike Stewart Mach 7-7 Boogie Board (still own)
Purchased with my own hard earned savings as a grom, that board made me so happy as a kid from a poor family that finally had something cool, took me a year to save for that board and I still drag her out a few times a year and my kids still use it. She's 30 years old this year.

Hopefully my next board on this list will be the board i'm about to shape... but I doubt it ;)

@Mac Challenge, can you come up with one that isn't a Mctavish... Just one...

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AndyrooMac said..
@Mac Challenge, can you come up with one that isn't a Mctavish... Just one...

Challenge accepted Way back in time about 40 years ago there was a small shop in Tugun called Surf More. I purchased a board 5.11 from memory it was the best shortboard I've ever owned, had it for years until it got destroyed on the rocks at d-bah. I never got another board that went that well. I met these super cool bunch of guys ones name was Lacey these guys drove me up the dirt track hill to order from Nick my first custom board from Mt Woodgee the rest is history

The Mt woodgee

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Macaha said..

AndyrooMac said..
@Mac Challenge, can you come up with one that isn't a Mctavish... Just one...

Challenge accepted Way back in time about 40 years ago there was a small shop in Tugun called Surf More. I purchased a board 5.11 from memory it was the best shortboard I've ever owned, had it for years until it got destroyed on the rocks at d-bah. I never got another board that went that well. I met these super cool bunch of guys ones name was Lacey these guys drove me up the dirt track hill to order from Nick my first custom board from Mt Woodgee the rest is history

The Mt woodgee

Awesome story Mac, thanks for sharing...

So what is you magic board for your current style?

Cheers

Ok right now I am totally in love with my 10 footer fireball it's absolute joy to ride something about it.

I started on an 80's thruster and recently decided to try and relive my youth. I remembered them to be quite user friendly and I was right. Paddles great, gets me in early and goes on rail beautifully with the vee bottom. Chunky rails are very forgiving too.

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Macaha said..

AndyrooMac said..
@Mac Challenge, can you come up with one that isn't a Mctavish... Just one...

Challenge accepted Way back in time about 40 years ago there was a small shop in Tugun called Surf More. I purchased a board 5.11 from memory it was the best shortboard I've ever owned, had it for years until it got destroyed on the rocks at d-bah. I never got another board that went that well. I met these super cool bunch of guys ones name was Lacey these guys drove me up the dirt track hill to order from Nick my first custom board from Mt Woodgee the rest is history

The Mt woodgee

It's about time Woodgee got a plug.
I had one in maybe '92.
Not my favorite down south, but great in north coast beachies.

Gash 8'0 x 21 x 3 - Double Stringer, 2+1, glassed extra heavy...absolute weapon goes good when its small and absolulty lights up when its gets bigger changed the way I surf waves over 10 foot...I would mention my number of surfs I've gone on this board without a wipeout but I'm scared of breaking my streak - Not to be sold ever

Outer Island 7'6 x 21 x 3 1/4 - Flex tail...low rocker quad...fisrt board in teh bag for Indpo every time...when you hit the flex its like putting you foot through teh floor of a sports car just endless acceleration - Not to be sold ever

Takayama Howard Special Minin 7'2 x 21 1/2 x 2 3/4 - Just a beautiful board to ride when its glass in anywhere in teh 2 to 6 foor range...makes you feel like your might have some style somewhere somehow - Not to be sold ever

Vader Knock off 5'10 x 19 x 3 - Made it and rode it in everything from 2 foor slop to 8 foot screamers changed my mind about where I could go and what I could do on a surfboard (also what they should look like) - Not to be sold ever

Fish 6'4 x 21 x 3 - Made it surfed it smashed it...made it for a specific wave and it did exactly what it was supposed to...went fast when everyone else stopped made entries thats shouldn't have been made...made me look better than I am - Should probably get it fixed

Dave Parmenter Widow Maker 7'6 x 21 x 3 - Always a toss up between this and the 8'0 when its big near home...magic stick in big critical conditions - Not to be sold ever

Parmenter wow! Lucky boy.
Gash sounds epic too.

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Tux said..
Gash 8'0 x 21 x 3 - Double Stringer, 2+1, glassed extra heavy...absolute weapon goes good when its small and absolulty lights up when its gets bigger changed the way I surf waves over 10 foot...I would mention my number of surfs I've gone on this board without a wipeout but I'm scared of breaking my streak - Not to be sold ever

Outer Island 7'6 x 21 x 3 1/4 - Flex tail...low rocker quad...fisrt board in teh bag for Indpo every time...when you hit the flex its like putting you foot through teh floor of a sports car just endless acceleration - Not to be sold ever

Takayama Howard Special Minin 7'2 x 21 1/2 x 2 3/4 - Just a beautiful board to ride when its glass in anywhere in teh 2 to 6 foor range...makes you feel like your might have some style somewhere somehow - Not to be sold ever

Vader Knock off 5'10 x 19 x 3 - Made it and rode it in everything from 2 foor slop to 8 foot screamers changed my mind about where I could go and what I could do on a surfboard (also what they should look like) - Not to be sold ever

Fish 6'4 x 21 x 3 - Made it surfed it smashed it...made it for a specific wave and it did exactly what it was supposed to...went fast when everyone else stopped made entries thats shouldn't have been made...made me look better than I am - Should probably get it fixed

Dave Parmenter Widow Maker 7'6 x 21 x 3 - Always a toss up between this and the 8'0 when its big near home...magic stick in big critical conditions - Not to be sold ever

That's quite the collection Tux and i've heard your boards are really well made... and the quality of those Outer island boards is amazing, My neighbor has one and they really are awesome boards. Sounds like a well rounded quiver.

I think have another Parmenter? I dont ride thrusters but I'm pretty keen to try a Stub Vector, A mate in QLD has one, 7'2" and its his magic board, just raves about it...

Yeah bro I have a 6'6 x 21 x 3 Stubb Vector...TBH I havn't ridden it enough to be sure how it goes

Does a magic board come from the shaper or is it the surfer that makes it magic?

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SP said..
Does a magic board come from the shaper or is it the surfer that makes it magic?

It's takes two

For me a magic board is a board that is really dependable not one that has flashes of magic in certain conditions.

I currently have two that I can surf confidently no matter the conditions:

a 7'2 Ryan Lovelace thick lizzy which I ride with small bonzer sides and a 6' s wings centre- this is a really good alrounder

an 8-oh vouch mid vish with s wings (twin fins)

No busting the fins out these days but beautiful lines and the odd carve

1990 6'1 x 18 3/4 x 2 1/4 Byrning Spears - Magic board I had for a few months. Snapped when Gary Elkerton paddled in front of me trying to snake & I pulled back so I didn't run him over & the wave curled over hitting the nose as I was pulling back. Was an epic session for its last hours out at South point. A few waves on it were shown on "Shut Up & Surf" broadcast by channel 10

1991 6'6 x 18 1/2 x 2 1/2 - board I bought off a Brazillian pro surfer while I was staying at the Margaret River Lodge. Can't remember his name, he was the brother of another pro surfer ranked higher. Board was very light, you could throw it around so easily. I snapped it on the third surf out at stormy double head Supertubes

1993 6'8 x 18 3/4 x 2 1/2 Rick Jacko Alloy Joy - A steel stingered highly rockered board I surfed till about 2006. Surfed it just about everywhere from Kalbarri to Bells Beach & survived 5 years of me living in Margs. I still have it in a grubby old sock. Board has so many great memories, I will never part with it & hope to have it restored some time.

2009 6'1 Firewire Hellfire - my first modern day short wide with less rocker after a bunch of 6'6 to 7'0 boards I didn't click with. Hellfire just put you anywhere you wanted to be & handled from waist to 2'5 x overhead. Sold it March 2010 when I had transitional problems back to it after spending a summer on my first 9'1 longboard. Big mistake I regret now.

2011 6'1 Hayden Shapes Psycheldelic Germ - Sick board alsmost as good as the Hellfire, similar riding but from about chest high.

2014 9'4 CW Whalbone - the bottom contours were an absolute work of art there was so much going on. Loved it, but snapped it landing in the flat after an overhead drop. I don't usually fix snapped boards but this one I did for $70 at Naruki Bali. Still went well out at Nusa Dua, the extra weight would have healed with the arvo crossshore. I sold the board to a local schoolteacher lady who is still enjoying it now.

2015 6'0 Rockwell Hypto Krypto rip - awesome board for small waves, been on many overseas trips, I still have it.

2016 9'1 Tufflight Tollhurst - strong, light with razer rails on the tail. Super responsive & so much fun on the small days or when I'm feeling lazy.

2017 6'6 Boyd Purdy - Awesome bigger wave board I bought to have something between my small wave boards & my 7'0 Delta big wave board. The kinda board I should of had when I went to the North Shore where I felt over & under gunned.

2021 5'10 Firewire Spitfire - Basically a shorter wider Hellfire. Wanted to try one for years knowing it would be awesome. Finally picked one up a few weeks ago & loving it.

This NPJ is definitely a magic board for me. Ridden it as a quad, single, single with small sides, Widowmaker and bonzer sides/centre. 1-6ft+ so far and it hasn't let me down.


6'3 x 20 x 2 9/16. Flattish rocker, beak nose, double bump flyers, 4 channel.
70's style outline is deceiving because this thing ain't just a cruiser.

Not that anyone else will give a fark...stoked my memory finally remembered Neco Padaratz, Flavio Padaratz bro...was a cool guy...sick board for $160, shame I was too much of a kook & detroyed it on the second surf

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Toobz said..
This NPJ is definitely a magic board for me. Ridden it as a quad, single, single with small sides, Widowmaker and bonzer sides/centre. 1-6ft+ so far and it hasn't let me down.


6'3 x 20 x 2 9/16. Flattish rocker, beak nose, double bump flyers, 4 channel.
70's style outline is deceiving because this thing ain't just a cruiser.

I had many magic boards from his father,probably before NPJ was born,obvious shaping DNA being past on there,great to seeNPJ doing it his way as well,I hope all is well with NP SENIOR

Yeah I also think it's pretty cool to see some crew that used to get their boards off NP senior now getting their boards shaped by NPJ.
www.instagram.com/p/CMgWJU6l-lC/?igshid=17poovenzqvqr

In the early 80's went to Bali with a 2nd board, bought from Mick Hopper who had made it for special days at Noosa.
Board was a classic 6'8" pin single fin. Mick and Paul's boards were special and I saved my dollars as an apprentice sparky, 2nd hand was a good deal.
surfed waves beyond me in surf I'd only imagined from magazines.
the board knew the track, I just needed to not hold it back.
it had and still has a woooo from the fin at speed.
my son has taken it now, surfing it in Sri Lanka
It's now his special board, to me that's as good as it gets....

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dowls said..
In the early 80's went to Bali with a 2nd board, bought from Mick Hopper who had made it for special days at Noosa.
Board was a classic 6'8" pin single fin. Mick and Paul's boards were special and I saved my dollars as an apprentice sparky, 2nd hand was a good deal.
surfed waves beyond me in surf I'd only imagined from magazines.
the board knew the track, I just needed to not hold it back.
it had and still has a woooo from the fin at speed.
my son has taken it now, surfing it in Sri Lanka
It's now his special board, to me that's as good as it gets....

Agree can't get better than that.

Loving my 5'4 Softec Something Special I bought on gumtree for $75. Works great in ankle to head & no worries over very shallow reef. Well for the board anyway

This is the one that got away from me...

Walden Magic Fish
6'0" x 21 7/8" x 2 7/8"
GSI board circa 2008

Why, oh why, did I ever sell it (facepalm).
It paddled onto anything and had great speed down the line. Low rocker, high volume and a front foot speed machine. So fun and a fantastic longer board alternative given the volume and my 68kgs at the time. Was not the easiest for me to turn compared to some of my other boards at the time, but I should have tried changing the fins first instead of selling... doh (more facepalming).

I contacted Walden directly about custom making one for me but they didn't have the exact shape on file to recreate one and they also lost interest when they learnt I was in Australia so I skipped it.
Live and learn.





Great to see some new activity on the forum again.

Had lots of Twin Fins back in the 80s but this was my favourite San Juan...

I have 2 favourites, my first twin fin made by KC Surfboards in Mona Vale about 1980 and my first thruster, a Wayne Dean shape, which I picked up new from a shop in Narrabeen in the early to mid 80's. I luckilly sold it to my brother when I wanted a new board rather than someone else. Fortunately he stored it and gave it back to me years later. I am so happy to still have it and its a very similar shape to my current short board I try to ride when I forget my age.
I want to hang it on the wall somewhere but the wife doesn't appreciate surf art even if its shaped by an Australian surfing legend.

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Al G said..
Had lots of Twin Fins back in the 80s but this was my favourite San Juan...

Nice one, Al G! I was thinking that was Simon Anderson, but he'd be on a thruster not a twinnie, hey. Throwing buckets!

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Greeney said..

Al G said..
Had lots of Twin Fins back in the 80s but this was my favourite San Juan...

Nice one, Al G! I was thinking that was Simon Anderson, but he'd be on a thruster not a twinnie, hey. Throwing buckets!

Haha,Used to be able to do that Greeney,those days are gone

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Al G said..
Had lots of Twin Fins back in the 80s but this was my favourite San Juan...

Throwing Buckets there Alg!!!just curious as to who shaped the board,as I was around Byron in that era

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justaddwater said..

Al G said..
Had lots of Twin Fins back in the 80s but this was my favourite San Juan...

Throwing Buckets there Alg!!!just curious as to who shaped the board,as I was around Byron in that era

Geez,can't remember the shaper now mate,it was a long time ago and I bought it second hand off a mate,good condition though

My magic boards are old but quite new..wtf

Been surfing my old 7'6 a heap (still would be my if I had to be a one board quiver stick)...but my most fun board has been the little bonzer . That board just keeps surprising me ...so much board love

As onefin mentioned my "magic" board is the one that is the most reliable in all conditions, a 6'0x20"x2 5/8" McTavish Sumo 2+1. It looks a bit like a toned down version of a Takayama Scorpion. Normally they > 6'8 but this is the only shorter one I have seen at 6'0 and haven't seen anything similar come up on GumTree since.