Went to the local tip shop today and there was one of these there. What was the theory behind the twin mast tracks?

Hi Easty,

As I recall, the base plate bolted in place using two (or even four?) bolts. More secure and less chance of ripping out the mast track(s).

Ahh, that makes sense. I couldn't work out why you'd want the mast base to windward or leeward of centre, or if you did then what happened when you gybed.

Was only a young un at the time, but sailed my mates salmon pink version a bit....oh Mark Paul those colours were so....eighties
We always thought it was for waveriding...offset to the leeward side for more rail drive...hahaha

This was Bombora's little wave board right? The size down from the tri fin? I wonder if their are any of these still around, even some of Mark Paul's ald protos? Any one got one under the house they no longer want?

cheers

Very strange easty,i to found one of Mark Pauls early wave protos the other day,did a search and found out some very intresting history,cauld not find any photos of his boards though.In the early days i think all his boards were some sort of proto.

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Tim Williams said...

This was Bombora's little wave board right? The size down from the tri fin?...

The next one down from the Tri Fin was the Antarctica (a semi-sinker), then came the New Toy - a full sinker. I have no idea what the volumes were that would qualify a sinker/semi/floater...

They were no Storm8 though

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shear tip said...

Tim Williams said...

This was Bombora's little wave board right? The size down from the tri fin?...

The next one down from the Tri Fin was the Antarctica (a semi-sinker), then came the New Toy - a full sinker. I have no idea what the volumes were that would qualify a sinker/semi/floater...

Actually remember when the New Toy came out - I bought one from Tradewinds at Brookvale Mall in 1982 I think. It was a dog!

The Antartica came a few years later and was a better shape?

Surprised they didn't bring out a triple mast track - with 9 bolts....the rope uni was a classic.

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Hausey said...
The Antartica came a few years later and was a better shape?

Surprised they didn't bring out a triple mast track - with 9 bolts....the rope uni was a classic.

The New Toy had a crazy shape: Drop wing flyers, swallow tail, thrusters and I think it had double concaves aswell (could be wrong on that one)

The antartica was a much cleaner shape, more slalom outline and I think only a slight vee at the tail.

The rope uni was horrendous! I had to replace the rope monthly. At least I learned how to tie a bowline and a figure eight knot.

I still have my Pink tri-fin Bombora Antarctica under the house. It has the football fin, pink/blue footstraps and yes the colours are so 80's. I think I still have a wetsuit that would match (much to my wifes disgust!) I was actually thinking of getting it out and taking it for a run before I went out and bought a more modern FSW. Can anyone tell me what volume the Antarctica it is? It looks to be around 100 litres but I would like to know for sure.

I used to lust after the New Toy, and spent weeks trying to convince my parents why I should have one. The colours, the footstraps, the groovy mylar sail, and last but definitely not least-the kanga cock fin! Never did succeed in my quest (my life's been empty ever since...) and never even got to sail one. I did howeverf get plenty of water time in on my mates' Storm 8s, and really rated those. Much better than the ridiculously small, spin out prone custom sinker I ended up with at the time...

Cheers, Jens

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Jens said...

I used to lust after the New Toy, and spent weeks trying to convince my parents why I should have one. The colours, the footstraps, the groovy mylar sail, and last but definitely not least-the kanga cock fin! Never did succeed in my quest (my life's been empty ever since...) and never even got to sail one. I did howeverf get plenty of water time in on my mates' Storm 8s, and really rated those. Much better than the ridiculously small, spin out prone custom sinker I ended up with at the time...

Cheers, Jens

Jens,
I'll sell you my 1985 Bombora South PAcific for $1,000. Pick-up (by forklift) only

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sausage said...
Jens,
I'll sell you my 1985 Bombora South PAcific for $1,000. Pick-up (by forklift) only

You can have mine for $900 delivered. Pastel yellow with pink inserts.

Mmmmm that just made me hungry.

The pastel colours they used were the exact same shades as those fizzy lifesavers lollies..............

said goodbye to my "fizzy yellow" antartica a couple of years ago.

was a sad day.

Yeah thats it.........Fruit Tingle Colours!

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shear tip said...

sausage said...
Jens,
I'll sell you my 1985 Bombora South PAcific for $1,000. Pick-up (by forklift) only

You can have mine for $900 delivered. Pastel yellow with pink inserts.

Mine's pink with brass footstrap inserts - must be the pro edition. Hence the difference in price. Also has some custom Bombora stickers I made out of "contact" on the bottom. Must get a photo then you'll buy it for sure.

Still even got the rope universal with the slot in pin mast base key that had an expanding rubber grommet on the end when tightened.

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grumplestiltskin said...

said goodbye to my "fizzy yellow" antartica a couple of years ago.

was a sad day.

Grumps,
Is that a photo of a road side Council rubbish pick-up?

Also, only took starboard 23 years to copy the wingers - the Antarctica looks like it could make a good speed board.

BTW - I was informed recently that Mark Paul (Bombora / Mambo designer) is one of Australia's leading green wall specialists. I think his business is called Exparrot (or something like that).

I'm thinking of going and rescuing that New Toy from the tip shop - but what could I do with it? Any ideas for garden furniture?

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sausage said...



Grumps,
Is that a photo of a road side Council rubbish pick-up?

Also, only took starboard 23 years to copy the wingers - the Antarctica looks like it could make a good speed board.

BTW - I was informed recently that Mark Paul (Bombora / Mambo designer) is one of Australia's leading green wall specialists. I think his business is called Exparrot (or something like that).

Yep, a roadside pickup.
not sure why, but I pulled all the mast tracks, fin boxes and foot plugs out of it first.
(might come in handy one day )

couldn't believe it, it actually disappeared off the driveway before the pickup, so some sucker took an "optionless" antartica home

I had three Bombora New Toy's and they were awesome. Kept delaminating them or stuffing them in some way, but they were great; first one Pink, then Blue and then White, I think. These NewToys were absolutely awesome boards. I also had a few Bombora Tri Fin's and they were pretty good apart from spinning out a lot. The Antartica Wave's came a bit later and I thought they were terrible.

Dec 1986:
New Toy: 85 L, 10.3 kg (hard rails, winger/swallowtail with spiral V)
Tri Fin: 116L, 12.6 kg (soft/hard in tail, wide pin, double concave)
Antartica Wave: 96L, 11.9 kg (fine rails, pin tail, spiral V)

New Toy: Without a doubt the world's most radical production sinker!! Hard to beat for a wild wind/big wave performance the winger/swallow tail delivers clean water release and hard bite in turns. Backed by a two year warranty, an Austrlaina design Award winner.

Advert from 1984:

I was lucky enough to have the full Bombora kit - just like in the advert and it was the hottest thing since sliced bread at the time!!! Even had the mast-top streamer :-)

I never regretted getting it. It was a huge step forward at the time, only rivaled by the Storm 8 (which I though was a bendy load of crap).

All these young guys have no idea what it was like to have something that radical available, after putting up with the original Windsurfer board and triangular sail for so long.....

I wish I had kept my old sail, - just to hang up the shed!