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the catalogue #39

1978 Byrne Twin fin II 5 ft 10" Shaped by Laurie Byrne

#39

MANUFACTURE
MANUFACTURER: Bryne Surfboards, Princess Highway Fairy Meadow, NSW
SHAPER: Laurie Byrne
DESIGN: Mark Richards' Twin fin 2
DESIGNER: Mark Richards

SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION: Foam blank, 1/16" redwood stringer, spray, centre plug
DIMENSIONS

*Length:*	6	feet	0	inches	*L2 :* 5ft	11 1/2''
*Width:*	21	inches		*Wide Point:*	+ve 2	inches
*Nose :*	15	inches		*Tail:*	15 1/2	inches
*Thickness:*	3	inches		*Pod:*	5 1/2"	inches
*Nose/L:*		inches		*Tail/L:*		inches
*Weight:*		kilograms		*Volume:*		litres
*Swallow:*	1 3/4	inches	deep	*Flyer:*	8 1/2	inches

FEATURES
Nose: Pin
Tail: swallow tail, flyer
Deck: flat
Bottom: very slight Vee in nose, gradually becoming deepest behind fins.
Rails: Tucked edge
Rocker:

FINS
6" x 5 1/2" base x 7 1/2'' span @ 9 1/2''
Brewer, inside flat/outside foiled,
toed and tipped/cambered
Natural laminate.

DECOR
DECALS
Deck
Nose -'Byrne Surfboard Designs Wollongong 83 2656'
script and arrow head, blue/red/black.
Image right.
Bottom
Nose -'Byrne' script and arrow head, blue/red/black.
Image right.
MARKINGS
Deck:
Tail : LB 5418 / 6'0'' x 21'', pencil over and under stringer.
Image below.
Bottom:
COLOUR
Deck
Red/Blue sprayed wing, nose to centre, with black pinline.
Bottom: clear

NOTES
BOARD HISTORY
Purchased Cash Convertors, Miranda Fair, NSW. May 1996.
Repairs to swallow/flyer tips and leg rope damage.
SHAPER HISTORY
Laurie Byrne strated professional shaping at Jackson Surfboards, Carringbah.
circa 1973 worked with the Byrne Brothers (no relation) at Skipp Surfboards, Wollongong, NSW.
circa 1977 Subsequently joined the shapers stable at Byrne Surfboards, Fairy Meadow, NSW.
DESIGN HISTORY
Mark Richards was familiar with the Twin Fin I, see #71 and #106 , (circa 1970 by Mike Eaton / Rolf Arness / Corky Carroll / David Nuuihwa -all USA) and imported to Australia by Tom Hoye (USA) where design had a strong following in Sydney, particularly at Narrabeen) by McCoy Surfboards.
Miradon La Jolla
and Bob Simons.
Although the design quickly disappeared as a...
in Australia, a small following continued in the USA (Steve Lis ) with the development of the Fish.
This was to influence Reno Abellira, (Hawaii) who rode a 5 ft 3" x 20" model in the 1976 Coke contest, Sydney.
Inspired, Mark Richards built his own version and subsequently refined it at a month long shaping seminar with Dick Brewer in Hawaii 1976-1977.
The design was tested in Hawaii the following winter and contest success in the Bells 1978 and Stubbies 1979 contests and the 1979 World tiltle proved its high performance capabilities, particularly in small waves. Available from all Australian manufacturers, it was the dominant small wave board design 1978 – 1981.
The design also had a strong following on the south shore of Ohau, notably Larry Bertlemann and 'Buttons', and was to be extensively used in the USA - Mark Richards models were made under licence by Gordon and Smith Surfboards.These apparently were available with fin boxes, a uncommon feature in Australian boards .
The design was also shaped by Mark Platter, Ken Freeland and Tony Cerff at Maddog Surfboards.
Mark Richards Surfboards (single fin designs) were first manufactured by Morning Star Surfboards, Mona Vale.
The fin to flyer channels rarely appear on later/copied examples.
The ribbon decals were early designs, gradually replaced by a MR/Lightning Bolt, a MR script and a MR/Lizard graphic.
Apparently the famous MR/Superman logo only appeared on Mark Richards' personal boards during this early period.
COMMENTS
Legrope damage indicates possible pre rail saver use, tip damage to the tail is emdemic to this design.
REFERENCES
Other Boards
#165
Book
Knox: Mark Richards pages 61 to...
Film
Free Ride1977 Bill Delany , Water footage by Dan Merkel.
Surfers : Shaun Tomson, Mark Richards and Rabbit Batholomew
*The definite film of this period, note that most of Mark Richards' surfing is not on a Twin fin II .
CONDITION: 8

Other Twin Fins II (old Scale)

	Mark Richards' first Twin fin II, based on Reno Abelira's Fish, Coke Contest 1976 Photograph: Andrew Canning
	#119 Hawaiian 1979 Hawaiian Pro Designs, Twin fin II. 6 ft 1" Larry Bertelmann Model
	#55 Pipedreams Flyer Roundtail Twin Fin II 1979 6 ft 2''

#43p MR's Apia/Brewer Stingers, circa 1976

Photograph by Peter Boskovic
Printed in The Australian Surfers Journal Vol 1 # 3 Winter 1998 page 44
Note : Original Apia Surfboards 'Flame' Stinger, Twin fins with various decals.
All boards much photographed.