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the catalogue #161

1970 Hansen Twin fin I 6 ft 1"

#161

MANUFACTURE
MANUFACTURER: Hansen Surfboards, Cronulla, Sydney NSW
SHAPER: Bob Hansen (identifed by John Blanch)
DESIGN: Twin fin I
DESIGNER: : Mike Eaton / Rolf Arness / Corky Carroll / David Nuuihwa, all USA

SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
Foam blank with 3/8 inch stringer, Volan glassed with laminated tint, post production leg rope plug in centre.
DIMENSIONS

*Length:*	6	feet	1	inches
*Width:*	18 1/4	inches		*Wide Point:*	+ve 5	inches
*Nose :*	14	inches		*Tail:*	13	inches
*Thickness:*	2 3/4	inches		*Pod:*	9 1/2?	inches
*Weight*		kilos		*Volume:*		litres
*Nose/L:*		inches		*Tail/L:*		inches
*Other:*		inches

FEATURES
Nose: round
Tail: chamfered rounded square tail ?
Deck: S deck, thickness at rear third ?
Bottom: flat ?
Rails: 50/50 in nose, soft low in centre, hard at pod ?
Rocker: flat with nose lift ?

FINS
Twin - laminated fibreglass, 5 3/4" x 4" base @ x'' ??,
Tipped, Toed, Note right fin is over tipped.
note standard foil - not asymmetric??
Both with legrope holes.

DECOR
DECALS
Deck: Black Hansen in oval at sweet spot.(Image?)
Bottom: Black Custom Surf Boards by Hansen Cronulla at sweet spot.
Image right.
MARKINGS
Deck:
Bottom:
COLOUR
Deck: Clear deck with laminated green rail overlap
Bottom: laminated green

NOTES
HISTORY
Submitted by Dustin.
Dustin #1 : Advice about a board that sits in a local pawn shop right now.It's a 5''11' twin fin that I am worried is a not a genuine old board. It has a decal saying "Hansen surfboards Cronulla" and no shapers signature. The shape displays none of the classic lines that a Mark Richards twinny does, instead it's pretty chunky like the Pat Morgan twinny again, but it just doesn't look that old! The bottom is green but not really identifiable as classic old style.

Dustin #2 : The thing is still sitting in the local pawn shop, I don't know what to do with it!!!! It's professionally manufactured but the name Hansen is really throwing me,I actualy contacted Hansen in California and they said there was no way it was one of theirs (they never did twin fins or licenced their name). It's a pretty crap board so I think I will let it sit!!!

Dustin #3 Purchased by Dustin, September 2001. Minor dings. Photographs/dimensions emailed to surfresearch.

I have no record of this manufacturer, however it displays all the characteristics of a professionally built board of the era. The information that Hansen Surfboards, Cardiff USA never manufacturered Twin fin 1's in the early 1970's seems unlikely

John Blanch reports...
The Hansen board was manufactured at Cronulla by Bob Hansen who is now living up at Forster/Tuncurry way.
- thanks to John.
COMMENTS
The US design (Corky Carroll, Mike Eaton , Rolf Aurness and David Nuuhiwa) was directly imported by Tom Hoyle to Bennett Surfboards, Brookvale in late 1970. Concurrently, Terry Fitzgerald and Greg Hodges "built two five-sixes" from design details culled from negotiations between Shane Surfboards and Corky Carroll, post Johanna World Contest, 1970 (M.3). The design quickly dominated 50% of the Sydney market, notably McCoy Surfboards. Usually sub 6 ft x 20" with 10" diamond pod. Glue line stringer. Fin size, shape and placement varied.
REFERENCES
Other Twin fin I's : # 106
Twin fin II : # 40
Books:
1.Nat's History 0f Surfing page 106.
Magazines.
Articles:
1. Tracks Magazine Number 2 Summer 1970? Twin fin articles featuring Tom Hoye at Bennett Surfboards and Terry Fitgerald at Shane Surfboards. Photographs from these articles reproduced in Nat Young's History of Surfing, page 106. See 1 above. Inexplicably these articles did not appear in The Best of Tracks (Volume 1) design section.
2. Mick Mock : "The Summer Millionaire (Shane Steadman)" in Deep magazine, Vol 4 #4 Winter 1999 pages 50 - 61 - includes photographs
3. Phil Jarrett : "The Sultan of Speed" (Retrospective 1960 - 1999) in The Australian Surfers Journal Vol 1 # 2 Autumn 1999 page 28 - 45. Twin fin I page 42
4. Surfing World Magazine magazine Vol 14 # 6 - cover shot of Terry Fitzgerald (Shane Surfboards), Mark Warren (McCoy Surfboards) and tails/fins.
Film:
1. John Severson : Pacific Vibrations USA 1971- footage of Corky Carroll, Twin fin I/Hobie Surfboards
2. Bob Evans : Family Free 1971 - Col Smith and Mark Warren ride Twin fin I/McCoy Surfboards
CONDITION: 8.