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MANUFACTURE
MANUFACTURER: Skipp Surfboards, 24 Flinders Street Wollongong NSW
SHAPER: Terry Richardson
DESIGN: Bonzer
DESIGNERS: Duncan and Malcom and Campbell (USA)

SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
Fibreglassed foam blank, 1/8" redwood stringer, spray, resin pin-lines, post production r/h plug

DIMENSIONS

*Length :*	6	ft	9	inches	*L2:*	6ft 8''
*Width :*	20	inches		*Wide Point :*	+3.5	inches
*Nose :*	13.75	inches		*Tail :*	12.5	inches
*Thickness :*	3	inches		*Pod :*	6	inches
*Nose Lift :*		inches		*Tail Lift :*		inches
*Weight :*		kilos		*Volume :*		litres
*Swallow :*	2.5	inches

FEATURES
Nose: pin
Tail: swallow
Deck: flat
Bottom: single concave at sweet spot , splitting to double concaves in front of the fins to the tail
Rails: down, soft blocky
Rocker: medium

FINS:
Bonzer / Keel fins : 2.75" x 9'' base @ 12''
- white laminated
Toed to nose with extreme tip-out.

Centre fin : 8" x 6.25'' base @ 5.5''
- white.

DECOR
DECAL/S:
Deck: Large Skipp Surfboards multi colour graphic with script at sweet spot
Bottom
Large Skipp Surfboards multi colour graphic with script at sweet spot
Shaped by Terry Richardson, black text.
MARKINGS:
Deck: 2251
Bottom:
COLOUR:
Deck: Sprayed yellow rail-lap and very fine blue pin-lines
Bottom: Sprayed yellow

NOTES
OTHER BONZERS
#198 Weber Bonzer
#221 Cooper Bonzer
#352 G&S Bonzer, shaped by Peter Townend

BOARD HISTORY
Purchased by Adrian in used condition from Shellharbour Waste Transfer Station, 2015.
Many thanks to Adrian.

DESIGN HISTORY
Original design 1973 by Duncan and Malcom Campbell (USA) characterized by forward concave leading to double concave each side of the centre fin with two keel- type fins set on the rails ( radically toed-in and cambered).
The bottom design has similarities with the shape of Rogallo hang gliders, first designed in the late 1940's as a method of recovering returning space capsules by NASA.
F. M. Rogallo predicted in 1949 that "Portable delta wings will give bith to a popular sport"
- quoted in Desfayes (1974) page 41.
By the early 1970's, hang-gliding was a sport in rapid transition with a large amount of media exposure.
As a sign of the powerful influence of Australia in world surfing at this time, the name Bonzer (also Bonzar,
Bonza) is an Australian expression for “excellent”.
In late 1973, the Campbell Brothers lisenced the design to Bing Surfboards for commercial development.
The design then became associated with Bing's head shaper, Mike Eaton, who had played a significant role
in the development of the Twin fin 1 in 1970. See image and notes, below.
The Bing models were noted for the wedged Bonzer decal that was laminated on the side fins.
Australian exponents of the design included ...
Peter Townend (Gordon and Smith Surfboards). See image below.
Ian Cairns (Gordon and Smith Surfboards), rode a Bonzer to first place, 1973 Smirnoff Contest, Laniäkea ,
Hawaii and Terry Richardson (Skipp Surfboards). See image below.
Preceeded (contempoary?) by the Tri-fin of 1971, the design had some influence on Simon Anderson's
Thruster of 1981.
Further adaptation in 1988, the Phazer - a Stinger/Thruster adaptation ( 3 similar fins with 2 small Bonzer
D-Fins) initially credited to Rusty Priessendorfer for Rusty Surfboards (USA).
Later identified as another original design by the Campbell Brothers.
See:
John Wythe White :Surf Wars :The Bonzar, June 16, 1999
http://www.honoluluweekly.com/archives/coverstory1999/6-16-99Boards/6-16-99Boards.html
Cambell Bros. Surfboards: History (July 2011)
http://bonzer5.com/history/timeline/1970-birth-of-the-bonzer/

REFERENCES
MAGAZINES
Articles
1. Jim Neece: The Bonzer
Surfer Vol 14 # 3 September 1973, page 64.
See image below.
2. Steve Core: The Bonza
Surfing World Volume18 Number 2. November 1973
3. Mick Mock : Richo's Choice
Deep magazine , No 18 Spring 2000, pages 22 to 33
5. Steve Barilotti : Belief System : The Bonzer Saga
The Surfers Journal 2004? Volume 13 No. 2 pages??

Advertising :

INTERNET
John Wythe White :Surf Wars :The Bonzar, June 16, 1999
http://www.honoluluweekly.com/archives/coverstory1999/6-16-99Boards/6-16-99Boards.html

Cambell Bros. Surfboards: History (July 2011)
http://bonzer5.com/history/timeline/1970-birth-of-the-bonzer/

BOOKS
Warshaw, (2005) page 73.
CONDITION: 5.


*Terry Richardson and Skipp Surfboards Bonzer* *Wreck Bay, NSW circa 1974* Photograph : Peter Simons Surfing World cover, February 1975 Vol No	*Terry Richardson and Skipp* *Surfboards Bonzer, circa 1975* Photograph : Steven Cooney Tracks, January 1976 page 25.