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mctavish : 23'' to 19'', 1968

Bob McTavish : 23" to 19'', 1968.

Bob McTavish : McT.
Surf International
Volume 1 Number 10 pages 8-9. December, 1968

Introduction.
Like most of McTavish's articles for Surf International, this is merely titled "McT", the allocated titled is based on the significant change in board widths between the end of 1967 and the end of 1968.
The accompanying photograph on page 8 shows Bob McTavish holding his hand-written copy of the article (against a pane of glass?).

It is possible that the "Sunset Delight" ridden by Russell Hughes was the board he took to the World contest in November 1968 held in Puerto Rico.
See Contest Results: 1968 Puerto Rico.

We moved over to the peak.
Wayne had a 9'3" square tail that was sort of Tracker shaped.
We were barely to where we figured the peak was when huge lumps appeared on the outside reef.
We paddled out to sea, fast, 'cause it looked big.

It was a solid 12 feet, a good size for Sunset, very clean.

I took the first wave of the set, and it turned out to be the only one.
A hard paddle, and I had it, or it had me.
The speed at the top just going with the swell was incredible.
I didn't know.

Then I started to run over the lip and move down!
Even faster.
The wave felt like an incredible moving mountain.
A huge thick slope moving twice as fast as Australia.
Wow!

As I eased it into a turn, I was a little shocked as it was came round smoothly and without much fight, and that was a 23'' board.

Trouble was, there was no punch from the turn.
It turned, and that's it.
No delivery.
No result.

One more wave that day.

So after a few more days of Sunset I was pushing that board into ridiculous turns.
Even breaking the skeg out, like in The Duke.
But no delivery.

I was busting to spend my very few dollars on a blank to make myself an 8'6" x 20" vee, but no blanks on Oahu.
One on Maui, but when I get there I was "Bayed out" and so forgot my Sunset trip.
There'll be another time.

Well, this year is it.
I'm not going, I don't think, but Russell is.
And he's riding my Sunset Delight.
8'6" x 19" x 4" vee.
With a footstrap.
I'll be along on every ride.

And what'll he do?
Have fun, I hope, and feel free on his skee.

The Hawaiian pintails have flow, but that means you're tied to the wave's tempo.
And the square tail enable you to break the track, if you wish.

The vee will keep the board stabilized when falling weightless, and will also ease up tail pressure in turns and cutbacks.

Very little lift.
Dead flat last 3 feet of the bottom.
19" wide to sink into the face.
Not much plane, but who needs to look far for power at Sunset??

Surf International
Vol. 1. No. 10
December 1968.

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Geoff Cater (2010-2019) : Bob McTavish : 23'' to 19'', 1968.
http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1968_McT_23_to_19_SurfInt_v1n10p9.html