surfresearch

Introduction
An article by staff photographer Martin Tullemans about insertion of ping-pong balls into a foam blank to reduce weight, and increase floatation, by Dick Van Straalen, the flying Dutchman of Burleigh.
Unfortunately, only the photographs are reproduced here without the text.
Includes comments by test rider by Rabbit Batholmew.
Illustrating the scepticism and disdain for the newly introduced leg-rope, Van Straalen joked:
They've been taught to stay off rocks and to blow up or self-destruct by uncontrolled ping pong proton fission if you attach a leg rope to them.

Also without the text are photographs from the design page featuring visitors to the annual Bells Beach Contest including Ian Cairns, Mark Warren, Peter Townend and Hawaiians Bobby Owens and Reno Abellira.
Ian Cairns was riding three boards, shaped for him in Hawaii by Tom Parrish, at 7ft 10 x 20", 7ft 6" x 20" and 7ft 0" x 20 1/4".

Other images include two from the Fashion Section, Bellswear, Reno Abellira resplendent in his blue and yellow O'Neill wetsuit bell-bottoms.

Advertising includes a full page ad for the magnificent Tracks Poster Book and The Best of Tracks, Volumes One and Two.
Meanwhile, Craig Leggat reviews a brand new product, The Tracker Drag Shute, essentially a small parachute designed to deploy on wipe-outs and stop the board heading for the beach.

Page 19

Boards with Balls.

.............

- Martin Tullemans.