The "Champion" Paddleboards
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This magnificent design is a replica of the board Tom Blake used to win the 1930 Hawaiian Open Hawaiian Paddling Championship. Blake wrote that he was inspired by the ancient Hawaiian “olo” solid wood surfboards and the hull of English racing boats and that it took nearly three years to develop this new board. To train Blake shaped two boards; the first a solid wood training board of redwood and the second a hollow, light wooden hollow core with which he won the 880 yard course by fully 100 yards. Dimensions: 14 to 15 feet long x 24 inches wide x 5 inches thick. Approximate Weight: 60 to 70 lbs. Huge and radical even by contemporary standards these majestic models are made for the paddling enthusiast. Rather than the "kook box" or flat bottom box design synonymous with the hollow board design these big boys feature a carefully crafted round bottom hull that sweeps over the entire surface in a continuous arch. Interior ribs are very carefully hand shaped in successive sizes to which the exterior skin veneer is slowly affixed allowing the material to conform to curve and sweep creating a hull that minimizes resistance while maximizing displacement over the paddling surface. To compliment directional control a historically accurate hand carved, clear redwood keel fin is fitted to each board after which the entire board is fiberglassed with a tight weave marine cloth and polished to a deep gloss finish. Available in two styles the Pointed Tail Model with the blunt nose forward or the Big Wave Pintail Model, these historic water craft strike awe in crowds attracted to sightings of these impressive reproductions. Surface Treatment: Clear redwood boards are carefully tinted, sanded and color treated to bring out the grain of the clear wood surface. Rails, nose and tail areas are distressed to impart that timeless antique appearence with special attention given to surfaces that would have had more wear as well as the brass deck screws and drain plug. Colored boards are very carefully water sanded to simulate years of exposure and our hand tinted color palette insures that each board is imparted with a unique antique surface. Redwood Keel fins are hand shaped from select recycled clear redwood with special attention given to grain quality, wear and surface imperfections, which when fiberglassed insures a surface that captures the integrity and character of the wood. Finally, to insure hull integrity all Champions are fiberglassed over the entire hull and deck surfaces, sealed in three coats of polyester resin and hand polished to a lustrous gloss. Colors: Clear Redwood, Muted Red, Antique Green, Island Blue, Opaque Mahogany and 1930'2 "Hawaiian Surfboard", clear deck/colored combination shown in the upper right photo above. Custom colors and graphics available. Price: $1995.00
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