Many years ago a few of us used to ride PSH or Paddle Surf Hawaii boards designed by Blane Chambers from Hawaii.
Haven't seen any of these boards around anywhere for awhile .
These boards were the first of the real performance style surfing sups. I was wondering who is still holding onto one or still riding one and if so what model and size. My 12 foot PSH gun still gets a workout in both big and small days.
Anybody still got one?
I wish I still did. 12 ft gun was the most versatile board (just heavy)
Like most boards, should never had sold it
I know a bloke that has two 12 foot guns. I know this because I sold them both to him
And in a few weeks I'll have something to ad to this thread.
I have one of the stringered prototypes. Great board but poor construction. Creased it in solid waves also rebuilt tail and most of the deck. Feels big now but was high performance when I got it.
I used to go to Hawaii each year met Blaine and Austin at PSH who would have a PSH Sup Waiting for me when I arrived. I would use the new board and then they would ship it home to me in Florida. I became an "ambassador" of sorts for PSH Here in Fla. It was a great experience and the whole crew at PSH were incredible!!.
As their business wound down they were able to ship me some of their final model boards (never actually sold in the States), a 14' PSH Hull Paddler, a 12.5' Hull Paddler and 9'5 All Rounder. These were all the PVC construction which was super strong and lighter than there standard boards. I still have all of those boards and will NEVER let them go. I also have an 11'1 All Rounder, wood veneer construction that I use for family and friends to learn on. All of the shorter "Rippers" and HP Hull Paddlers I owned have gone by the wayside as technology and board design has improved.
During its heyday PSH Boards (IMO) were without a doubt the best designed boards on the market and BLane Chambers was on the cutting edge of the SUP revolution. I still occasionally paddle all of my PSH's I own and I can honestly say that even though they are close to a decade old they still perform exceptionally well!!!!
PSH=GREAT BOARDS and GREAT MEMORIES!!??
Tim
PS... I will be using the 11'1 All Rounder tomorrow at a paddling event for "Wounded Warriors" here in FLA..
Still got this one
Those balsa laminate customs were probably the nicest ones ever produced. Hold on the that one as long as you can.
Got 3 12' Guns - ex Casso via Rob Dog Pretty Blue Gun, windsurf converted Gundawindy, and a yellow one from Robdog I am yet to paddle.
Got the I've forgotten what it is maybe 9'3" Hull, which I must get back in to use, and a very weathered Wide Ripper I'm hoping to bring back to life enough for a wall hanging.
Sold an ex Robdog 10' wide all rounder I didn't really want to sell, but loaned it to a friend of The Wife One and she didn't want to give it back.
The Sunovas have kind of taken over.....
bought the 11'6 Tom Carroll (because of design by BlaneC) to replace my old water-logged and dented 10'6 PSH wide ripper - even though the old PSH is now heavy .... it still rips ... a testimony to the great original design ... i just love the outline and rails
My new TC (unfortunately ...) is much slower ... the weird bulge under nose causes drag at bottom of wave .... urgh!
I still have my red 12ft PSH Gun. Not many made it to Europe, but I have one of them. I can't imagine ever selling it, even though I tend to use Hypr Nalu Hawaii 12-6 and 11-6 guns now in conditions where I used to use the PSH. They are more durable and have better handles. But the PSH is a true all-rounder if you are an ocean SUPer, and is still a better design IMO than most current offerings. And it looks gorgeous too.
Had a 9'6 ripper......very fragile. Still clutching on to my 12'6 hull paddler. It seems pretty bullet proof......running it as a quad
I still have a 9'0" ripper under my mother in law house in Hawaii, bought it for $150 at a yard sale. Be there for Thanksgiving, hoping to get some waves.
Those balsa laminate customs were probably the nicest ones ever produced. Hold on the that one as long as you can.
It is safe
Those balsa laminate customs were probably the nicest ones ever produced. Hold on the that one as long as you can.
It is safe
surprised you don't have the dolphin on the wall as a trophy...
Those balsa laminate customs were probably the nicest ones ever produced. Hold on the that one as long as you can.
It is safe
surprised you don't have the dolphin on the wall as a trophy...
Getting it stuffed as we speak
Psh now you are talking my language.l've got 4 ,2 12 foot guns that I bought from zeusman,1 12'6 Hull paddler and a 9' 9" ripper .Obviously I am a big fan of psh.I think Blaine was way ahead of the curve when it came to sup design.the 12 footers are just beautiful boards ,plenty of glide with surf ability ,a rare combination.I recently took one home to Hawaii (not easy to travel with) it was so good to ride there.hoping to still be riding them in my 70's (only 63 now).
Back in 2011 Piros made a video of a trip with a few of us who where riding a few PSH sizes from the stable from BC. Very small waves but heaps of fun from 8'6 -10 '0 rippers and allrounders.
Those who had one will appreciate their versatility in all size waves.
Ah........ the PSH memories
Psh now you are talking my language.l've got 4 ,2 12 foot guns that I bought from zeusman,1 12'6 Hull paddler and a 9' 9" ripper .Obviously I am a big fan of psh.I think Blaine was way ahead of the curve when it came to sup design.the 12 footers are just beautiful boards ,plenty of glide with surf ability ,a rare combination.I recently took one home to Hawaii (not easy to travel with) it was so good to ride there.hoping to still be riding them in my 70's (only 63 now).
The 12'6 is fun......you gotta have strong leg muscles for bottom turns though......when surf is bigger
bought the 11'6 Tom Carroll (because of design by BlaneC) to replace my old water-logged and dented 10'6 PSH wide ripper - even though the old PSH is now heavy .... it still rips ... a testimony to the great original design ... i just love the outline and rails
My new TC (unfortunately ...) is much slower ... the weird bulge under nose causes drag at bottom of wave .... urgh!
Yes where did it all go wrong with the Tom Carroll boards? I have a Loose Leaf V2 9.0 and it's terrible. Not only that it's ridiculously fragile as well. It ceased across the middle first surf, the nose slit open with the slightest contact with the sand and most if the deck grip had required re-gluing at various times. I could maybe have put up with that but the design just plain sucks as well.
What went wrong with Blane Chambers Chinese production boards (the infamous wooden deck ones) is that he never set foot in China, just telling what he wanted by phone to Chinese people who had a hard time understanding him. And not monitoring the building process on site with Chinese factories is quite unreliable. I do not know if it is the same with TC boards.
What went wrong with Blane Chambers Chinese production boards (the infamous wooden deck ones) is that he never set foot in China, just telling what he wanted by phone to Chinese people who had a hard time understanding him. And not monitoring the building process on site with Chinese factories is quite unreliable. I do not know if it is the same with TC boards.
How do you know that Blaine never visited China?
From a shaper that was in the Chinese factory (teaching the backshapers, glassers, sanders, ...) when they received the calls by Blane :-)
He had quite a laugh...
Hi spotted this thread and had to throw in Im 66 been surfing all my life and still riding my 10'3" hull ripper ive had for years so much fun on my local point also when it gets big and hollow and cyclone season my 10'6" gun ripper is an absolute weapon surfed the river mouth at Mooloolaba during oma just love these boards im a boat builder and really get what blane was putting into his hydro dynamics no other shapers even come close to his innovation