Goin Old school.... Way old

Mark · Wed Jun 11, 08 1:48 pm **Goin Old school.... Way old**

I am breaking out my 1985 Skurfer Rage. Its time to blow the dust off and take it for a spin. At 23 years old it will be able to go drinking with me as well. I think it will be fun on high wind, big swell days.

For the younger crowd.... The Skurfer was the very first wakeboard. More of a surfboard.

jbruxer · Since 24 Jul 2005 398 Posts Beaverton, OR Obsessed

Man, the Skurfer was awesome! Is it the purple one? Attach a pic. Very Happy

I havent seen one of those in like 10 years.

tekko · Since 20 Feb 2006 376 Posts White Salmon Liquid Force

Mark.. you really have a Skurfer?!

That is so badass..

I will take a moment and connect the dots as they have progressed through history.... funny timing.. as I just helped Marina at the Kiteboarder Magazine do the interview with Liquid Force co-founder and board shaper Jimmy Redmond.. there are a few references to the Skurfer in that piece, which will come out next month.

Skurfing was the evolution of waterskiing into wakeboarding, through a few years of riding surfboards.. later called 'skurfers' through the mid 80's. The origins of Skurfing are credited to Tony Finn, of San Diego.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skurfing_%28sport%29 )

Soon after 'Skurfing' started spreading through the waterski world... a guy named Jimmy Redmond, in TX is credited with the idea of 'drilling holes into the skurfer to mount a binding, to create more control on the board'.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakeboarding )

These 2 guys coming together led, along with others, to the roots of what is now a multi billion dollar wakeboard industry.

In 1995 after both contributing to the development of the sport in many ways, Tony Finn and Jimmy Redmond came together and founded Liquid Force Wakeboarding.

A few years and 100's of boards later.. Some riders approached Tony about Liquid Force producing some kiteboards... since they were already set up for manufacturing with their wakeboard factory.

These riders had names like, Lou Wainman, Elliot Leboe and Mauricio Abreu and rode the Jimmy Lewis shaped, Liquid Force produced 'Lucifer' model Pickle Fork, which was the first production twin tip kiteboard.

These riders were showcased in a video by an up and coming water videographer named Chris Tronolone.. in his first kiteboarding release- High... which was one of the first action kiteboarding videos ever. LF gave each of these guys their start before they each left to help define an era, each moving onto what became the Top 3 kite brands for a long time.. Lou to Naish, Elliot to Cabrinha and Mauricio to Wipika.

Right about that time.. I was a kayaker visiting the the Gorge for the first time for Gorge Games 2000.. met a guy at the spit named Chris Tronolone.. who gave me a copy of his new video 'High'.

Months later.. kayaking didn't seam so important anymore and I was a proud owner of a Liquid Force Pickle Fork and Flight Kite.. a LF branded wipika classic 2 liner... and my life would never be the same.

Fast forward now 8 years this July... and Tony Finn is now my boss as I am an employee and rep of Liquid Force and a pro rider named Mauricio Abreu is part of the LF family and is one of the riders I now manage.

An to think.. it all started out with that Skurfer!!

Mark, I 'd love to give it a ride if you bring it out!!

chanson · Since 31 Jan 2006 1873 Posts WISCONSIN Chimey

Nice history Tekko...

Yeah, I remember the skurfer from my buddies older buddies.. Wink

LF had it on lock-down!!

I have a Shannon Best Pro Model LF board in my basement called the "the best board"
.... pretty funny.

look forward to the article Laughing

you might need some www.zinka.com to go with it!!!

Mark · Wed Jun 11, 08 4:31 pm

Nice history lesson Tekko

Of course you can take her for a spin. My skurfer is a blue Rage. It came with a poster of Tony Finn.

I looked all over the web and cant find a pic of it. If anyone else can please post. (lets see who has more time than anyone....... Monkeyboy this is your calling!!)

FunShui · Since 16 Jul 2006 146 Posts Really, really Stoked

Awesome history come full circle especially if we get to see an original skurfer Laughing

It's a small world we wave and water hungry folk inhabit.

Here's the only pic I could find.

Matt E. · Since 22 May 2008 318 Posts West Coast Sales Rep Obsessed

i have a yellow one but i lost the straps and fins, i hope some day i will find them around.

DROCK999 · Since 31 May 2007 852 Posts Left Coast Opinionated

I've actually really wanted to try a skurfer in the waves

Rollo Tomasi · Since 17 Mar 2005 983 Posts Attractive

Mark · Wed Jun 11, 08 7:07 pm **1985 Skurfer Rage**

Here she is:
Complete with circa 85 "no fear" and " big johnson" stickers. Laughing

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 203 Posts Stoked

Nice, you might have some luck with the three fin model, but the whale tail model is a pig.
A friend tried kiting it a couple of years ago - could not stay upwind.

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1734 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

gregg, that's a great story.
I had the privilege to work with jimmy in Seattle (mid 90's) when I worked for a machine shop that produced all of the Aluminum compression molds for LF wakeboards.
That was when they were being produced up in Kirkland.
It was always fun to see him show up and communicate how the shape of the boards needed to be.
Those were the fun days making the molds.
It's kind of ironic I now ride a board (mission 138) with his name on the bottom.

DROCK999 · Since 31 May 2007 852 Posts Left Coast Opinionated

you're missing a bad boy sticker Razz

tekko · Since 20 Feb 2006 376 Posts White Salmon Liquid Force

This is from the 08 Liquid Force Magalog. An article from LF VP of sales Don Wallace, about the roots of the founders..

Mark · Thu Jun 12, 08 7:17 am

Thats the poster I have Laughing

Small world!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2026 Posts Windward

Wild Bills ,son just picked up one at a garage sale for $10 in l.a.
his has a pin tail
and he rides strapped down at Sunset beach Ca.
still in the truck so far here
he stays to windward on it .

really a pretty good looking design
he said he had one when they first came out
not much fun for waking

scottnorby · Fri Jun 13, 08 10:54 am

Funny sh-t.
I used to check that poster out every day in Tony's office when I was working for LF.

The very first Jimmy Lewis demo picklefork, made for Lou and/or Elliot, is still in the Redmond warehouse office. I wanted that thing but I couldn't bribe anyone out of it.
Maybe you should go get it Tekko?

And I still have two black and white 12 meter flight kites BRAND NEW if anyone wants to buy one.
Wakestyle core.

Still crispy.
Bridled two line.
Get a hockey stick handle, cut it, and tape it up like Lou did for a bar.
I was thinking of making them bridled three line.

Have the very first twin tip wakestyle board made for Lou Wainman too....made by Jimmy Lewis.
Not sellin that.