1986 Town & Country Surfboard Shaped by the Late Ben Aipa

Name: 1986 Town & Country Surfboard Shaped by the Late Ben Aipa
Brand: Ben Aipa
Price: 3995 USD

About the Item

1986 Town & Country shortboard made by the late Ben Aipa (1942-2021). Features experimental screen printed photo sequence of professional surfer Martin “Pottz” Potter surfing. 1 of just 3 examples known to exist. Airbrush artist Gavin Hasegawa was experimenting with screen printing on surfboard foam. He would later come to the realization that the screen printing process was far too time consuming and abandoned the practice soon after this board was made. Ben Aipa, also known as the creator of the first ever winged surfboard called "Da Sting", which was invented in the early 1970s. The positioning of the wing enabled an early release and sharper turn in the pocket of the wave. The unmistakable surfboard outline ushered in one of the most revolutionary moments in surfing history. To this day, the influence of the sting shape can be seen in modern day winged surfboards. Town & Country Surf Designs (also known as T&C) is a world famous manufacturer of surfboards. T&C started in 1971 with a single store founded by Craig Sugihara in Pearl City, Hawaii. T&C would later expand into a world recognized brand featuring a full line of surf wear and accessories with retail stores across the globe, in countries such as Australia, Japan, and Brazil. The golden age for T&C was the 1980s. During this time, team riders Christian Fletcher and Matt Archbold aka the “Air Brigade" were taking surfing to new heights with their innovative aerial approach to surfing. This new form of radical surfing attracted many customers and shapers to the Town & Country label. Around the same time, Sunny Garcia was signed to the Town & Country team, and would go on to become the World Surfing Champion in the year 2000.

Creator:

Ben Aipa (Maker)

Dimensions:

Height: 76 in (193.04 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)Depth: 2.63 in (6.69 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Fiberglass,Foam,Softwood

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

1980-1989

Date of Manufacture:

1986

Condition:

Repaired: Various repairs made most notable being near the nose of board which is most evident on the bottom side of the board fortunately as the deck side of the board with the artwork displays remarkably well. Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

Haleiwa, HI

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU5290230027082