Our next journey through time takes us back to 1986: In the August issue of surf, women were the centre of attention at the time, and affordable equipment and windsurfing-ready combos were also tested. The latest craze at the time was the fast boom-to-boom jibe.
Dream curves: The power jibe
"Who doesn't dream of rapid power jibes, cut so radically into the water that the high water fountain stands behind the tail like a shining wall?" Such flowery words were used back in 1986 to describe the manoeuvre that is still an absolute milestone for many surfers today. Worldcupper Maui Meyer (yes, that's his real name) demonstrates the "completely new" "tree-to-tree" manoeuvre in this magazine. The tips and secrets were the same back then as they still are today: get low, put pressure on the base plate, pull the sail dynamically to windward. However, the following tip is orthopaedically questionable: "If you turn your knee so far backwards until you feel a clear resistance in the joint - and this during the entire turn - you have optimally loaded the leeward edge."
How good is cheap windsurfing equipment?
Boards and sails from the mid to lower price range were tested in surf 8/1986. It is clear that the technology was in a phase of upheaval at the time. While fully battened sails and "comfort sails" with one or two short battens were competing with each other, the boards were characterised by different technologies and technical details. The Alpha 230A was labelled "amazingly fast for PE", the stubborn base plate of the Ten Cate Swinger was described as "antiquarian" even back then, and one edge of the Red Marlin even burst open. Remarkable: Alpha gave a whopping five-year guarantee on its PE tanker. One of the criticisms levelled at the sails supplied at the time was that the masts were too long.
Surfer cars in the test
Six mid-range estate cars competed against each other in the surf test for the best car for windsurfers. The move towards fully battened "profiled sails" meant that the cloth now had to be transported as a long sausage instead of a compact package - saloon cars reached their limits. An important criterion in the test: suitability as a "sinker safe", i.e. can short boards (the benchmark was a 275) also be packed in the car to protect against theft? There was also the "surf type tip": The Citroen BX was the "guincho racer for casual short guys with wanderlust", while the Toyota Tercel was described as the "knobbly scrambler for anyone who wants to box their way out of a parking space on the Gardasse and get safely to the Underberg in winter".
Are flex tails coming into series production?
"Smooth running in strong winds and top performance in manoeuvres" - that's what the new flex tails were supposed to deliver for the 1987 season. The principle behind it: Instead of a solid tail, variable elements are used to mould the edges and underwater hull. An idea that still comes up from time to time today, but whose weakness is its technical realisation. Even in 1986, the shapers interviewed by surf were sceptical: "The less experienced surfer... can't even exploit the advantages," says Philip Pudenz from Fanatic. "Through observation and surveys, we have found that the number of people who use the rear foot strap is negligible." F2 legend Peter Thommen says: "With the current manufacturing technology, it is difficult to produce a series product". The path to the flex tail varies between brands: from soft foam in the tail to movable plates and a completely interchangeable rear section, everything is included.
And what else?
- World Cup USA on hold due to patent dispute: Shortly before the expiry of his infamous patent, Hoyle Schweitzer caused another stir in 1986. He had all brands that did not pay licence fees banned from competing in the World Cup outside San Francisco. The stage for the sport would have been perfect: Fantastic conditions for the heavily thinned-out field and TV coverage on 3 July, the evening before the American bank holidays, directly after President Ronald Reagan's address.
- Test of surf goggles: From Helmut Kohl memorial frames to fun ski goggles: The optics test shows the whole range of 80s flavour
- Jenna de Rosnay on the catwalk: Two years after the disappearance of her husband Arnaud de Rosnay, Jenna is on the catwalk for Dior in Paris. At the same time, she wants to become a speed world champion once again, as she reveals in an interview with surf editor Susanne Hoebel. "It's the most elementary form of competition: surfer against time." Aren't bruises and abrasions from surfing actually taboo as a model? "Being fit, being healthy, that's in today - the flawless, fragile woman is no longer in demand!" says Jenna.
- Pumping protests: A wave of protests breaks out against the regatta organisers at Kiel Week. The reason: pumping was officially banned at the time.
- Dunki, the first: A first short portrait of the new prodigy from Gran Canaria. "What should I tell you? Just bring photos!" was the message from the then 16-year-old Björn Dunkerbeck. He did end up saying a few words, including about his vices at the time: McDonald's, ice-cream pancakes and video games.
- Tipping stability test: surf uses an elaborate apparatus (see picture gallery above) to test 13 boards for their tipping stability. The result: "The board, which is almost impossible to unbalance, has relatively full edges, is up to 70 cm wide in the standing area, at least 3.60 metres long and has no pronounced curves in the underwater hull."
