MyPaipoBoards Forums

This is a board I normally expect to read about from Nels or Poobah (they probably have in the past!). It is another "board" showing up on eBay. A quick Internet search revealed only two other citations, a very short post on one of the surfing mag forums and the other on the surfmatters blog.

I've had the snow toy version known as a Ziffy-Whomper. They are still sold new at sporting goods stores around here in the Winter. Irving M. Ziff patented the Ziffy-Board about 6 years before he patented the Ziffy-Whomper. The snow version has bent handles to keep your hands safe from the ground. The snow version also has a gnarly texture on the deck and more nose kick. I don't know how long the ocean/pool version...Ziffy-Board was made, or if it is still being made. I'm guessing that blue one in the photo is vintage, because it has the Culver City address. I think the factory moved once or twice, and I'm not sure when.

http://www.google.com/patents/USD199470 ... &q&f=false

http://www.google.com/patents/USD216530 ... &q&f=false

Ha...you probably thought I made up the part about Irving M. Ziff. Admit it.

I noticed that a company going by that or a similar name had moved southeast of Culver City, still in the heart of LA. Compton maybe?

Irving Ziff was a tennis buddy of my parents. I remember him charging the net to hit backhand volleys with the forehand side of the racket (like Danny Seemiller playing table tennis). Nice guy. His company was called Ziffco.

The Ziffy board is hollow with a removable plug in the back. The plastic is pretty hard - you could knock someone's teeth out in the surf.

In Oz there was the Zippy board - http://www.surfresearch.com.au/00000203.html

Bob