Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

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OG-AZN
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Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#1

Unread post by OG-AZN »

I've mentioned this very rare board that I remembered from kid days in some of my old posts . Somebody in SoCal scored one of the few (only?)survivors left, in very good condition.

Image

I believe these boards were made by the same company that made the El Paipo foam & glass bellyboards & kneeboards. You can see the ridiculously thick reverse rails, built in handle and skegs. I remember the board didn't work very well compared to a boogie. It was good for going in straight line on the knee or standing up.
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#2

Unread post by rodndtube »

Odd looking. Is there a logo on the deck or bottom?
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OG-AZN
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#3

Unread post by OG-AZN »

I think the El Paipo logo was "branded" into the deck below the handle. You can see some kind of logo on the skeg in the photo too.
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rodndtube
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#4

Unread post by rodndtube »

After going 5 years without an advertisement in any of the major surf magazines, El Paipo reappeared in five issues of Surfing and Surfer, in 1979, picturing a board very similar to the one OG-AZN posted above. Shown below is one of the advertisements.

El Paipo [Advertisement]. (1979, February). Surfer Magazine, 20(2), 16.
Attachments
SMQv20n02p016_ElPaipo.jpg
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#5

Unread post by soulglider »

vey neat!
deathbedpaipo.blogspot.com
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OG-AZN
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#6

Unread post by OG-AZN »

Wow! The boards in the ad are the same ones I remember, and they're the same as the one in the pic I posted. You can see from the riding pic that even a grown man couldn't get a good grip on those super thick rails .
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#7

Unread post by rodndtube »

Here is the other advert to appear in 1979 issues of Surfer and Surfing.

El Paipo [Advertisement]. (1979, June). Surfing Magazine, 15(4), 20.
Attachments
ISMv15n04p020-ElPaipo_h1000.jpg
rodNDtube
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Re: Vintage El Paipo bodyboard

#8

Unread post by Ted »

I had one of these in the early '80's. It was the worst board I ever rode. No lie.

That reverse cut nose would pearl and go sixty to zero in a fraction of a second. If you were lucky, you would go out the front and bash your head on the bottom. If you were less lucky, you would sprain your wrists and then bash your head on the bottom.

I think the board also had twin skegs anchored by brass wood screws driven through the deck. The board itself was super thick and very floaty.

I eventually used a hot knife to recut the nose for less pearling risk.

(That blue board is in vintage condition because the quadriplegic former owner only surfed it once.)
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