MyPaipoBoards Forums

For those with money to burn...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-EL-Pai ... 3a876e8808

I have already assigned a secret paipo investigator to get to the bottom of this mystery after a couple of communications with the seller. Nels, do you know Bill Baldwin? Seems like we might want to interview him as part of the paipo series.

So... what do you think about this specimen?

The secret agent expects to "touch" the board by week's end... if the seller and the secret agent don't get carried away playing with their kook box surfing paddleboard and Hot Curl authentic remake The search is on.

Well, it looks "home made" to me...and at one point El Paipo stickers were available. That said, everything starts somewhere...I wish my first foam and fiberglass attempt looked that good. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have come from the 1950's and I don't know when the company started...so maybe mid-60's at the earliest? It might be worthwhile to check that sticker against earliest known El Paipo stickers to see if it can place an era.

I don't know Bill Baldwin and didn't know a Jim White, but Newport is the place...could be a true gem; the trick is authenticating it.

Nels

Nels, I concur with your comments about construction quality, El Paipo stickers, and not having a definitive date on when the company was started... and the rest.

Some brief observations. The board is finless, thick and has the plan shape of an alaia. General rails appear consistent with the old form.

Rod,

In 2010 Bill filled out a paipo form. He sent a booklet, which I sent to you - it was called 'El Paipo Brochure.pdf'. I sent some questions but never heard back. He shaped for El paipo and House of paipo. I just sent off an e-mail and will see if I hear anything else.

Bob

Good eye Rod. I didn't notice the second line of photos until reviewing late last night, remember thinking it was very Wegener/Seaglass looking.

I guess the Baldwin interview is something that really needs to happen...sounds like he could shed major light on that significant company.

Nels

It looks to me like a late sixties mini-gun that had a tail snap off and the nose reshaped. Reshapers don't always have access to a planer, and that makes for thick boards. And it also looks like a blackball beater to be ridden in the swim zone. If you painted it white, then it would look like an old styrofoam (coolite) board.

The width of laps on the rails can help date a board. Plus the weight of the glass. But anything is possible, like a father-son project where they use dad's 10 ounce boat glass at a time when everyone else is in the 8 ounce era.