Hi Hank,
As you may know, Donald shaped all of the DT models at Bing Surfboards during his one and a half year shaping stint with Bing, from spring of 1965 to late 1966. This was the first name model made by Bing Surfboards, following the trend set by Hobie and the Phil Edwards model. The signature characteristics of the DT are its three one-quarter inch redwood stringers, red foam tailblock (and, on at least one, a wood and red foam laminated noseblock), and a giant white fiberglass skeg that extends a good four inches beyond the tail. There were two versions of it, with the second one, called the Volume II, coming out about a year after the original. The only differences I can see between the two versions are that the Volume II did not have the red foam tailblock and the lam was a bit different with a wider margin on one side.
Pointy, thin nose, more nose and tail rocker, lots of belly, especially in the nose area, and KNIFY rails are all features that were distinctive about the DT model, compared to the earlier "pig" shaped, flatter rocker and round railed stock Bings. Despite its "advances" in design, it looks like it would have been much more difficult to ride than the Bing stock boards. David Nuuhiwa did ok on it, though, winning the national junior championships on one in 1965 when he first started surfing for Bing. I have one that I've been restoring that I'm going to ride occasionally, just to see if I can make a bottom turn on it and then not dig a rail as I drop back down the face.
If you have the original version, the number will be located on the center stringer about 18 inches up from the tail tip. If you have a Volume II, the number will be on the right-hand offset stringer, next to the lam (and, on the opposite side of the lam on the center stringer, it'll say Volume II). In both cases, it'll be tiny and in black ink, which on the dark, thin redwood stringer, is the reason why most people don't realize it is there.
Please send me some photos (setwave@msn.com)! And, tell me its length and serial number. Bing will look it up when he returns from Australia in a few weeks and send you a birth certificate, signed of course.
This is one of my favorite Bing models, because I love the simplicity of the three stringers and red foam tailblock against the white foam. Also, the historical aspects of the model are really intriguing and interesting, especially if you're a Bing Surfboards' collector or history buff.
Tom |
