Review: These were the highlights in surf 10/1983

Tobias Frauen

· 05.09.2023

34 Images

Photo: surf-Archiv

On the cover in October 1983: "Malte Simmer shows photographer Guy Motil the Finns".

We go back into the archives and take a look at old issues! Here we show you the best finds, remarkable test results, bizarre anecdotes and much more! This time we're going back to 1983!

The boards are getting shorter and lighter, power jibes and water starts are standard for many - but the displacement faction is still strong. This is also shown by some critical letters to the editor, which call for less radical jump photos and more regatta topics ("on 99 out of 100 days [the] displacer is theFun-Board!"). At the same time, the word "sinking deaths" is doing the rounds after several fatal surfing accidents. In this context, one reader describes his rescue in a hurricane off Renesse.

Chemical construction kit at the ISPO

Until the 1990s, ISPO in Munich anticipated the new products of the following year every autumn and was therefore one of the most important trend shows. surf dedicated a large special to the trade fair with articles on all major brands. Advanced knowledge of chemistry is an advantage, as the production method is a major topic: ABS instead of ASA, GRP using the vacuum injection method, epoxy or Lexan instead of PE. This is also accompanied by a boost in quality, the boards are lighter and more robust. At the same time, shapes from Europe are being contrasted with planing boards from Hawaii. A total of 32 new products are on show at ISPO, from longboards at the four-metre mark to the radical Klepper with 268 centimetres.

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In addition to the new boards, there are wind skis, skate longboards and even a hydrofoil system that is clamped into the centreboard box. It is said to lift the board up to one metre above the surface of the water at wind speeds of just four. Also spotted: Various fins in "Fence" or "Strato" style, a safety neo that can be inflated using a mouthpiece and board bags from Lipsticks in a design that matches the board.

From someone who set out to race

surf editor-in-chief Ulrich Stanciu got back on a longboard after four years to get a taste of regatta action. Together with 500 other windsurfers, he covered 42 kilometres around Lake Sils - the legendary Engadin surf marathon. The development of the funboard had put an abrupt end to his regatta career on the windsurfer, "you didn't necessarily need other surfers as a benchmark for your own ability. It was more the length of the board [...] that set the framework for success." Because the usual triangular regattas were more of a source of stress, time pressure and frustration for Stanciu, he travelled to the Engadin. There is no need to calculate, the result is clear the moment you cross the finish line. While the displacers with their round underwater hulls have great advantages on the cross, their pilots struggle with the "unwilling planks". Stanciu glides past, avoids another pile-up and finishes in 152nd place. The competitive spirit is awakened again.

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"Sinking voyage on the abyss of death"

It's not the newspaper with the four letters that has such a bloodthirsty headline, but actually surf. "Since the boards became shorter, the number of fatal surfing accidents has skyrocketed. The surfing vocabulary has been enriched by a sad term: The Sinker Fatalities." it says at the beginning of the text. Martin Erlmann, 26 years old and a windsurfer for six years, describes his experience in Renesse: Out on the water in six to seven force winds and a light offshore wind, but then the weather changed with a heavy gale. While Erlmann drifted off with his rig rolled up, the caravans on the dyke toppled over. Only a sudden shift in the wind saves him and drives him back towards the shore. His conclusion: "The right surf clothing and a good life jacket are indispensable at sea."

High-tech in the mast track

In theory, it sounds plausible: at high speeds, a mast foot that sits further back makes sense; at crosswinds, it should be as far forward as possible. Mast tracks with more or less imaginative and ingenious systems make it possible to adjust the position while sailing. surf has tested ten systems that can be retrofitted - but "only those who are already well versed in DIY should attempt this". The usability of the systems ranges from "good" to "actually impossible", F2 even offers a "regatta button" for precise entry. The rails can be adjusted continuously, in three predefined positions - or even in 37 steps. But the conclusion is sobering: "The bottom line is that the Pertramer system is the only adjustable mast track that is really worth recommending - not much for two years of development." In the meantime, the US mast track has been the standard for almost 30 years, so it is also possible without an adjustment option.

Sail test in the wind tunnel

surf is testing ten standard sails in the Mercedes-Benz wind tunnel - the much more expensive special sails will be tested in the next issue. At wind speeds of around 25 km/h, propulsion and lateral forces are scientifically analysed. "Six of the ten standard sails perform above average," is the result. Around 25% efficiency is attested to the best models, with Fanatic coming last with just 15%. This means that only little propulsion is generated in relation to the transverse force.

Off to Bermuda!

Not exactly an everyday holiday destination, but the venue for the Windglider World Championships in 1983: the Bahamas. Robby Naish once started his career here, and the World Championships made the island in the Atlantic affordable for normal surfers too. Otherwise, it tends to be frequented by wealthy Americans and Brits. surf makes you want to visit and raves about the climatic conditions. The water is generally warmer than the air, the British gentlemen wear shorts (because of the heat) and umbrellas (because of the daily showers) at the same time, when it comes to hurricanes, the locals prefer to rely on the turbidity of shark oil, which comes from the livers of animals caught under a full moon, rather than on meteorological advice. The pace is leisurely, the maximum speed on country roads is 48 kilometres per hour. Each family, no matter how rich and powerful, is only allowed one car with a maximum engine capacity of two litres. Rattling mopeds are therefore almost indispensable - or you can approach the numerous bays, beaches and other sights from the water on a board.

You can click through the entire magazine in the gallery above!

And what else?

Jürgen Hönscheid's serious accident in the Sylt surf. One of the first reports in the magazine. During a jump, Hönscheid's sail was thrown onto his head, displacing and breaking three vertebrae in his neck.
Hoyle Schweitzer apparently sends test buyers through German shops to check whether all patent regulations are complied with. According to some sellers, this also involves cheating, and later a complaint flutters into the house.
French trick world champion Marc Le Ligné travelled to China to give tuition in freestyle. "The Chinese will be superior to us in light winds in a year's time," said Le Ligné, marvelling at the agility of his hosts.
And again Hoyle Schweitzer and the patent: At the ISPO in Munich, his apparently well-known lawyer sneaks through the halls and cheerfully distributes warnings - which are largely ignored
At the European Windsurfing Championships in Sweden, which were characterised by strong winds (six Beaufort), the eventual winner Holger Dahlke was disqualified in a heat due to a false start. The safety line broke shortly before the start, the board floated away, Dahlke followed behind - and over the start line.

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