Case Study Surfboard #2: 5’11” Chile Bonzer Replica
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| Shaped in 2009 by Malcolm Campbell for Justin Phillips. This board is a replica of what is now known as the Chile Bonzer, a board shaped for Rob Machado in 2004. Rob took it on a trip to Chile in 2005 and some cool footage of Rob smoothly surfing nice back lit waves began to circulate on the Internet (see video clip below).
5’11” x 19″ x 2 1/2″ |
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| The Chile Bonzer is kind of a hybrid of the Shelter model and the Mini-Merk model. Interestingly we have never made this board as a production model despite that almost everyone who borrows it orders one. |
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| The beak nose allows for more foam, this bucks the trend of standard performance shortboards which have had thin low volume noses since the early 90’s. I personally prefer my shortboards to have this beak nose, better paddle and a more balanced feeling surfboard in my opinion. |
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| Currently running it with a True Ames 6″ Bonzer fin. |
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| Justin rode it mostly with a 7″ Rusty fin by Rainbow Fin Co. |
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| Bamboo Bonzer siderunners by Marlin Bacon of 101 Fin Co. Bamboo fins are light and classy looking. The bead does require a little maintenance from time to time from nicking rocks. The rear foreground fin needs a dab of Solarez. |
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| The iconic “TV Heads” Campbell Brothers logo and the classy Moonlight Glassing logo. |
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| Justin Phillips on this board late evening winter Swami’s. |
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| Frame grab Rob Machado highlining in Chile. |
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| Machado’s Chile Bonzer had a full resin tint. Rob had generously left this board at Moonlight and I used to ride this board all the time until he showed a few months ago and finally grabbed it back. |
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| The most tubed man on the planet, Jon Roseman also has a replica of the Machado Chile Bonzer. Jon rides his in Fiji. Photo courtesy of the Frog Master. |
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| 4 oz s-cloth w/airbrush |
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| Ando & Friends “Birdfish” sticker. Andy Davis is a local artist/bro. His company Ando & Friends may be defunct but this sticker lives on. Andy currently has a line with Billabong. |
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| Resin leash loops are rad. |
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| This board always seems to have various incarnations of Franken Pads (different traction pads cobbled together). |
Justin’s Chile Bonzer as it is today, in the hands of Surfy Surfy and needing an oil change, but water tight and still shreddy.
Footage of Rob Machado surfing his “Chile Bonzer”. Video courtesy of the Campbell Bros. Filmed by Cyrus Sutton.
Tim in Kona
July 13, 2012Aloha Friday the 13th!
Rob & a Campbell Brothers Bonzer in perfect fluid harmony…good way to wake up today with my morning coffee…
Great filmage by Cyrus.
Bonzers Rule.
I believe.
Anonymous
July 14, 2012Love the coffee thats grown in and around Kona!!! sounds soooo good, yum! Peace, taco’s & olas. Doug p.s. And as Tim pointed out yes Bonzers rule!
Anonymous
July 13, 2012Great post JP. This is why we check Surfy.
Just to be clear, that board will make me surf like that cool, shabby cat in the vid right?
Anonymous
July 14, 2012Romney for PRESIDENT!!!
Anonymous
July 14, 2012Why post that on a surf blog? Maybe because you are an idiot.
Anonymous
July 14, 2012Yes, because I’m an idiot. Do you feel better now? Calling someone an idiot? Does it make you feel superior? More intelligent? More mature? I’
Anonymous
July 14, 2012IDIOT!!!!!
Anonymous
July 14, 2012Now, I’m trying to bring some political awareness into the surf culture via surfy and now you guys/girls are call me an idiot. Political awareness in the surf culture is pretty much null and void. I mean most of us are water logged, cannabis rabid, energy drinks junkie who have a very difficult time putting two and two together. That is why I’m here to tell you Mitt Romney is our man. Vote Romney when the times comes. It time to put a real man in the office and not some trained seal that is supporting wall ripping of america. Now, get out there you surf dudes and do your duty.
Reply
alice
July 14, 2012Romney!!!
Pork Ranger
July 16, 2012“Romney for PRESIDENT!!!”
This was your bringing of political awareness?
Very articulate.
Anonymous
July 16, 2012I paddle out to escape the bullshit on land not to hear frickin donkeys like you talk about politics. Go post your opinion someplace else idiot.
Anonymous
July 16, 2012Donkey? I’ll have you know I may be voting for Romney but I support no political party like the donkey. You may paddle out but it’s not really escaping because when you come back to land your wife is still telling you to empty the trash
Anonymous
July 16, 2012kook
Anonymous
July 17, 2012Kook spelled backwards is still the same thing. So, who are you referring to? Your self I presume…..
Anonymous
July 17, 2012What does that even mean? You live in a bunker out in the desert building bombs all day dont you?
Anonymous
July 17, 2012Huh?
Anonymous
July 14, 2012Now, I’m trying to bring some political awareness into the surf culture via surfy and now you guys/girls are call me an idiot. Political awareness in the surf culture is pretty much null and void. I mean most of us are water logged, cannabis rabid, energy drinks junkie who have a very difficult time putting two and two together. That is why I’m here to tell you Mitt Romney is our man. Vote Romney when the times comes. It time to put a real man in the office and not some trained seal that is supporting wall ripping of america. Now, get out there you surf dudes and do your duty.
Anonymous
July 15, 2012Normal people don’t post vague partisan politics on surfboard blogs.
Anonymous
July 15, 2012normal people eat junk food and watch football on sundays and go to church and have weenie roasts and cheat on their wives and rip people off during the week and don’t pay their taxes and have mexicans mow their lawn and have pool boys who sleep with their wives and drive gas guzzling SUV, and spoil their kids with plastic items and have pot bellies they do nothing about and have wives with fake implants have smiles with polished teeth.
Anonymous
July 16, 2012It must suck where you live.
Anonymous
July 16, 2012I live where you live and it can suck but not all the time
Anonymous
July 16, 2012i live in the shire and it’s just lovely here 🙂
Anonymous
July 17, 2012Pool boys who sleep with their wives… classic.
Anonymous
July 19, 2012Stupid little Troll. YAWN!
Troll
July 20, 2012stupid little anonymous Bigger yawn! and put to sleep.
Anonymous
July 15, 2012Wow… Weird little political thing above.. JP keep up these posts!! case study – case study — Mark
Emily Holmes
July 17, 2012The way you talk, it sounds like these are the best boards that were ever built. All the rest are merely imitations. How I’d love to catch some waves any day now.
castors for furniture
August 29, 2012Choose something about 16- 20 inches longer than yourself. The idea is to catch as many waves as you can and practice. For this your need flotation and easier paddling, It will take a while for your your arms to develop paddling strength so you need all the help you can get, and to keep you motivated.
Andrew Bennett
November 19, 2013Do these work as a round tail or is only swallow tail recommended?
Surfy Surfy
November 19, 2013Yes, round tail always good option.