After 30 years of skating, I finally got a longboard. It's the 44" Turner SummerSki Downhill Gun. For those who don't know, it's classic foam-and-glas construction with some exotic materials thrown in for structural and flex support. Don't ask me what all is involved. All I know is that it's a big, long foam board that flexes and responds like a 29" cut away.
I've set it up with 155mm Seismics in the front and Chicken's "custom" custom 150mm Indy Offset spaced to 155mm in the back. 4mm-shaved Avilas with PTs round it out.
I don't know if this is a 44" downhill board that's good for slalom or a long slalom board that's stable for downhill, but what I do know is that it's a longboard that doesn't ride like a tanker. The response, flex and acceleration from this exotic really feels like my old short SummerSkis. Getting used to the new monster turning radius, though, is going to take a while. I'm stoked on it and glad I spent the extra dollars (pounds? Euros? whatever,) to make it happen the way I wanted it.
One thing I did for this board I haven't done before is buy the plasti-dip for nose and tail bumpers:
Anyone who has a foam board and doesn't know about this stuff might want to check it out.
I got a can Home Depot's paint department for $7.00 and it works great. Just dip whatever you want rubber coated and it sticks and hardens to a really good bumper. It's supposed to be for tool handles, but it also works great on fiberglas skateboards.
So, 27 years after I got my first Turner in August of 1978, here's my current SummerSki quiver. The vintage boards are officially and irreversibly "retired," but I still like to look at them:
One last thing. Anyone who doubts or is irrationally opposed to Turners from Europe, all I can say is that Steve Church and his crew are building magnificent racing machines. So far I've seen three of the "Europe boards," (mine, Chris Bara's Eurofighter and 66's cut away,) and all meet Bobby's demanding standards for construction and finish. There are no compromises with these boards. We all know there was a lot of drama and issues after Bobby's death when it came to continuing his legacy of outstanding racing machines. I'm not going to say one way or the other what should have been or could have been. The one thing that matters, though, is that in 2005 there are great racing boards coming out that are everything a Turner SummerSki should be. After all, isn't it really all about the racing? If you get a chance ride one of the new SummerSkis before dismissing it out of hand because it's not made in California. I'll go so far as to guarantee you won't be disappointed.
)
Nice call on the Gun Wes. She is a bute dude. I found this topic today on the vintage skate section of Ebay. Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws.
