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Classic Gorge Animal anyone?
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bjamin



Joined: 19 Jul 2000
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:10 pm    Post subject: Classic Gorge Animal anyone? Reply with quote

While cleaning out the garage we stumbled onto our old classic Gorge Animal stored on a board bag all these years. We purchased from Lester right out of his van at Rowena 1997. I sailed for one summer, my wife for one, than we stored it all these years. It's about 75 lts, and 7'11. It's in very good shape (one minor ding repair from long ago), and is totally sailable. We have straps but no middle fin.

Anyway, I think it's time we found it a nice home. I have no idea what to ask (maybe best offer during the swap meet). If anyone is interested see you at the Windance swap meet this Sunday 7/1.

Here's a picture
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They cost $1,095 new right up through Les's departure 6-7 years ago.
One Bonzer fan said he was recently offered $1,000 for one of his.
He rejected the offer.
I'm still convinced they are one of the very finest boards available to help intermediates over the hump into advanced, agressive sailing in WFO Gorge winds. Your California/Campbell Brothers-built Gorge Animal Bonzer is a FAR better-built board than the lightweight copies turned out locally since Les left.

I've always pegged their volume (the 7-6, 7-10, the 7-11, and the 8-0 versions, all of which I have sailed for scores of thousands of miles collectively) at something like 65 liters. Those are all the same basic size of boards, with different nose and tail treatments barely perceptible to us mortals. Les, a physics teacher by training with 30 years of surf and then WS board design and shaping experience, has the strap and mast track geometry nailed, which with his proprietary Bonzer fin placement and channeled hull contributes to their outstanding combination of precise control, speed, turning, tracking, and wide-open confidence in any crap the Columbia or most inland lakes or closely-spaced east coast surf can throw at us from 5.2 down to 2.5 conditions -- something like 22 mph to 50 mph -- at my 190 pounds.

Caveat 1: at ~65 liters in holey winds, a normal sized guy can count on some bobbing time and some serious forearm workouts. In good quality winds or under a small person, these boards are a blast to sail.

Caveat 2: If you're a cruiser over 125 pounds, buy a lesser-performance board. Buying a Bonzer for timid or modest sailing is like buying a 6-passenger sedan for NASCAR; there's no point. Sliding down big swell luffed is not its forte; it's too fast and sinky. It shines when pushed, not when pampered. If you don't push your smallest board's performance limits, you don't need a Bonzer; buy some lesser multi-finned board. There are many of them growing on the Hood River Board Tree. But if you want a board designed expressly for high-wind, fully powered to hammered, aggressive, rough-water Gorge sailing beyond your current abilities and can sail an 80L board, here's your slingshot to the next performance plateau.

Unless the OP finds the guy who offered a grand for that other, more wildly painted, Bonzer, I'm guessing a more realistic price is $250. If I didn't have a lifetime supply of them (it doesn't take much; they're very tough boards), I'd pay that or more in a heartbeat.
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bjamin



Joined: 19 Jul 2000
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The volume is a bit of an unknown, but I'm pretty sure Lester told me this particular board was between 75 & 80. It was custom made for Lester (it was his personal board just before I bought it and he wasn't a small guy) and so it might be a touch thicker then other GAs. I also recall using 3.5-5.0 pretty easily on it and I weigh 175-180. That said if I was going to get this wet, I would stick with big wind days 4.2 and under. It would also look pretty sweet hanging from a ceiling or behind a bar if you have the right set up for it.
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LAWLER



Joined: 27 Apr 2001
Posts: 62
Location: somewhere... buuugs in space!

PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:00 pm    Post subject: Animals Reply with quote

Did you see the other Gorge Animal without the thruster fins at the swap? I should have bought that one... I have a bonzer and would love one without the Thruster fins.
Kicking myself in the head.
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mchaco1



Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Animals Reply with quote

LAWLER wrote:
Did you see the other Gorge Animal without the thruster fins at the swap? I should have bought that one... I have a bonzer and would love one without the Thruster fins.
Kicking myself in the head.

I think I saw brian from Brians windsurfing using it as a lesson board to teach waterstarts on a table....
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bjamin



Joined: 19 Jul 2000
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw a couple GA's at the 7/1 swap that were glassed by Cascade and that had some issues - the glass looked warped. The "classic" GA board - such as the one I just sold - were glassed in CA and had the bonzer fins glassed in. I'm not sure if any of the CA boards did not have the bonzers glassed - I always thought the fins were an integral part of the board's design.

Just a thought, but I wonder if Gary at Cascade could make a custom GA right now if someone wanted. I'm sure he still has the specs lying around somewhere.
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cgoudie1



Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 2597
Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove

PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

He made me a custom Logosz from specs (and my tweeks). If he's
got the planform, I sure he can make you one.

-Craig

bjamin wrote:
Just a thought, but I wonder if Gary at Cascade could make a custom GA right now if someone wanted. I'm sure he still has the specs lying around somewhere.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The beautiful, cherry, California non-Bonzer GA you saw at the swap will be at the next swap (Aug 5) ... maybe with Bonzer fins (and a much higher price tag). If you want it as is, Lawler, speak up or risk losing the opportunity. MANY people commented about its incredible looks, then walked on. Too bad; it sails as well as it looks (I had and sailed its clone).

Ain't nobody using that cherry GA for a lesson board; it is show-room perfect. I bought it new and it has maybe one session on it.

The two Cascade Bonzers you saw were originally identical. Only one was damaged (thus the Wounded Animal poster and the $50 price tag). The other was cherry and customized, with only one session on it to check out the double-thick, extremely cushy foot pads I installed, at a much, MUCH higher price tag. Both sold.

Gary was authorized by Les to build Bonzers on demand when Les moved to Jericouracora; he should still have the specs. Yes, the CA Campbell Bros GA Bonzers had glassed-in Bonzer fins, and Gary uses boxes. Either mounting system works, but the CA Bonzers had hull channels to enhance Bonzer fin function. I don't specifically know how much they influenced performance, but Les felt they added enough performance to warrant the more complex hull on the CA version. I gotta admit their flat aft rocker allow exceptional speed while their other features provide nothing short of astounding handling and control in high winds. I have yet to find any other little bitty nuke board that works that well under anything from a 2.8 to a 5.2 for a 200-pound rider.

Mike \m/
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mchaco1



Joined: 08 Sep 2010
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

isobars wrote:
The beautiful, cherry, California non-Bonzer GA you saw at the swap will be at the next swap (Aug 5) ... maybe with Bonzer fins (and a much higher price tag). If you want it as is, Lawler, speak up or risk losing the opportunity. MANY people commented about its incredible looks, then walked on. Too bad; it sails as well as it looks (I had and sailed its clone).

Ain't nobody using that cherry GA for a lesson board; it is show-room perfect. I bought it new and it has maybe one session on it.

The two Cascade Bonzers you saw were originally identical. Only one was danaher (thus the Wounded Animal poster and the $50 price tag). The other was cherry and customized, with only one session on it to check out the double-thick, extremely cushy foot pads I installed, at a much, MUCH higher price tag. Both sold.

Gary was authorized by Les to build Bonzers on demand when Les moved to Jericouracora; he should still have the specs. Yes, the CA Campbell Bros GA Bonzers had glassed-in Bonzer fins, and Gary uses boxes. Either mounting system works, but the CA Bonzers had hull channels to enhance Bonzer fin function. I don't specifically know how much they influenced performance, but Les felt they added enough performance to warrant the more complex hull on the CA version. I gotta admit their flat aft rocker allow exceptional speed while their other features provide nothing short of astounding handling and control in high winds. I have yet to find any other little bitty nuke board that works that well under anything from a 2.8 to a 5.2 for a 200-pound rider.

Mike \m/

There was definitely a nicer custom one from cgwa that brian now has. Hope he gets it out on the water


Last edited by mchaco1 on Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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LAWLER



Joined: 27 Apr 2001
Posts: 62
Location: somewhere... buuugs in space!

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:45 pm    Post subject: Animals Reply with quote

At the 7/8 swap the animal i looked at was blue-ish to light purple.
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