For a time, the bonzer was one of the most overlooked board designs to emerge from the 1970’s. Indeed, while Simon Anderson became synonymous with the ubiquitous tri-fin, thruster design, Anderson would be the first to admit that Malcolm and Duncan Campbell were in fact the first to pioneer the three fin setup.
According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, the bonzer first hit the scene in 1972, and was touted as a faster more maneuverable board compared to the single fins of the age. The original featured a large middle fin, and two smaller, toed in side fins. But it never quite took off – that is compared to the Mark Richards twin fin or the Simon Anderson tri-fin.
Years later, the Campbell Brothers developed a five fin version with the same large middle fin and four small fins. That was in 1982.
Now, thirty four years later, Channel Islands has picked up on the resurgence of interest in the bonzer. The result is a collaboration between CI and the Campbell Brothers in the form of the co-branded “Bonzer 5 Shelter” model, a five fin.
Here Noel Salas of Surf Show and Tell Reviews heads up to the Campbell Brothers’ home base in Oxnard to speak with Malcolm Campbell about the origins of the design that he and his brother developed themselves.
Check out more from Surf Show and Tell Reviews on Youtube.
