There are many versions of of the Mini Simmons out there.
But one thing remains constant. In the 1940s, Bob Simmons
was THE original inventor of the "hull" concept. I remember
seeing many of his "sandwich" boards at Malibu. They were
constructed like an airplane wing...hollow with internal ribbing.
This, along with his hull design, made these boards very efficient
in the water. If balsa boards had never come along, today's
boards would probably reflect more of the Simmons influence.
There are many different Mini Simmons versions today.
These smaller boards are a big leap from the Simmons boards
of yesterday. Those early versions ranged from 10 feet to 11
feet. The ones that I've done so far range in length from 5' 6"
to 7' 6". So one might say that we're revising an old concept
and bringing up to date. No one is right or wrong. Surfing
today has branched out into many different styles. As for me,
I'm trying to utilize the characteristics that I remember on Bob
Simmons' originals designs while adding a few of my own
fine points. Either way you slice it...these things work!
