Object Details
user
Peralta, Stacy
maker
Powell, George
Description (Brief)
This honeycomb pool board was a revolutionary design by George Powell and was used by Stacy Peralta, one of the founding members of the Bones Brigade. It has a formed aluminum core with an aluminum honeycomb epoxy bonded with a filled, polyester close out. The polyurethane wheels, or Bones wheels, were also made by George Powell and the Tracker trucks were designed by Larry Balma. According to Powell, "the decks were changing monthly during this era and we had to accommodate the rapidly evolving style of skating, which quickly went from streets to ditches, to pools and skate parks. The aluminum skins were problematic because the skaters would drag the tails to slow down and that would grind them off to a razor-sharp high strength aluminum edge that was very dangerous if it hit someone. This led me to develop the Tail Bones and Nose Bones I made to protect the tips, and to experiment with lighter, better performing prototypes, of which the "Powell" you have is a prime example. It utilizes aluminum skins, aluminum honeycomb core, and epoxy to close out the edges. The wheel wells are post lamination formed by crushing the honeycomb in those areas, as this was a first, and we wanted to learn if we could get away with this shortcut to making them instead of much more expensive and time-consuming alternatives."
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Powell Corporation
date made
1978
ID Number
1987.0737.001
accession number
1987.0737
catalog number
1987.0737.001
Object Name
skateboard
Physical Description
urethane (overall material)
wood (overall material)
aluminum (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 31 1/2 in x 9 in x 4 in; 80.01 cm x 22.86 cm x 10.16 cm
place made
United States: California, Santa Barbara
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Skateboarding
Sports & Leisure
Data Source
National Museum of American History
web subject
Sports
name of sport
skateboarding
level of sport
Professional
web subject
Invention
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_682791