SB_issue54_digital

smorgasboarder
2022
#54
SURFmagazine
Top of the tree
Wood Boards galore
wayne winchester
The art of restoration
Bricks & mortals
best surf shops guide

Celebrating
45 YEARS
Gerringong | 90mins south of Sydney
Celebrating
45 YEARS
Celebrating
45 YEARS
Online
+
In-store
Australia’s largest independent surf shop.
Proudly family owned and run.
www.naturalnecessity.com.au SHOP ONLINE
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CONTENTS
#54
2022
66
58
22
12 news
20 controversy
22 top of the tree
58 Ocean clean up
62 art
66 wayne’s world
76 gear
80 bricks & mortals
98 aloha barry
80
smorgasboarders
Editorial | Dave Swan
dave@smorgasboarder.com.au
0401 345 201
Editorial | Amber O’Dell
amber@smorgasboarder.com.au
0420 615 107
Advertising | Simon Cross
simon@smorgasboarder.com.au
0413 698 630
Social Media | Phoebe Swan
phoebe@smorgasboarder.com.au
0459 705 404
New Zealand | Jiff Morris
jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz
0220 943 913
South Australia | Jimmy Ellis
james@smorgasboarder.com.au
0410 175 552
Design | Horse & Water Creative
mark, kate, val, helen, taylah,
sarah, carolina
mark@horseandwater.com.au
Accounts | Louise Gough
louise@smorgasboarder.com.au
Top of the tree
Wood Boards galore
smorgasboarder
SURFmagazine
wayne winchester
The art of restoration
2022
#54
Bricks & mortals
best surf shops guide
our cover
Photo: Lime Light Creative
Studios - Testing Riley Balsa
Surfboards in PNG.
get involved
Stories, photos, ideas, new and
interesting surf-related stuff you
want to share? drop us a line on
editorial@smorgasboarder.com.au
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Smorgasboarder is published by Huge C Media PTY LTD ABN 30944673055. All information is correct at time of going to press. The publication cannot
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Mark Riley in the woods.

Forever forward. It is what my grandad used to say. It’s a saying
I have said more than a thousand times over throughout my life,
from the sporting field to the business world and in my personal
life. I have said it myself, I have said to my kids, to my family, to
my work colleagues and my mates. And it is such a great saying
because it more or less cuts to the chase – accept whatever
b*llshit you are going through, deal with it and get on with it. No
excuses, no reasons why you can’t push on, quite simply because
you must.
I think everyone would probably agree, the last few years have
held their share of challenges but for some reason this year seems
to have proven the hardest. But as the saying goes, there’s no
point revisiting the past. You need to focus on the future, focus on
what is within your power to control and push on… and ensure to
have fun whenever you can while you are doing it.
So, with this in mind, in this edition we hope to bring you some
feel-good vibes. We have some magnificent timber surfboards
to drool over, everything from the cutting-edge of performanceorientated
design through to traditional shapes that will evoke
nostalgia to groups who are healing and bringing people together
through the love of building surfboards and then there’s the aweinspiring
restorative work of Wayne Winchester. If that wasn’t
enough, we introduce you to an incredible young man called
Boyan Slat, whose name, if you are not familiar with yet, we hope
you never forget. If that wasn’t enough, we have the inspiring
story of Laura Feller, artist, surfer and traveller who is “always on
the move”, experiencing all that life has to offer. It’s a story that
just makes you feel warm inside. And finally, we present to you
some of the best surf retailers in the country – now there’s a story
of resilience!
So, there you go, wonderful stories of ingenuity, perseverance,
longevity, renewal, creativity and grit. The kind of stuff to remind
you how and why you must constantly push on. Forever forward.
Stay safe, have a great Christmas and we will see you all in the
new year.
Merry Christmas!
The Smorgasboarders

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NEWS
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Purchase from stockists or online:
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Mark Riley, founder of Riley Balsa has recently secured some
world-class balsa wood that is just asking to be shaped.
Considered to be one of the most sustainable, strongest, and
lightest woods in the world, balsa makes for a very stunning
surfboard. It’s no wonder it is one of the most beloved materials
for surfboards shapers.
Mark informed us the last few years had seen delayed shipments
of the blonde gold but he was pleased to now inform his
customers he has a heap of it ready to move.
Riley Balsa is providing large and small section sizes and lengths
ranging from 1ft to 12ft long, with the balsa wood now being
graded into three types: AAA 100kg/m3, AA and A. The company
can even custom cut and glue the wood to any requirements, with
discounts applying for commercial quantities and delivery available
world-wide.
For more info go to www.balsawoodsurfboardsriley.com.au or
email mark@riley.com.au
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sb / #54 / 12

NEWS
Following the
Australian Surf Movie
Festival national tour
featuring THE BIG WAVE
PROJECT II (about to be
released worldwide Dec
10), you can catch up on
Tim’s latest travels and
cinematographic work
on his YouTube channel:
@surfingvisions
Surfer: Tahlia Hirst
WORLD CLASS
AUSTRALIAN MADE
SURFBOARDS AT
AFFORDABLE PRICES
Custom Shortboards, Hybrids, Fishes, Mals and Logs
Factory 3/6 Kerta Rd, Kincumber NSW 2251 | m: 0415 577 085
Hall of famer
Dick Van Straalen, classic Aussie bloke and fine surfboard shaper, has received
the well-deserved honour of being inducted into the International Surfboard
Builders Hall of Fame (ISBHOF).
Now in its 23rd year, the ISBHOF honoured its new crew of talented surfboard
shapers and makers on 15 October this year. The event took place at the blissful
Huntington Beach in California, the surfing capital of the USA.
Huntington Beach surfers Mike Ester and Bob Bole founded the ISBHOF in 2000
and have since inducted 140 expert surfboard builders. The event was created
in order to recognise the brilliant and creative board builders of the world who
have shaped the surfing industry and have scarcely been appreciated for their
innovations.
Australians would be hardly surprised to hear of Dick’s induction to the ISBOF.
The 78-year-old master craftsmen from Queensland’s Gold Coast is an expert
in custom-made balsa surfboards that are often beautifully painted with flowing
patterns and vibrant colours.
Raised in the Netherlands, Dick began surfing shortly after moving to Sydney with
his family in 1944 and started shaping boards six years later. He is best known for
the sleek single-fin boards he made throughout the 1970’s that were masterfully
shaped for the high-speed pointbreak waves of Queensland and is well-deserving
of perhaps the highest honour a surfboard shaper can have.
Good on ya Dick!
(08) 8323 0879
168 Olivers Rd,
McLaren Vale SA 5171
Fri – Mon: 11 – 6pm
Extended Christmas
holiday hours: 7-days
swellbeer.com.au
13 / #54 / sb

news
Jeremy Ievins standing
next to the lucky door
prize, the John Hunt
shaped WBS surfboard
John’s joke legend
Held in celebration of the late John
Hunt at a surf break he discovered
some 50 years earlier the John’s
Joke Legend at Port MacDonnell
in South Australia was attended by
many wishing to honour his memory.
The surf sport near Orwell Rocks was initially considered by his friends at
first to be a joke but it became John’s regular and in time affectionately
known as John’s Joke, hence the reason for the name of the contest.
Contest director and Port MacDonnell surf identity Jeremy Ievins was stoked
with the support shown for the inaugural event.
“It is really nice to see the community get behind these sort of things,” he
said.
“The surf wasn’t big, but it was pretty consistent and clean.”
Ievins was a close friend of Hunt’s and it was from him he learnt the craft of
shaping surfboards. He now also crafts the trophies for the event, this year
repurposing used paintbrushes set in resin from Hunt’s workshop.
Max Lockwood
John’s paddle out at Posties
Jan 2018
Barry Bennett
We would also like to acknowledge the passing of Barry Bennett
back in July earlier this year. We can’t confess to knowing him well
but know the high regard in which he was held by his peers. Barry
undeniably had a huge influence on surfboard manufacturing here
in Australia and on the world stage.
RIP
sb / #54 / 14

NEWS
Had a gutful
Oceanfoil Surfboards is quickly eliminating the heartbreak of
retiring from the ocean as Gut Slider orders soar – literally.
Readers may remember the legend of Keith Robinson
from our last edition - the 74-year-old surfer and
shaper based in Nambucca Valley that gifted the
surfboard industry with the Gut Slider.
His innovation was a board for himself and his mates
that stopped aging knees from getting in the way of
surf sessions. Applying his so-called ‘crazy ideas’ and
his extensive shaping experience, Keith developed a
board you lie on that allows the rider to paddle into
waves easily and perform cutbacks just as you would
with a regular surfboard.
Since his story was published in Smorgasboarder, we
would like to not-so-humbly point out that orders for
Oceanfoils Gut Sliders have taken off and are coming
at him from all directions across Australia. Keith said
the response to his boards have been overwhelming,
as he has received over fifty orders and has only been
able to handle four at a time.
“I just did it for a mate of mine who had a hip
operation and that’s all I thought it would be. Then
word kind of got out and it went a bit crazy.
“It turns out there’s a whole range of people out there
that just can’t physically push up to get onto their feet
anymore, or it just takes them so long to get up that
they miss the best part of the wave.
“I’m getting orders from Tasmania, Western Australia,
South Australia, Victoria and even an old mate I used
to work with in New Zealand rang up and asked me
about them.”
To keep up with demand, Oceanfoil has enlisted the
help of their mates at Oke Surfboards in Melbourne.
Keith said he chose Oke as his partner in making the
boards because of their ability to make his boards
as authentic, comfortable and catered towards his
customers as possible.
“I know the people at Oke Surfboards really well,
I picked them because they are like me - very
fastidious. Their quality is amazing, they are all great
people, and I am quite happy to work with them
because I can’t possibly make all of these boards.
“I am still going to be making the local stuff, like
orders from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and as
far down as Sydney. Then I’ll be quite happy to just
sit back and know that the job is done. I’m happy
everyone is getting in the water and everyone’s
stoked about the boards.
One of Keith’s most extraordinary new customers is
Kevin Merifield, an 85-year-old surfer in Perth showing
no signs of giving up on the waves. Keith said Kevin
is quite simply a legend among surfers in Western
Australia and is believed to be the first person to surf
Margaret River.
“He’s as fit as a fiddle and still gets out in 10-foot
surf, but he’s had a little bit of trouble getting up on a
board.
“He asked me to make him a Gut Slider, but I don’t
like doing things if I don’t think it’s right. We already
had one being sent to Western Australia, so I asked
him to try it out first.
“When I know exactly what people need, where they
surf, how they like riding, what size board they
need, I am able to do the best job I can for them.”
The Gut Sliders have not just provided retiring
surfers with an alternative to giving up, but
have also introduced a new, invigorating way
to experience waves. Keith said the board
accumulates instant speed and soars as soon
as you take off.
“When you’re laying down on the board,
you get to see a lot more of the wave then
when you are standing up. You can see all
of the beautiful curves, the kinetic energy,
and you can direct yourself better. You
fly - you actually fly - all these old guys
are going to need hair transplants.
“People see this as an opportunity to
get back into it again because they
are quite miserable on giving up
surfing and giving up something that
they love.”
While he is technically retired, for
Keith the call of the ocean and the
creativity of board shaping will
always drive him. Keith said he
is quite happy to keep surfing,
floating around in his shed and
coming up with even more
crazy ideas.
“All I want to do is go surf,
and it’s always been like that
since day one. The surfboard
industry for some people is
a commercial venture, but
for me it’s always just been
about the lifestyle. The best
surfer in the water is the
guy having the most fun.”
15 / #54 / sb

Surfers rejoice as the Surf Lakes wave
pool in Yeppoon finally confirms it’s
opening to the public in 2024.
news
Surf Lakes Yeppoon
opening soon
The announcement has left the global surfing community
absolutely stoked, as many have been teased for years with
stunning imagery of the crystal blue waves and perfect swells
from the Surf Lakes website.
The awe-inspiring pool in Central Queensland has been a
research site for testing unique wave technology since 2018.
Whether it would ever open to the public has been largely
kept as a secret – until now.
The reveal comes after Global Surf Parks, a wave pool
development and operations company, signed an agreement
with Surf Lakes International to transform the site into a
general surfing experience for the public to enjoy.
The wave pool uses a heavy central plunger-like device which
drops like a rock in water, creating large waves. As the waves
flow towards the outer edge of the lake, they hit differently
shaped ‘reefs’ which create perfect sets for all kinds of
surfers and their skill levels.
In 2021, the site was approved to allow for accommodation,
a food and beverage precinct, camping, an events and
entertainment area and more. The site is also planning on
expending from its existing 15 acres to 100 acres, with
construction is expected to begin in early 2023.
As a gigantic surfing pool paradise in the middle of Central
Queensland surrounded by vast rocky land, Surf Lakes in
Yeppoon is definitely looking to be a stunning and unique
surfing experience.
sb / #54 / 16

17 / #54 / sb

stuff
Known for pushing the
boundaries for sustainable
footwear, Sanük is a global
and unconventional footwear
brand that’s been making
people smile … and passing it
on since 1997.
Sun Zapper Zinc Sticks and Sunscreens are 100% Australian made
and have been tested to meet our harsh conditions.
Zinc oxide is a natural sun blocker that stays on your skin for hours
when in the water and is a prominent ingredient in their range. It
won’t burn your eyes and is great for people with sensitive skin
conditions. Recently, the good folks at Sun Zapper brought out
a new Extreme Zinc Sunscreen Lotion 90mL SPF 50+ and Tinted
Moisturiser SPF 50+ Medium/Dark. We can happily say both go on
super easy and last for a very long session out in the surf.
sanuk.com.au
Guaranteed to keep you grounded,
Sanük is on a shoe-mission that supports
customers to embrace more sustainable
products, without wavering from the
companies commitment to cushiony
comfort, made for all-day wear.
Sanük’s customers represent various
beliefs and have different wants or needs.
But the company is proud to say their
eco-friendly initiatives provides a little
something for everyone.
Sanük loves using reincarnated rubbish
and incorporates some form of quality,
eco-minded materials in every style
including recycled polyester, recycled
cotton, recycled EVA and other foams,
plus other upcycled stuff.
Nature provides a bounty of wholesome
materials out there and Sanük are
always striving to make the most of
them by including naturally occurring
substances such as hemp, cotton,
linen, jute, straw, cork and responsibly
sourced leather in their footwear.
Sanük doesn’t use leather often but
when they do it’s responsibly sourced
from Leather Working Group tanneries
and partners who abide by their Ethical
Sourcing and Animal Welfare Policy.
They look at sustainability holistically
and are constantly seeking new ways
to improve product packaging and how
they can reduce their environmental
impact.
Sanük’s research and development is at
the forefront of rethinking manufacturing
and footwear, and they are always
exploring innovative ways to source even
more. Learn more about Sanük’s ecoinnovations
at www.sanuk.com.au/pages/
our-materials
sunzapper.com.au
sb / #54 / 18

Photo: Paul Hardie | Surfer: Mark Hansel
admin@connectedby.org | connectedby.org
Connected By Inc. | ABN 60 302 768 978 | IARN: A1030024X

Nowadays it appears so many people are eager
to take offence about something or rather. It
almost appears as if some, not all, are on the
constant lookout for anything to be offended by.
Now let me say this, it is of paramount importance we are
respectful of one another’s feelings and wellbeing. We
need to show due care for the welfare of people who may
be the target of bigoted comments. Genuine grievances
need to be addressed but let’s not see the seriousness
of these grievances overshadowed by ones contrived by
people who merely seek to find offence as some form of
gross attention seeking.
With the ever-present cloud of someone taking offence
to something or a rather some of us may feel like we’re
walking on eggshells most of the time. You don’t wish to
cause offence, you don’t actively seek to offend and you
do everything possible to not offend but someone still
manages to fault with something you do or say, no matter
how you try.
Where am I leading with all of this? Recently, we received
a notification via the Online Fight Club otherwise known as
Facebook or one of those that our magazine had offended
someone. It piqued my interest because we are particularly
mindful of being an inclusive publication – a magazine that
can be picked up by anyone, of any age, of any sex or
sexuality, and any ethnicity, and this very ethos applies to
our editorial content within. How on earth could we offend
someone? I pondered.
Our said offence was that Smorgasboarder was not
inclusive enough because we featured an advertisement
of a white lady in swimwear and the subsequent story that
followed was about a white surfer. You’re joking, I thought.
Through our thirteen years we have frequently featured
stories of surfers of all ethnicities, both able bodied and
not, male, female, old, young, accomplished surfers,
“crap surfers” and those starting out. The said person
who publicly criticised us couldn’t be more wrong about
our publication. Indeed, in the early days, when it was just
Mark and I, we even produced a 132-page magazine with
100% of the editorial coverage dedicated to female surfers,
surfboard shapers, glassers, photographers and artists – a
Ladies Edition completely produced by two guys. I would
be interested to know if there is another publication in the
world that has done that.
But then I considered, maybe all of this isn’t enough. Whilst
we have featured diverse content regularly, maybe to
those who actively seek to be offended it just doesn’t cut it.
Maybe that diversity HAS to be in every edition, or indeed
on every page, or every picture, and every sentence,
otherwise we’re bigoted. Our free magazine that runs
on the smell of an oily rag better quadruple our editorial
budget to seek out all these specific stories.
Moving forward we need a considered and intelligent
approach to being inclusive and mindful of all of those
around us. However, with regards to this said person,
please read a couple of editions before you form an
opinion. You offended me with your uniformed comments.
Yep, there it is, I am offended by idiots. Those people who
portray themselves as righteous and holier than thou but
unfortunately don’t fully educate themselves on the subject
matter of their interest before getting on their high horse
to lecture us lesser individuals from ahigh. However, that
statement is probably offensive to horses.
words: dave swan
sb / #54 / 20

make a wish...
OKE CUSTOM SURFBOARDS
SINCE ‘68
OKESURFBOARDS.COM
1/1-7 Canterbury Rd, Braeside, VIC
P: 03 9587 3553
E: rory@okesurfboards.com

t o p
There’s nothing quite as appealing as
a wooden surfboard. Whether it be
the natural colours of the timber, the
pattern of the grain, or the fact it is
quite clearly crafted from materials
more environmentally friendly than their
alternatives. Wooden surfboards look
good, and they make you feel good.
Through the course of time however,
the intended use of wooden surfboards
is changing as the way they handle and
perform in the ocean is advancing. In this
special feature we explore the many types
of construction and the motivation for
doing so.
Photo supplied courtesy of Varuna

of
the
t r e e
words: Dave Swan & Amber O’Dell

As you would be well aware, some
surfers collect wooden surfboards to
be adorn their walls, to simply gaze
at and admire the workmanship and
sheer beauty of the craft while others
seek out that ‘traditional feel’, to fully
understand what it is like to ride a solid
balsa malibu or chambered big wave
gun. Then there are those surfers with a
heightened eco-consciousness who are
looking for more sustainable surfboards
than their traditional foam and fibreglass
counterparts. This is where the evolution
of the wooden surfboard is experiencing
a real ‘tree change’ with the advancement
of materials and construction techniques.
Now, it would be fair to say that surfers in
the main have an innate sense of affection
for the environment and are conscious of
supporting sustainable and eco-friendly
means of producing the boards they
take to the waves on. The one variable
however that can prohibit such support
is that this ‘environmental consciousness’
cannot be at the expense of performance.
Plainly put, if the boards are made of
environmentally friendly products using
sustainable practices and they still
perform the same as a traditional PU
board, they are more than willing to spend
their hard-earned. If they don’t compare,
many surfers are arguably willing to turn
a blind eye to environmental concerns
until a viable, eco-friendly equivalent is
found.
In the ensuing pages we talk with those
businesses who are the Top of the
Tree, who have found a sweet spot and
successfully married performance with
sustainability. We also have the great
pleasure of taking with legends of the surf
industry who are crafting timeless timber
masterpieces and those who are bringing
the joy of building wooden surfboards to
the people. Enjoy.
SB / #54 / 24

the evolution
of the wooden
surfboard is
experiencing a real
‘tree change’ with
the advancement
of materials and
construction
techniques.
Photo: Riley Surfboards
Photographer: Lime Light
Creative Studios
Contact your Coopers Area Manager for more information
and to secure your order.
1300 555 166 (SA/NT: 08 8440 1800)
coopers@coopers.com.au www.coopers.com.au
25 / #54 / SB

eco
warrior
He may have initially not set out
to be, but nowadays, Mark Riley
is an eco-warrior with purpose
seeking to set the benchmark for
others to follow.
Where to start? I guess a declaration
on two fronts. First, Mark Riley is an
incredibly talented surfboard shaper who
continues to refine his craft and is now
elevating his eco credentials to a whole
new level. I will explain this in more
detail a little later on. The second, is that
he is a very good mate. I didn’t know
Mark before we started Smorgasboarder
some thirteen years ago, but through the
years, whilst we haven’t seen each other
that regularly in person, our friendship
has grown. I absolutely think the world
of the guy. I have come to know him
very well and now fully understand his
devotion to crafting long-lasting beautiful
balsa boards perfectly tailored to his
customers.
Regular readers of Smorgasboarder would be
well aware by now that Mark shapes his boards
entirely by hand, creating everything from fishes
through to single fins, longboards, paddleboards
and everything in between. While most are
performance orientated and super lightweight
with balsa skins applied to a recycled EPS
foam core, he still shapes solid balsa classic
longboards for clients seeking a traditional feel.
So, what has changed?
Mark originally set out to make his surfboards
last. Tired of what he considered the disposable
nature of traditional surfboards, he made his
boards the equal of their counterparts in terms
of performance but also indestructible. Over the
last 27 years he has achieved that aim having not
yet managed to snap one of his boards to date.
However, as the years have gone by, he has
become more acutely aware that the boards he
builds can have a positive environmental impact.
Mark explains his intent.

“I came to realise what I was doing was good
for the environment because the boards I was
making lasted so much longer. I had always been
environmentally conscious in my approach, but this
just strengthened my belief in what I was doing and
how I went about my business. It also encouraged
me to find out about and adopt other ecologically
sound materials, products and approaches.”
Mark set out to find material that complemented the
balsa he sources from sustainable farms. The first
point of call was of course the internal foam blank.
He settled on 100% recycled EPS foam and has
stuck with them since.
The blanks go through a process called
regranulation. Scrap pieces of packing foam from
fridges, TVs and the like are ground up, pumped
into a mould and heated. Once ejected from the
mould they are shuttled into large gas oven drying
rooms. Mark then shapes the blank before a 2-3mm
balsa veneer is vacuum-bagged (laminated) onto
the blank providing added strength. Solid rails are
then added to the board and the shape is further
refined with some light sanding before being
glassed, finished and polished.
Mark further continued to work towards reducing
his environmental footprint. All foam offcuts from
his boards go back into his recycled EPS foam mix.
Waste from his solid balsawood boards is used as
garden compost and usable offcuts are donated to
schools. The glues he uses contain no volatile or
flammable ingredients and his vehicles converted to
LPG to reduce the amount of fuel consumed. He is
also an active member of the Rainforest Alliance; an
organization that works to arrest the major drivers of
deforestation and environmental destruction and to
further his commitment to responsible, sustainable
harvesting of balsawood, Mark even set up his own
balsa plantation in Cooktown near Port Douglas in
North Queensland. Now Mark is looking to certify
the carbon footprint of each of the surfboards he
produces.
“Various estimates put the carbon footprint of a
traditional PU surfboard at around 250kg of carbon.
SB / #54 / 28

I estimate my boards presently emit around 80kg of
carbon into the atmosphere. That’s near a quarter
to that of their PU counterparts. But I am keen
to ratify this with certification from the regulatory
bodies.
To put that in perspective, a Riley Balsa Surfboard,
emitting 80kg of carbon is a smaller environmental
footprint than that of a bicycle and close to that of a
woollen coat. That’s quite the accomplishment.
“Once I achieve this, I will not only fulfill my
promise to produce high performance surfboards
that last, they will also be certified as far more
environmentally friendly than their counterparts. And
we will continue refining our processes to further
minimise our carbon footprint.”
There is no denying Mark has found his sweet spot
– beautiful boards built for speed that last forever,
soon to be certified as an eco-friendly alternative
to conventional surfboards. All he has to do now is
find an eco-friendly beer because he doesn’t mind
consuming a couple of those, and I am only too
happy to share a few of those with him.
“Once I achieve
this, I will not
only fulfill
my promise to
produce high
performance
surfboards that
last, they will
also be certified
as far more
environmentally
friendly
than their
counterparts...”
balsawoodsurfboardsriley.com
29 / #54 / SB

COMMUNITY
CHAMPIONS
Bringing the joy of building your own surfboard
with a heightened eco-conscientiousness to the
suburbs are the good folk at Tree to Sea.
These guys are quite literally the community
champions of environmentally friendly surfboard
construction. Their wooden surfboard workshops
are now that of legend here in Australia and are truly
something special to experience.
Based in Mt Eliza, three friends, Rob Ivers, Gary
Miller and Darren Minchin hold their wooden
surfboard workshops in their purpose-built indoor/
outdoor workspace. They are bound by their love
for surfing, timber surfboards and the sensory
experience of crafting your own, so much so,
they want others to experience the feeling for
themselves.
It all began some twelve years ago when one of the
founders of Tree to Sea Australia, Rob Ivers, met
Rich Blundell, an American pioneer of the wooden
surfboard making workshop and founder of Tree to
Sea in the USA. Not long after, Rob met Gary Miller
through a mutual friend and the two of them talked
about bringing the workshops to Australia.
They invited Blundell out to Australia and it was with
him they taught their first workshop, which was a
huge success. Subsequent workshops filled just as
fast as the first and so the two sought an agreement
with Rich Blundell to use the name Tree to Sea.
The team crafted surfboards using Rich’s original
template of a hollow wooden surfboard with
fibreglass coating. They further refined their board
building process when Darren joined the team, who
is a carpenter by trade. This took their workshops
to another level and since that time they have
continued to refine their processes, construction
methods and the materials they use. The desire has
always been to experiment and innovate to realise a
more environmentally friendly product.
Today the boards are no longer hollow nor feature
fibreglass. What they now refer to as their “Eco
Board” is made using a sandwich design where
inside a lightweight plantation-grown timber veneer
is a pre-shaped recycled polystyrene blank. All
that is needed to complete the main body of
construction is sustainably grown cork rails. This
innovation has not only lessened the build time so
boards can be fully constructed and ready to surf
at the completion of a two-day workshop, they
are now incredibly lightweight and performance
orientated.
SB / #54 / 30

Thanks to the timber construction they are also
incredibly strong.There is virtually no waste in the
manufacture of their Tree to Sea surfboards.
The foam core blanks are made from recycled
offcuts and packaging and the timber veneers
are sourced from Australian grown Paulownia
plantations, a fast-growing softwood that when
felled, another grows in its place, basically
perpetuating an endless cycle of renewal. The
boards are then finished with Australian made
marine grade varnish. Every aspect of their
surfboard construction takes sustainability into
account.
If the sustainability of these boards wasn’t
appealing enough, the workshops are altogether
something else.
“The desire has always
been to experiment and
innovate to realise a more
environmentally friendly
product.”
31 / #54 / SB

“It’s a pleasure to surf on a handmade
board, but even better to have made it
yourself. And making the boards is so
therapeutic, as so many have told us.”
The many laughs, the absolute sheer joy of building
something with your own hands and sharing
that euphoria with others and the comradery
that develops makes for such an incredible and
memorable experience. Rob best sums up their
approach.
“We’re not dollar driven. It’s not about making
money. All our decisions are made for the benefit
of the end result - a great, fully functional surfboard
made by the average guy or girl in the street, and
built from a renewable source.
“We have literally taught people of all ages and skill
levels how to build their very own environmentally
friendly wooden surfboard. And we enjoy teaching
people and are just as proud as they are to see the
end results.
“It’s a pleasure to surf on a handmade board, but
even better to have made it yourself. And making
the boards is so therapeutic, as so many have told
us. Crafting something by hand is so absorbing
and deeply satisfying. Plus, we are in keeping
with the soul of surfing – surfers making their own
surfboards and crafting them from wood, just like
they originally were.”
There are virtually an endless array of plan
shapes to craft with templates for retro fishes to
shortboards, funboards, single fins, longboards and
pigs all on offer. And if you don’t have the time or
inclination to attend a workshop, you can also buy
a ready-made board crafted from the experienced
hands of the crew at Tree to Sea.
treetosea.com.au
SB / #54 / 32

taking it for
granted
33 / #54 / SB
When surfing, it’s easy to
get lost in the rhythm of
the ocean, and even take for
granted the object that is
underneath our feet that lets
us walk and soar on water.

“Many of my wooden
boards are hanging
in people’s houses
as pieces of art, but
whether you surf it or
not, the process for
making them is exactly
the same.”
Like many surfers, Grant Newby didn’t pay
much mind to the components, equations
and creativity that make up a surfboard until
he embarked on the process of shaping
wooden boards himself. Grant said he started
building boards with all sorts of combinations,
processes and materials that led to some
interesting outcomes.
“It’s a journey where you learn about your
yourself, your patience and your creativity. You
learn to use tools in a different way, and it’s just
thinking outside of the box because it is all very
new.”
Based in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Grant
has spent over a decade crafting gorgeous
wooden surfboards desired worldwide for both
their artistry and functionality. Grant said the
allure of wood is felt by everyone, and he loves
bringing out its beauty in his boards, some of
which contain up to 80 different layers of wood.
“Many of my wooden boards are hanging in
people’s houses as pieces of art, but whether
you surf it or not, the process for making them
is exactly the same.”
SB / #54 / 34

Growing up in New Zealand, Grant has always
been connected to the sea. His respect for
the ocean comes from his long family history
of mariners and fishermen, and his creativity
comes from spending much of his life as an art
director and production manager in advertising
agencies.
More than anything, Grant loves experimenting
with wooden board designs and sharing his
findings with as many shapers as possible. For
over 11 years, he has hosted ‘The Wooden
Surfboard Day’, a gathering of like-minded
people who build wooden surfboards. Grant
said the thing that really blows people away
about the event is that every attendee is happy
to explain how they have gone about building
their boards, which is pretty rare in the surf
industry.
“People have lots of questions. There’s not
many people building wooden surfboards in
the world. You never forget the time where
you catch your first wave on the board you
made. So if you can share that experience
with somebody else, I think that’s a pretty cool
thing.”
Grant said looking back at old boards is
a window to where the industry is going
tomorrow, and describes perfectly the
spiritual journey of a wooden surfboard
creator.
“The combinations are endless and so are the
outcomes. This, to me, is what strikes a chord
with my creative background and enquiring
mind. Some things work and some don’t. But
great watermen before us have ridden some
amazing waves on a huge variety of shapes
and styles. So nothing should be discounted.
Different shapes, sizes, outlines and contours
give different feelings on a wave. All of which
can only happen with an open mind and a
willingness to try different things.”
Talking to brilliant wooden board makers
like Grant really makes you appreciate those
wonderful things that carry and guide us
through the waves.
surfboardsbygrantnewby.com
35 / #54 / SB

he is
legend
The title we refer to here is of course a play on the movie
called “I am legend” although we couldn’t use those exact
words because they would never be uttered from the lips of
one of Australia’s most esteemed surfboard craftsman.
Sam Egan is one of the most downto-earth
blokes you will meet and
is incredibly humble despite being
revered by several generations of
elite surfers and surfboard designers
across the world. Simply put, Sam
Egan is a legend. He’s a surfindustry
pioneer. Now 80, he’s
been shaping surfboards since he
was 15 and commercially since
’62 when Sam Egan Surfboards
officially opening its doors in his
beloved home of Newcastle. Sam
estimates he has probably shaped
more than 10,000 boards in his
lifetime.
His surfboards have been under
the feet of many pro surfers,
such as his son Luke, and while
he regularly continues to shape
surfboards every week, it is his
wooden boards in particular that
left my mouth agape.
It is in essence a return to Sam’s
roots. The very first board he ever
crafted was a 16-foot plywood
toothpick that he had modelled off
the boards he saw washed up on
the rocks.
The board was built out of necessity.
A member of the Cooks Hill Surf Life
Saving Club, he had developed a
love for surfing but back then boards
were hard to come by. Skilled with
his hands, and being an apprentice
carpenter at the time, he crafted his
own and the rest is history.
SB / #54 / 36

Sam never pursued his carpentry trade but rather
turned his hand and making surfboards. It is
staggering to consider at the height of his fame, 18
of the top 44 surfers on the World Championship
Tour were riding his boards. In fact, his boards have
been under the feet of more than a couple of world
champions.
It is in essence a return to his
roots. The very first board he
ever crafted was 16-foot plywood
toothpick that he had modelled
off the boards he saw washed up
on the rocks.
Even revered Hawaiian born shaper Donald
Takayama is on record as saying that Sam’s 66
model, still sold at Barry Bennett surfboards today,
is the best example of boards from that era. That’s
fair testament to his skill. And speaking of his skill,
rather than just craft a wooden surfboard, in true
Sam fashion he takes these boards to another level
altogether.
“I like to use balsa mainly with some other exotic
timbers such as Western Red Cedar and Silky Oak
and Australian Red Cedar, all cut and fitted in.”
As for the time it takes, Sam estimates the boards
take him in excess of 200 hours. He sells them for
around $5000.
37 / #54 / SB

“That works out to $25 per hour,” he chuckles in
true Sam fashion, non-plussed.
“They are just a labour of love I do when I don’t
have too many (foam and fibreglass) board orders
(Yep, you heard right. Sam is still shaping 5 or so of
those per week).
“They take so long. I will have them on my bench
for a few months. I have probably made about 10
or 12 over the last three years. I have always got
one going and tinker on it. You can’t rush it. It is
just a matter of take your time and do a bit here
and there. I do enjoy doing it though, as long as it
doesn’t take over my entire life.”
Photo: Sam’s third surfboard he made.
Sam crafts all manner of timber surfboard shapes
from chambered wooden guns through to skin on
frame collectables, that can be surfed but most of
his clients opt to just appreciate the workmanship
hung up on the wall of their home. Those clients
include people like Jason Stevenson, the founder,
owner and original shaper of JS Industries who
has one of Sam’s chambered balsa boards in his
collection.
He makes everything from nose to tail – fins, nose
blocks and tail blocks. He even sells the nose and
tail blocks to other shapers. They are works of
art in themselves. Same goes for the many surf
trophies he crafts and ornate timber furniture and
jewellery boxes. Sam explains.
“Well, I spent 4 years from the age of 15 as a
carpenter and joiner. Before I came out of my time I
was making some surfboards. As soon as I finished
my apprenticeship I left. So, I have only had two
jobs in my life. But yes, I can make furniture and of
course I make surfboards.”
Instagram: samegansurfboards
Photo: the first board Sam made - a 16ft paddleboard.
SB / #54 / 38

in tune with
nature
The equivalent of strumming a classic
Gibson Les Paul guitar would be riding
a Mitchell Rae balsa collectable. Tuned
to perfection, these truly are elite waveriding
craft.
These boards are not designed to be ornaments on
a wall, admired from afar, these chambered balsa
boards are the equivalent of a Formula One race
car, albeit far less destructible.
Each year, Mitchell Rae crafts a small number of
these signed and dated custom balsa boards.
In creating these long-lasting statements of his
craftsmanship, he most certainly draws inspiration
from the guitar maker’s art to which I refer with
hand inlaid Mother of Pearl eyes and logos,
elevating the aesthetic appeal and resonance of
the surfboard way beyond the ordinary. Mitchell
elaborates on his approach.
“It’s a similar fashion to collector’s guitars, years
of use and hard riding enhance their intrinsic value.
Like a ‘57 Gibson Les Paul, they become full of
memories and experience. They look good on the
wall, but these boards are built to be ridden.”
Mitchell spends in excess of 60 hours constructing
these boards, sparing no effort. They are what he
considers the pinnacle of the surfboard maker’s art.
“Folks have no idea how much crazy love I pour into
these creations. I only make a few each year and for
good reason.”
Mitchell has shaped these magic balsa boards
everywhere from the jungles of West Java using
local balsa to where he resides today on the Mid
North Coast of News South Wales. His clientele
includes many well-known surfers, surf industry
royalty and surfboard aficionados.
Built from mainly the lightest balsa from Ecuador
and Papua New Guinea with Western Red Cedar
and Redwood stringers, they are chambered for
lightness, split, bent and glued using techniques
similar to that of boat builders and aircraft wing
construction. Each board also incorporates
Mitchell’s devotion to flex.
“I am looking to load the timbers in a similar fashion
to the wooden bow analogy. I set the timbers up
and actually bend them to where the wooden bow
would be holding its flex before you let the arrow
go. When the glues dry, the timbers will hold that
39 / #54 / SB

SB / #54 / 40

shape. It’s sprung under tension so when you flick
it, it sings. It has a real different quality to it than if I
carved a profile on one big chunk of wood.”
“The bent wood and chambered construction
sets up a resonance like that of a guitar or violin.
Awesome to ride, a long process to build. These
boards will last for generations and be around long
after I’m pushing up daisies.”
The craftsmanship that goes into these boards is
awe-inspiring. There is good reason why Mitchell
Rae is revered as one of the most talented
surfboard artisans to have picked up a planer.
Best of all, when you talk with him about building
a board, you not only get a first-hand insight into
his craft and the principles he applies to surfboard
design, you also get a life lesson all in one. His
knowledge for all manner of things is unfathomable
and a joy to listen to. I have said many times before,
a chat with Mitchell is akin to visiting a spiritual
guru. I absolutely love him.
“Awesome to ride,
a long process
to build. These
boards will last
for generations
and be around long
after I’m pushing up
daisies.” outerislandsurfboards.com
41 / #54 / SB

fueling
the fire
Revered by many, Maurice Cole is quite simply a
legend of the surf industry. His boards have been
ridden by some of the best surfers on the planet,
a few who have gone on to win world titles on
his craft.
Maurice’s designs are an expression of his
deep, philosophical understanding of wave
mechanics. His eccentricity and the way he
sculpts his boards has often seen him described
as a disruptive force of creative genius in the
surfing world, challenging the status quo of
conventional thinking. Recently, Maurice has
overseen a reincarnation of his shapes in foam
and fibreglass in the form of Varuna surfboards.
Based in Byron Bay, Varuna is a true international operation,
with crew scattered across the globe and manufacturing in
Indonesia. The team have embarked on a mission to redefine
the world of sustainable surfing. To that end, they’ve
partnered with world-renowned surfboard designers such
as Maurice, Stuart D’arcy, Joel Fitzgerald, Renaud Cardinal,
and most recently Beau Young and Chilli Surfboards with
a few other big names soon to be announced, to replicate
iconic designs using sustainable materials. The reasoning is
simple, as explained on their website: “We replicate trusted
shapes from elite designers on all of our boards, but with a
sustainable spin. Because we figured there was no sense in
reinventing the wheel, or the board, for that matter.”
Intrigued, we decided to find out more about how this
revolutionary sustainable spin was achieved exactly. We
were surprised to find out these high-performance balsa
wood surfboards are made with absolutely no foam. Varuna
surfboards are made entirely out of wood.
The internal structure of the board is made with bamboo
and balsa ribs to keep the boards light without sacrificing
strength. Hollow balsa rails with flex layers are employed
to provide power, speed and control. A super light balsa
wood composite deck is reinforced with aerospace-grade
fiberglass and then laminated with Sicomin resin to deliver
strength, flex and durability. Being essentially a hollow
wooden board, an all-in-one, self-regulating air valve / leash
plug is installed to regulate interior pressure. For fins, Varuna
utilises Futures fin boxes.
What’s important to mention here is that whilst sustainability
and durability are the cornerstone of how these boards
are made, performance is still very much front of mind.
The weight of the boards are equivalent to their foam and
fibreglass counterparts. Company spokesman and
co-founder, Damien Cole, elaborated on Varuna’s approach.
Images supplied courtesy of Varuna
SB / #54 / 42

43 / #54 / SB

“We believe that when it comes to surfing,
sustainability and performance are not
mutually exclusive.
“By replicating world-class designs onto
sustainable materials, we envisioned a world where
everyone can surf exceptionally and responsibly.
“However, it really was our focus on performance
that morphed this business from a passion
project to a fully-fledged operation. There’s
no point making boards with an environmental
consciousness if they don’t perform. Surfers won’t
buy them.
“We’re using innovative technology to give you a
lively ride that you can be stoked about both in and
out of the water. And because we’ve reimagined
iconic surfboards from the hands of world-class
designers, we’ve created an elevated, sustainable
surfing experience that even meets the needs of the
most experienced, seasoned surfers. Our boards
go incredible.”
The approach has to be applauded. To construct
hollow wooden surfboards on this scale is quite
mind blowing. And it has been Maurice, Damien
Cole’s father, who has been secretly with Varuna
from the start, working behind the scenes and
guiding them with his knowledge of structure and
the intricate minutiae that take a board from the
ordinary to extraordinary.
In an interview with surf photographer and
filmmaker Peter Baker, Maurice had this to say
about his collaboration with Varuna.
“There are literally thousands of variables that
go into creating a magic surfboard. And across
the industry, I’ve continuously pushed design
innovation, which has defined what a person can
do on a wave.
“It’s been incredible to be a part of the evolution
of surfboard design. But after all these years, what
has continuously plagued me is that we’re still
making surfboards, using the same toxic materials,
which after 75 years has become a huge problem.
“Working with Varuna has been such a pleasure.
By using their sustainable materials and their
sustainable manufacturing process, I feel like I’m
now part of this family where we are all part of the
solution.”
Quite clearly both Varuna’s mission and vision to
not only redefine the world of sustainable surfing
but to also revitalise the planet by doing what they
love, resonated with Maurice.
Damien explains the three core principles guiding
the company.
“As we developed the business, we all understood
there were a couple of non-negotiables – basically
three parts to our business that if we didn’t get
right, it wouldn’t get off the ground. They were in
relation to sustainability, performance and integrity.
“When it comes to sustainability, we vow to pursue,
innovate and inspire sustainable solutions that
rejuvenate our planet. We hold ourselves to the
highest ethical standard of sustainable production,
so our planet can have a chance to thrive.
“When it comes to performance, we simply aim
to create products grounded in exceptional
performance, responsiveness and durability. We’re
achieving that aim by collaborating with world-class
designers to optimise performance of these boards.
SB / #54 / 44

“When it comes to integrity, we’re conducting
our business with the utmost respect toward our
customers, our team, and most importantly, our
planet. We are doing this by pursuing a business
framework rooted in a carbon negative future, so
our kids can stay stoked in cleaner oceans and
thriving wilderness.”
From what we can see, the team at Varuna are
living and breathing their edict and have fully
adopted their mantra “from seed to surfboard”.
Indonesia has been victim to massive deforestation
practices for decades. Once abundant rainforests
have been transformed into barren grasslands,
incapable of regenerating on their own and pushing
wildlife species out of their habitats.
Balsa trees were initially planted to counter
deforestation, but being an invasive species in
Indonesia, the solution created more problems.
With balsa being the key material used in Varuna
sufboards, the team figured out a way to rid forests
of balsa overgrowth while regenerating these
abandoned lands of plenty to get the materials
they need.
Basically, the balsa is harvested via two methods.
First, they selectively log existing balsa trees,
effectively weeding the forests of them, and
secondly via permaculture. This approach
requires a more detailed explanation.
Varuna are working closely with the Indonesian
government, expanding green zones to reforest,
regenerate and rejuvenate the land through
sustainable practices to reduce environmental
impacts and revitalise the area. They’re doing so
through permaculture methods, planting balsa
trees in tandem with native plant species. Most
importantly, as Damien points out, the balsa trees
are harvested before they flower.
It only takes 4 years for balsa to fully mature,
so once it’s harvested, the native plants are left
behind to flourish and thrive. This regenerative
practice leaves behind a restored ecosystem
rich in biodiversity, generating economy for
local farmers, encouraging self-reliance and
advocating sustainable practices. Permaculture is
known to promote resilience through biodiversity
and restores natural resources, allowing nature to
rejuvenate while empowering local communities.
Varuna have even swapped the traditional
shaping bay for a jungle workshop and minimised
The way we see it, it’s our
responsibility as surfers to do
whatever we can to protect the
thing we cherish most.
their waste partnering up with renewable allies.
Damien explains, “We’re abandoning the traditional
shaping bay for an environmentally forgiving
alternative with a system that minimises waste
while giving back to the planet in colossal ways.
“We’ve committed ourselves to an approach
rooted in conservation. Any harvested balsa
not used in Varuna production sees the excess
materials transferred to our partners in various
sectors such as wind energy, railway, models and
biochar, which is used around our balsa plantings.
(Biochar is said to offer multiple soil health benefits
in degraded tropical soils.) This ensures minimal
waste and responsible use.
“From seed to surfboard, we’re minimising our
environmental impact through innovation.
The way it stands, the climate crisis threatens
everything we love about our planet. And as
surfers, that love flows deepest with the ocean. The
way we see it, it’s our responsibility as surfers to
do whatever we can to protect the thing we cherish
most. That’s the mission we’re on and why we are
going about our business the way we are.”
For those interested as to the origin of the name
Varuna, Damien explains the inspiration stems from
their intrinsic connection with the environment, a
devotion to optimal performance and a collective
passion for conservation.
“Associated with clouds, water, rivers and the
ocean, Varuna is a powerful Hindu deity and
‘one who encompasses the whole world.’ It’s his
influence over the environment that inspires our
calling to go full circle, or, from seed to surfboard.
“In our eyes, the rains bring our balsa crop,
which is then transformed into surfboards, and
ultimately returns to the ocean from which it
originally began.”
varuna.surf

One man’s trash
is a surfer’s treasure
Who would have thought the venetian
blinds dangling from your window would
ever touch the ocean?
Let’s be honest, it’s hard to make venetian blinds
look good. The rickety things often get tangled and
after a few impatient pulls end up looking like a
jumbled mess. There’s no telling how many of these
things go into landfill, which is why Stephan Halpin,
founder of Shapes by Steveo, has found a way to
make venetian blinds both functional and beautiful
in the form of a surfboard.
Along with other recycled wood cuttings and
materials, Stephan transforms venetian blinds
into unique, stunning and sustainable surfboards
adorned with various patterns and shades of
salvaged timber. Stephan says he started to make
wooden, environmentally friendly surfboards
because they last longer, look better, and are way
kinder on the environment.

“Using offcuts is not just good for recycling and
keeping stuff out of landfill, you can make some
really decorative boards out of those strange
bits of timber.
“Wooden surfboards aren’t boards that last for
only five or ten seasons at the most, they last
a lifetime. They are something you can pass
down to your family, and they also just look
amazing on a wall in your house.”
Growing up, Stephan was always tinkering and
building with wood. After moving to Noosa
at 26 years of age and learning to surf, his
passions naturally led him into shaping the lines
and curves of wooden surfboards. Stephan
said he used to go to local board factories and
study the subtle art of surfboard shaping under
quite a few well-respected shapers. Now, he
can turn just about anything into just about any
surfboard.
“I make hollow wooden surfboards, fishes,
guns, malibus and stand-up paddle boards.
I still make foam and fiberglass surfboards of
all shapes and sizes, but it is the wood boards
that I really enjoy the most.”
“Hemp was the past,
and it’s going to
be the future,
because people are
starting to realise
the number of
plastics that are
in the ocean, and
just I don’t want
to see it anymore.”
Wherever possible, Stephan uses recycled
wood or sustainable grown timber to create his
boards. However most recently he has delved
into the vast capabilities of hemp in his new
eco-friendly board range: Hemp Tech. Stephan
says hemp boards are lighter and stronger
than normal polyester boards and even epoxy
boards.
“I am right now making Hemp Tech Boards,
which are recycled polystyrene boards with a
minimum amount of fiberglass. We use hemp
cloth and a range of different hemp materials
like hemp, linen and silk, plus organic epoxy.
“Hemp was the past, and it’s going to be the
future, because people are starting to realise
the number of plastics that are in the ocean,
and just I don’t want to see it anymore.”
Based in Coolum Beach in Queensland,
Shapes by Steveo offers a range of Hemp
Tec and recycled wooden boards. In perusing
over Stephan’s beautiful wooden surfboard
collection, you may even be tempted to hang
up some venetian blinds in your home again -
in the form of a board, of course.
47 / #54 / SB
shapesbysteveo.com

connected by
water
Sometimes when your head gets the better
of you, it’s important to take a step back,
breathe, and feel the smooth, wooden
grain of your very own creative and
passionate project under your palm.
I’m certain no one reading needs to be reminded
of the healing power of the sea, the surf, and the
board. Whether it’s cruising waves or shaping
surfboards, surfing has always been a therapy for
many people as well as a lifestyle.
Someone who knows this exceptionally well is
Greg Wallace, who, after 15 years of lecturing and
practicing naturopathy around Australia, quit his job
and built a legacy for himself by giving people the
opportunity to learn, share, heal and grow through
wooden surfboard workshops.
For those who don’t know, naturopathy is a holistic
approach to health and includes natural remedies
like sunlight, exercise and stress management -
which sounds a lot like surfing if you ask me. Greg
would agree, which is why he founded Connected
By, a charity that merges mental health and healing
with the satisfying, long, and therapeutic process of
wooden surfboard shaping.
The charity is a branch of Bodhi Tree, a company
founded Greg in 2012 that specialises in sustainably
sourced wooden surfboard DIY kits. Back in the
day, Bodhi Tree also provided wooden board
building workshops, until Greg noticed an
increasing amount of first responders and Australian
Defence Force personnel seeing value in his
lessons, propelling him to turn his company into a
movement that would outlast him.
“What I did nearly four years ago was create a
charity out of the workshop component of Bodhi
Tree, and I did this because I recognised that the
long-term benefit for people’s wellbeing through
building boards.
“What I’ve done is combined all of the philosophies
and understanding from my past career and created
a space where people come to build a board and
deal with trauma and transition.
SB / #54 / 48

“Everything is hand shaped. We don’t use any
guides or templates, everything is all about
understanding, we want to give people the skills so
if they want to build a board at home, they can”, he
said.
Greg said it all started when he attended a
singular workshop in Perth and felt passion’s firm,
comforting grip for the first time.
“I built my son a nine-foot mal when he was three
months old through a six-day course over three
weekends, and when I left on the last day - I just
had this rush.
“I knew in that moment I felt passion. I was 37, and
I had never known what it felt like. So I got a couple
of wooden surfboard kits from the states and built
those, but I was actually pretty disappointed with
what I got.
“I just wanted for everyone to feel what I felt, so
I quit my job as a naturopath and reinvented the
board building process to make it more accessible.
I changed by path to building wooden surfboards,
and it just made sense,” he said.
After spending years in his shed developing and
refining the process of hollow wooden board
building, Greg founded Bodhi Tree Surfboards to
share his love of the craft with the world.
“Part of that passion I felt came from recognising
that I could buy every part of the process. I really
wanted to do it all myself. So I collect my own trees,
and in house learned how to machine everything.
“Wooden boards are stronger and structurally
integral even before they get glassed. The thing I
love most is that there’s no wrong way to build a
board, it’s just a relationship with the builder and
the method they’ve chosen. Its a labour of love,
“We service anybody, but the parameters of
the workshop have been set up for ex-defence
members and ex-first responders, cops, firies,
ambos and people who have suffered workplace
trauma. Because of the place we have set up, it’s a
trigger-free environment for them,” he said.
The wooden boards take from 60 to 80 hours to
build across three months, with the end result being
a unique wooden surfboard that is as beautiful as
it is functional. Greg said an important part of the
workshops is to have everyone make the boards
themselves.
“You have to let everything go before you form
a relationship with the board. They are not
cookie cutter things, there’s a lot that goes into a
surfboard. They are beautiful objects.
“We have about ten frames that we use, and from
those frames we can basically create any type of
board. We don’t replicate boards or copy anything,
but stylistically from those ten frames, we can make
anything from a kickboard up to a ten-and-a-halffoot
paddleboard.
The surfboards are what I love to
do with my life, and seeing what
the surfboards do for other
people, it just gives you that sense
of pride.
“In a throw-away society, we build boards that last
at least a lifetime,” he said.
Bodhi Tree was one of the first wooden board
makers to go to market in Western Australia, and
while the company remains a sustainable worldwide
source of custom hollow surfboards, Connected By
has become Greg’s true passion.
“The surfboards are what I love to do with my life,
and seeing what the surfboards do for other people,
it just gives you that sense of pride,” he said.
Connected By workshops are quiet, private and can
be booked by appointment only.
49 / #54 / SB
connectedby.org

SB / #54 / 50

51 / #54 / SB

See
the
wood
for
the
seas
Mark Riley shapes solid balsa
classics right through to a range of
high-performance surfboards built
with a recycled EPS foam core
and a 2-3mm balsa outer skin.
This makes the boards super
light as well as super strong.
Shortboards, longboards,
fishes, funboards and
paddle boards, Mark custom
shapes them all with an ecoconsciousness
second to none.
He also conducts board building
courses for the surfboard
enthusiast.
balsawoodsurfboardsriley.com
0412 376 464 | mark@riley.com.au
By Appointment: 156 President Ave, Miranda

EARTHLY YET
OUT OF THIS WORLD
email: outereye@gmail.com | phone: 02 6655 7007
outerislandsurfboards.com

When Rob from Tree to Sea Surfboards asked if I wanted to give
one of their eco-friendly Paulownia timber boards a go, I jumped at
the chance. I love surfing and spend most of my time on my CI Fever.
I’m a member of the Peninsula Surf Riders Club and love competing
in competitions. I mainly surf on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria
which gives us a huge variety of waves.
The board from Tree to Sea I’m riding is a 5’5 Vola Twin fin.
It’s super fun in smaller conditions and catches waves so easy.
One amazing bonus is how tough it is, its so easy to fix I don’t
have to hassle dad. Thanks heaps to the awesome crew at Tree to
Sea, I’m looking forward to lots of epic sessions on this little
beauty this Summer.
— Ava Holland (pictured)
TREE TO SEA
AUSTRALIA ECO Board
workshops are held
over 2 days
We have 14 or so models to choose from
ranging from performance shortboards,
fishes, guns, longboards and our
popular custom service. If you prefer
TREE TO SEA AUSTRALIA can build an
ECO Board for you.
“Firstly, Rob, Gary & Darren - thanks so
much for a hugely enjoyable and rewarding
workshop. Rob for the technical know how,
Gary for the patience, and Darren for the dirty
jobs! I am absolutely stoked with the outcome
and cannot believe we did it in 2 days. Back
home I am trying to not let my enthusiasm
get in the way of being patient, working out
the staining, sanding - 120 then 240 grit,
colouring, pin lines, varnishing etc.”
— Jason
The board has a very fast take off, easy pop up
and is really really fast down the line. Really
nice turns as well. Great bottom turn and
amazing tight but predictable turns off the top.
Super happy. The board got a lot of attention
on the beach. A lot of impressed onlookers
that discovered you can build a great board
with you guys. Thanks so much.”
— Andrew Hallett

GRANT HAS BEEN BUILDING
AND EXPERIMENTING WITH
WOODEN BOARDS FOR SOME
16 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN HIS
OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY OF
DISCOVERY AND LEARNING LED
BY THE INTRIGUE OF THE PAST
AND WHAT COULD BE DONE
WITH WHAT WE HAVE AT OUR
DISPOSAL TODAY.
He found there was a growing interest in
wooden boards and so in 2008 hosted the
first Wooden Surfboard Day at Currumbin on
the Gold Coast. An event that he has hosted
for 11 years and has attracted people from all
over the world. His wooden surfboard Blog
has had some 1.8 million visitors and been
a source of knowledge and inspiration to
others. He also assisted in the establishment
of the European Wooden Board Day in Spain
and attended the second event in 2019 at
Playa de Berria.
He has built wooden boards using many
different methods and materials along the
way. His preferred method is to vacuum
bag wood veneers over an eps core which
can then be glassed. This results in a board
very similar in weight and performance to a
traditional foam and fibreglass board. Wood
has a certain attraction and allure to many
people and if you are a surfer then a wooden
board is a must-have in your quiver.
GRANT IS WILLING
TO WORK WITH YOU
TO DESIGN AND
CRAFT THE WOODEN
BOARD OF YOUR
DREAMS. OR A GIFT
FOR A MATE, OR
CELEBRATING A
SPECIAL OCCASION.
surfboardsbygrantnewby.com
E: GRANTNEWBY@BIGPOND.COM
M: 0434 797 596
IG: @SURFBOARDSBYGRANTNEWBY
55 / #54 / SB

SB / #54 / 56

RECYCLED
WOOD
SUSTAINABLE
PLANTATION GROWN
TIMBER
WORKSHOPS
WOODENSURFBOARDSSHAPESBYSTEVEO
SHED 3 / 26 ACCESS CRESCENT
COOLUM BEACH QLD 4561
0421522503
STEVEOSUPERIOR1@GMAIL.COM
shapesbysteveo.com
57 / #54 / SB

AQUATIC

words: Amber O’Dell
photos: theoceancleanup.com
No doubt all of us are growing tired of
walking along our beautiful beaches and
spotting the occasional plastic bottle bobbing
over the waves, beer can half-buried in the
shore, or plastic bag being brought in with
the sea foam.
This garbage many of us have to pick up and move
out of the way of our beach towels are some of the
5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans. With our
rubbish being incredibly damaging to marine life,
it’s unfortunate that plastic is as common a sight as
fish nowadays, in fact, scientists predict plastics will
outweigh all fish species in our oceans by 2050.
While this is a damning and upsetting issue,
there are so many people doing truly incredible
and innovative things to clean up our oceans
that deserve to be spoken about. While large
media companies would prefer to shine a light on
controversial and environmental protesting, the
people that truly deserve the world’s attention
are those taking action and providing hope and
inspiration for others to do the same. One of these
incredible people is young Dutch inventor and
entrepreneur, Boyan Slat.
In 2011, Boyan was also tired of spotting rubbish on
the beaches of his home, so, at the age of 16, when
most of us were still figuring out how to socialise,
he decided to do something about the world’s
devastating ocean pollution.
Driven by his shock in seeing more plastic than fish
while scuba diving one day, Boyan said he came
up with an idea for a strategic and energy-efficient
solution to rid the world of large garbage patches
floating in the middle of the ocean.
“I wondered why we couldn’t just clean it up, and
that rather simple question stuck in my head.
“This plastic doesn’t go away by itself, and to just
let hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic be out
there fragmenting into these small and dangerous
microplastics to me seems like an unacceptable
scenario.”
While cleaning up ocean garbage is easy when it
washes up on our shore, it is not so much when it
is stuck circling in currents thousands of kilometres
away from land. So, Boyan’s solution was to create
long barriers to concentrate the plastic and act as
artificial coastlines where there is none.
“I envisioned an extremely long network of floating
barriers, they’re like curtains floating in the ocean
which are attached to the seabed. So what happens
is the current comes around and because it’s in
a V-shape, the plastic gets pushed towards the
centre.
“I came up with the idea of a curtain, not a net, so
there’s nothing sea life can get entangled with. The
system would also move very slowly, around four
inches per second on average. So the chances of
sea life being harmed were very minimal.”
At the age of 17, when most of us were having
nightmares about public speaking, Boyan presented
his idea in a TEDx talk in the city of Delft in the
Netherlands. In 2013, his passion and determination
led him to drop out of an aerospace engineering
course at the Delft University of Technology. It
was at this point that he founded the non-profit
organisation The Ocean Cleanup, which currently
has its HQ in Rotterdam.
Boyan said it was a challenge being in the CEO role
at the start of the organisation, but despite his many
failed attempts at creating a working prototype,
and his ironic problem of getting badly seasick,
he eventually created System 001, the first ocean
clean-up system, in September 2018.
“When I started, there was this consensus that you
could never clean this up, that the problem is way
too big, the ocean is way too rough. There was the
issue of bycatch - ‘plastic is too big, plastic is too
small’.
CARETAKER

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
“It was a feat we were pleasantly surprised to
achieve. When people say something is impossible,
the sheer absoluteness of that statement should be
a motivation to investigate further.”
In 2021, the team at The Ocean Cleanup, consisting
of 120 engineers, researchers, scientists and
more, made Boyan’s concepts into a reality with
the new and improved System 002, which is
currently harvesting every little bit of rubbish across
kilometres of open ocean, including tiny onemillimetre
microplastics.
Boyan said the trash collected by the clean-up
system is dumped on the ships pulling the barriers
and brought back to shore once a month, where it
is processed and recycled into new products. Using
the ocean plastic, the organisation created and sold
sunglasses with 100 percent of the proceeds going
back towards their clean-up efforts.
“We have been able to recycle it into a high quality,
useful product; something which was always
considered impossible because of the complex
nature of ocean plastic.
“But there is something else we tried to achieve
with this model, to show how plastic can be used
responsibly. What we’ve been able to accomplish
with these sunglasses I hope will already raise
the bar of what it means for a product to be
sustainable,” he said.
Thanks to the persistence and passion of Boyan,
The Ocean Cleanup has successfully cleansed
over 500,000 football fields worth of ocean. On
top of this, they have also collected over 100,000
kilograms of trash from the largest build-up of
ocean plastics on earth, the Great Pacific Garbage
Patch. Boyan said they started solely concentrating
Basically, just picture a mass of garbage about the size of the entire
state of Queensland floating in the middle of the ocean and trapped
circling in currents between Japan and the U.S.A.
• It is the largest of five offshore plastic garbage patches on earth
• According to studies conducted by The Ocean Cleanup,
86 percent of the rubbish comes from fishing activities, with 84
percent containing toxic chemicals.
• It is estimated the plastics in the patch originate mainly from
Japan, China and the USA.
on cleaning up the garbage patch because they felt
it was the most neglected environmental problem of
them all.
“The waste is mostly in international waters that are
sort of in no man’s land, and thus considered to be
not one nation’s problem.
“It’s a very strange experience to be four or five
days from the closest point of land, and you see
more plastic than you have in your life.”
Not only does The Ocean Cleanup believe in
removing plastics from the oceans, but also in
halting the trash flow from the rivers, which are the
main source of ocean plastic pollution. Boyan said
the rivers are the arteries that carry waste from the
land to the ocean, and that preventing pollution is
just as important as cleaning it up.
“We absolutely need to clean up the plastic that’s
already in the ocean. It won’t go away by itself. But
we do also need to make sure that no more plastic
enters the oceans in the first place. These things
should go hand in hand,” he said.
In 2017 the organisation invented the Interceptor
001, a river clean-up system that is placed at the
mouths of rivers and completely stops the flow of
rubbish to our oceans. Today, multiple iterations
of the technology are placed in various locations
across Malaysia, USA, Indonesia, and more. The
organisation hopes to eventually install versions of
the Interceptor across the 1000 top polluting rivers
that are responsible for roughly 80 percent of ocean
pollution.
The Ocean Cleanup is currently conceptualising the
third iteration of the clean-up system that is planned
to completely rid our ocean of the Great Pacific
Garbage Patch. System 03 will be comprised of
three vessels hauling a huge 2,500-meter-wide
barrier system and will also rely on drones to locate
garbage hot spots. Over the next few months the
organisation is planning on creating a fleet of 10
System 03’s. A massive project to say the least.
With their innovative new technology, Ocean
Cleanup boldly aims to remove 90 percent
of floating plastic by 2040. The non-profit
organisation is solely funded through donations and
sponsorships, and hopefully when the media sorts
out its environmental priority issues, more people
will be exposed to the wonderful work that Boyan
has done, and more people will be inspired to
donate or find solutions of their own to keep those
annoying plastic bottles off of our beaches.
“It will be very hard to convince everyone in the
world to handle their plastics responsibly, but what
we humans are very good in, is inventing technical
solutions to our problems.
“For society to progress, we should not only move
forward but also clean up after ourselves,” Boyan
said.
SB / #54 / 60

61 / #54 / SB
“It’s a very strange
experience to be
four or five days
from the closest
point of land, and
you see more
plastic than you
have in your life,”
Boyan said.

THE
ART
IS
SB / #54 / 62

the motion of surfing
art inspired by the sea
always on the move…
. . . is a haiku written by artist,
surfer and traveller Laura Feller
as a mantra for both her life and
work.
As an inspired artist and illustrator born in Austria,
Laura simply cannot help but have the travel bug.
Always going where her heart takes her, she has
journeyed from the lush wonders of New Zealand to
the pristine beaches of Australia to the tropical surfing
paradise of Bali.
Travelling inspires and drives everything Laura does,
which is why wherever she goes, her sketchbook
follows. Filled with wonderful watercolour illustrations,
her art perfectly depicts the small intricacies and
feelings of surfing and the picturesque places she visits
around the world.
In addition to her sketches of surfers carving up
watercolour waves, her art is also littered with skilfully
drawn architectural wonders inspired by her travels.
Laura said she attended art school and studied
architecture in the trendy and cultural city of Graz,
which is a place she calls home whenever she goes
back to Austria.
“I took my time and travelled a lot during my studies.
The further away and the more exotic the culture the
better. Different architecture, food, plants, animals,
languages and people are super interesting to me.
“It really makes you see our planet with open eyes
and teaches you to have awe in life. Looking back,
that’s why I changed my path from wanting to become
an architect to an artist. Well, of course surfing was
involved too,” she said.
Laura grew up on a small farm in the land-locked
country of Austria. Her summer holidays were by the
Mediterranean Sea, but while it was beautiful there,
the expanse of water is almost completely enclosed
by land and waveless. While she was very connected
to nature her whole life, Laura said she didn’t discover
surfing until she was 23.
“Getting into surfing was pure luck I would say. Back in
2016, I wanted to go on an exchange to Australia, but
the program didn’t work out, so I signed up for study in
Bali very last minute and not knowing too much about
it at all.
“A few months later I had my very first surf lesson
through uni on Kuta Beach. Then I found a few friends
who surfed, and I was hooked! I remember we often
surfed before and after uni, and I just couldn’t get
enough.
“The seven months there passed way too quickly, and
after one month of traveling in Australia afterwards I
was back home in Austria. It was early March and still
cold and all I could think about was ways to get back
into Bali and surf. As stubborn as I am, I made it work
somehow, and spent every study break in Indonesia
and also later in New Zealand,” she said.
For someone who grew up in a land-locked country,
it’s a miracle and a wonder that Laura has become so
passionate with surfing. Laura said she loves riding
the waves, not just because she likes being outside
and having fun with friends, but because it teaches her
patience and it’s not like any other sport she has tried.
“Surfing challenges you in so many ways physically
and mentally. So many factors have to play out in
order to catch a good wave. Pushing through those
frustrating moments helped me a lot to tackle other
hurdles in life, both privately and with work.
“The ocean calms you and challenges you at the same
time and is something that I find very freeing. What’s
cool is that you’ll never be the boss, and the ocean will
show you that from time to time. Eventually, you can
learn to have a good relationship with it, and you will
be rewarded.
“There’s nothing like coming off a wave that felt good,
you just can’t hide your smile afterwards and it will
make you paddle back out no matter how tired your
arms are already. It’s addictive, but in a good way,”
she said.
63 / #54 / SB

Laura’s love of the surf and the sea is reflected
in her rhythmic, flowing artwork. She said at the
beginning, her art and style were totally influenced
by architectural sketching, until she started to carry
a sketchbook around with her while travelling.
“I transformed from black and white line drawings
to watercolour, mostly because I just couldn’t
bring the surf scenes across the way I wanted with
a black pen. Exploring this new style, I actually
fell in love with it. Now I can express myself best
when combining line drawings with free-flowing
watercolour.
“I love sketching outside the most, there I can get
into a certain flow where my hand is moving freely
and producing what I see in a way that I could never
guide consciously and that doesn’t follow any rule.
These are the drawings that I’m most satisfied with
myself.
“You often don’t really know when and why
inspiration hits you for a certain painting, but there is
something that drives you, images in your head that
just want to come out. For some time, when a new
idea for a painting is in your head, you are almost
uncomfortable until you can bring it onto paper.
“In general, I would say my
biggest inspiration is ‘observing
closely’. For me it’s about the
little details, the hidden feelings
between the lines or a certain
atmosphere. I soak all of that up
and subconsciously transform it
into lines and surfaces,” she said.
Being a self-employed artist, Laura has a lot of fun
letting loose her creativity with the many private
commissions she’s taken on. From mural paintings,
portraits of homes and window illustrations to
artwork for websites, flyers and books - she leaves
behind a trail of dazzling drawings wherever she
travels. Laura said the one thing she loves about her
job is that she gets a lot of different enquires.
“Private commissions are always special, because
people share their stories with me and give me their
trust to transform it into a painting. My favourite
piece that I have done is probably a mural where
I have combined frame prints into a panoramic
SB / #54 / 64

65 / #54 / SB
drawing of a landscape showing different places where I
have travelled to. With my background in architecture, it’s
super interesting to me to transform rooms and spaces
with art,” she said.
While Laura’s artistic motifs often include surfing,
architecture and anything that she can observe around
her, she also has a strong interest in sustainability across
all sectors, especially when it comes to architecture. Laura
said she tries to shift her focus to sustainable projects as
much as she can.
“I don’t only want to draw my environment, but also for the
environment. Making an impact with my work is always
something that drives me. With my illustrations I want to
make important information visible for a larger group of
people and help to make the world a little bit of a better
place.
“In the past year I have illustrated and written a children’s
book. It’s an activity book where you can playfully explore
a lot about ecological footprints and learn how to see
everything on this planet as connected. The book aims to
show the huge potential there is to live happily and more
in tune with nature. I am still looking for a publisher who
shares my passion and wants to realise this project with
me.
“Looking at things through kids’ eyes can teach you so
much and I’m always learning lots from them for my work
and life in general,” she said.
In 2018, she bumped into her future husband, Tom, while
surfing in Portugal. Laura said she was incredibly lucky to
find a person who shares her dreams, and she can’t even
imagine going on surfing adventures without him.
“For the past one and a half years I have been at home,
but my husband and I have recently moved back to Bali to
stay for a year. I just love the tropical weather and food of
Bali, and with the friendly and kind people and the amazing
waves, it’s just paradise on earth,” she said.
While Laura adores travelling the beaches and wonders of
the world with her sketchbook in hand, she said the most
difficult part of following the waves is that it always comes
with being away from her family and friends.
“At the moment I am moving around a lot to try and
balance time with loved ones, living by the sea, and work,
which is not always easy. I feel like I have three places I call
home and I can’t split myself in three pieces.
“Every move naturally comes with a lot of heartbreak, but
also joy and excitement, Sometimes I think if we had a
wave pool in Austria the decision of where to live would be
easy, but in the end that’s not true. Honestly, I’d still have
the travel bug,” she said.
Laura’s collections of inspired artwork and illustrations can
be found on her website,
www.laurafeller.com, Instagram, @laurafellerart, and
Facebook, Always On The Move/laurafellerart.

W
W
SB / #54 / 66

AYNE’S
ORLD
IN WHAT IS A SEEMINGLY UNLIKELY LOCATION,
SOME 50KM OUTSIDE OF DENMARK ON THE
SOUTH COAST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA IS
THE LARGEST PUBLICLY DISPLAYED PRIVATE
COLLECTION OF HISTORIC AND COLLECTABLE
SURFBOARDS IN AUSTRALIA.
words: Angus Brown
photos: supplied courtesy of Wayne Winchester
67 / #54 / SB

Wayne Winchester is the man behind this new and
exciting venture which opened its doors in early
2022. Wayne has been working on living the dream
for half a century, not only shaping, repairing and
restoring boards, but most importantly surfing,
photographing, filming and amassing a collection of
historic boards and memorabilia.
As a young man in the 70s and 80s, Wayne was
living in the Perth area when his passion for all
things surfing led him towards making boards in his
family backyard shed. Over time he shaped under a
range of brands including Boom Shankar, Tin Can
Surfboards, Salt Fever and Winchester. In the 80s,
Wayne and his wife Carol managed to have a team
of staff working and shaping boards.
Wayne was absorbed in the surfing lifestyle as a
young man, though he is quick to point out that
although he loved everything surf-related, including
running a board shaping business, he always
worked a real job on the side to help supplement
his lifestyle. While his shaping business was
successful, he soon found a niche in the market
offering surfboard repairs.
While most of the surf shops in the Perth area at the
time sold boards, very few offered a repair service.
So, Wayne and his team developed a reputation for
delivering quality board repairs and soon after most
of the shops in the Perth area were referring to him.
Wayne identified that board repair was relatively
lucrative as making boards (similar to today) was a
very time-consuming and expensive process with
often very tight margins.
We will address Wayne’s Surf Gallery and
“Evolution of the Surfboard’ exhibition later, but
for now we wanted to catch up with him and pick
his brain on surfboard restoration and surfboard
collecting - both of which are his key passions and
has led him to where he is today.
RESTORATION
Wayne was keen to differentiate between surfboard
repair and surfboard restoration.
“Repairs are usually done to everyday riders and
are generally just to fix specific areas of damage to
keep the board in a surfable condition.
AS A YOUNG MAN IN THE
70S AND 80S, WAYNE
WAS LIVING IN THE
PERTH AREA WHEN
HIS PASSION FOR ALL
THINGS SURFING LED
HIM TOWARDS MAKING
BOARDS IN HIS FAMILY
BACKYARD SHED
“Restoration involves a much deeper and complex
process. The work is generally done to specific
vintage surfboards and involves the entire board,”
he said.
Approaches to surfboard restoration vary. Some
‘hard’ restoration processes can be quite intensive,
as basically all of the fibreglass is removed leaving
only the original blank, with the board being built
back up using new decals, colours and glass.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have all seen
those restoration jobs where an old board receives
a paint job on the outside of the glass and a new
shiny clear coat to retain only the tapped off logo,
shape and rails of the original board. As a collector
and surf historian, Wayne takes a more measured
and honest approach to his restoration work.
“Restoration demands a different level of respect.
It’s about preserving culture and it aligns with my
technical, environmental and artistic approach to
life,” he said.
SB / #54 / 68

69 / #54 / SB

HE ATTEMPTS TO SOURCE PERIOD
CORRECT FINS AND, IF REQUIRED,
CORRECT DECALS AND LOGOS. EVEN
MAINTAINING MUCH OF THE PATINA,
SUCH AS THE YELLOWING AND
MARKS OF A WELL-USED AND LOVED
SURFBOARD, IS IMPORTANT TO HIM.
WAYNE OF COURSE TAKES SERIOUS
EFFORTS TO COLOUR MATCH AND
REPAIR ANY DESIGNS OR ARTWORKS.
SB / #54 / 70

Bringing surfboards back from the brink to where
they are valued and appreciated is intrinsically
rewarding for Wayne. Some of his clients want
to surf the boards again, and others want them
as display items or even to sell, which is also a
factor in how the restoration is approached. While
he considers the customer’s desires, he prefers a
‘softer’ approach to restoration.
Authenticity is key for Wayne, as he likes to keep
as much of the original fabric and material of the
boards as possible. He focusses on repairing any
of the damage and structural issues using minimal
impact and the correct materials.
“My involvement in the surfing industry since the
late 60s has given me the knowledge to undertake
the work in a manner that is sympathetic to the
era that the board was made, using period correct
materials and techniques,” he said.
He attempts to source period correct fins and,
if required, correct decals and logos. Even
maintaining much of the patina, such as the
yellowing and marks of a well-used and loved
surfboard, is important to him. Wayne of course
takes serious efforts to colour match and repair any
designs or artworks.
Surfboard condition is typically ranked on a 1 to
10 scale. Wayne notes that while not all boards
can be restored back to a high rank, with a good
restoration job, all boards can be improved.
COLLECTABILITY.
It’s impossible to explore surfboard restoration
without delving into the subject of surfboard
collectability and value. Wayne reports that he
noticed the collectability and monetary value of
old surfboards had become increasingly apparent
in the 2000’s. Prior to this, although there were
collectors, there wasn’t as broader demand or real
appreciation for the importance and historic value of
surfboards.
But, given the growth of the wide-spread appeal
of surfing, this situation has changed. Wayne talks
of the ‘40-year factor’ in collecting which can be
seen in a whole range of areas such as music,
furniture, fashion or any pop culture objects where
items can become highly desirable again. This
may be because of trends returning, or people
wanting to connect with their past (and some 40
years later they have the means and time to revisit
this influential time of their life) or the quality and
craftsmanship finally being recognised in a world of
mass production.
“You can consider value in terms of monetary terms
or emotional terms,” he said.
In terms of general collectable demand and
monetary value there are a couple of core
considerations: age, condition and providence.
Wayne notes that originally it was the boards of
the 50s and 60s that were sought after and had
the highest value. This then extended to the single
fins of the 70s and now, much to his surprise, the
fluorescent thrusters of the 80s. He is not sure
how this will translate for the mass-produced, thin
banana boards of the nineties but hey, you never
know!
71 / #54 / SB

Example of providence -
Martin Potters board on the
cover of Tracks magazine.
SB / #54 / 72

The overall condition of the board is also an important
factor, whether this be its original condition or
restored condition. As discussed, boards are rated on
a 1 to 10 scale in terms of condition. The boards that
are typically in better condition are more collectable.
This is where the quality of the restoration process in
terms of enhancing the boards condition plays a big
role.
However, providence is the most significant and often
unknown factor in terms of making a board financially
valuable. Providence refers to the verified background
of the board, including the shaper, the brand, the
decals, the artwork, and the people who have ridden
it. These all add to the story, history and importance
of a board. For the average surfer who has a couple
of old boards under the house, this is one of the
most difficult areas to determine. Those of us who
don’t have an intimate knowledge of surfing history
probably don’t pay much attention to many of these
details. Being able to identify the tangible history of
the board helps to determine its true value. Searching
for clues such as the brand, the shaper and any
identifying features can assist with this investigative
process. Wayne advised a good starting point is the
surfsearch.com.au website.
THE SURF GALLERY
‘EVOLUTION OF THE
SURFBOARD’
Over his years in the industry, Wayne amassed an
impressive collection of rare and collectible boards.
When running his shaping and repair factory in Perth,
surfers would often trade their old boards for the latest
models.
“People didn’t see the value in old single fins, they
were seeking to get their hands on the latest thruster,”
he said.
Despite not having any plans for the growing
collection at the time, he maintained a deep
appreciation for the craftsmanship and artwork
associated with these boards so he couldn’t help
but keep them. Wayne explained that at the time,
those boards were not considered collectable, as
they weren’t that old. It wasn’t until the early 2000s,
when the sport of surfing become a major industry,
that people really started to appreciate them for their
cultural and historical significance.
Forward some 30 or so years later, Wayne decided it
was time display his hidden treasures.
He curated some hugely successful “Evolution of the
Surfboard” exhibitions in Albany and Esperance and
received a lot of interest in his collection. Momentum
continued to build but the logistics of transporting
and displaying his boards proved prohibitive. So
Wayne, with the support of his wife Carol, sought
and identified a suitable property on the highway at
Youngs Siding. Previously it was a dairy farm and at
the time of purchase in 2020 it housed a Woodwork
Shop.

SB / #54 / 74

After significant hard work and refurbishment, this became
the permanent location for what is today the largest private
collection on public display of surfboards in Australia. The
exhibition space and display are of a very high standard and
Wayne talks of drawing inspiration from MONA in Tasmania.
It is apparent when visiting the venue that Wayne has a focus
and attention to detail that is present in all he undertakes.
Wayne with Neves and
the Mexican Board
The surf gallery houses an extensive collection of
boards dating back to the origins of surfing through the
development of the surfboard up until the current day. It
is hard to describe the quality and historical importance of
some of these boards but consider some highlights such
as an original 1975 Jerry Lopez Lightning Bolt, a 1968
George Greenough Spoon and a 1981 Michael Peterson
Winterspoon. But there are so many more, some 80 in total,
on show.
There are also a range of historic photos and a curated film
on display taken by Wayne and his brother that transport you
back in time. The exhibition also includes a brief evolution of
the skateboard from the 60s to the 80s along with a viewing
window into Wayne’s workshop where, if you are lucky, you
can see him working his magic.
Since opening, Wayne continues to develop his collection,
with people often giving him surfing memorabilia knowing
it will be valued and may be given the opportunity to be
appreciated by a broader audience.
Alongside the gallery is a coffee shop (for which Carol bakes
fresh cakes daily) and a restored dairy shed and meeting
place which makes for a great place to chill and reflect on
this little gem of a setup. In the near future there will be
opportunities for related artists to access gallery space so
keep an eye out on the website for more information.
thesurfgallery.com.au
surfboardresto.com.au
IT IS HARD TO DESCRIBE
THE QUALITY AND
HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE
OF SOME OF THESE BOARDS
BUT CONSIDER SOME
HIGHLIGHTS SUCH AS AN
ORIGINAL 1975 JERRY
LOPEZ LIGHTNING BOLT, A
1968 GEORGE GREENOUGH
SPOON AND A 1981 MICHAEL
PETERSON WINTERSPOON.
THE MEXICAN
When talking about value to an individual it is not
necessarily about financial worth. Wayne’s favourite and
personally most valuable board is ‘The Mexican’. He
obtained the board in the 80s and it is the one he feels the
most attached too. The board is a short twin fine shaped by
Ian Keightly in 1976 (Mt Pleasant WA) and depicts a lonely
Mexican riding a donkey across the desert, with perfect
unridden barrels in the background. For Wayne, this image
captured and continues to conjure up the allure of surfing
and travel in the 70s, with a world of unknown waves to be
ridden by adventurous surfers.
The story of this board became even more interesting when
Wayne was able to locate the artist, Neves Sumner, who
airbrushed the image at 16 years of age. Wayne described
the moment as being quite emotional when he was able
to show the board to Neves some 40 plus years later. The
Mexican takes pride of place in the exhibition.
75 / #54 / SB

7’10 X 20 X 27/8
Foam and wood, single
fin, flat bottom - vee in tail.
For bigger waves!
SAM EGAN
SURFBOARDS
M: 0408 676 481
E: samegansurf@icloud.com
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the lineup...
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DESIGNS
PHONE: 02 4456 4038
MOBILE: 0427 767 176
EMAIL: markrab88@gmail.com
mark_rabbidge_surf_design
different to the rest.
SB / #54 / 76

Quality build. Satisfaction guaranteed.
FUN BUILD THIS ONE
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THE DING KING /
CLARK SURFBOARDS
Units 7 & 8, 9 Chapman Road,
Hackham, SA
E: leightonclark01@yahoo.com.au
M: 0422 443 789
02 6685 6211 2/7 Acacia St, Byron Bay
6’1 X 19 1/2 X 2 7/16
L: The “Compass” model -
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E: dsshapes@gmail.com
M: 0475 408 198
ED SINNOTT
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M: 0404 059 321
E: axissurf@yahoo.com.au
W: espsurfboards.com
@EDSINNOTTSURFBOARDS
77 / #54 / SB

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SB / #54 / 78
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M: 0434 211 779
Photo Credit: Hewysurf Photography
Burford Blanks
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Located in Currumbin, we have
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Whether you know exactly what
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79 / #54 / SB
MORGASBOARDER • SMORGASBOARDER • SMORGASBOARDER •

SB / #54 / 80

NZ BRICKS
MORTALS
NEW ZEALAND , S BEST SURF SHOPS
81 / #54 / SB

Out There,
DOIN’ IT!
“This is my shop!” - a fair comment, if it’s coming
from the person who owns it, however, so often
it’s from a customer. It’s humbling, as you know
you’re on the right track when you inadvertently hear
comments like that as they walk past the door telling
their friends about the store.
“I buy all my gear from here” - so many do, and it’s
appreciated.
We’ve been around a while here at NZSHRED.
From our conception in the mid-80’s out of a need
to fund a Southern Hemisphere snow holiday, to
the modern day where we cater for all sorts of
fashion and sport orientated hardware and apparel
requirements. From our roots in snow and skate,
through to surf and SUP, to the modern era of wake,
foil and bike. Like so many other customers remind
us - “You have a bit of everything in here!”. There is
a lot of product in our little footprint – it really is like
owning your very own toy shop.
The development of a relationship with our
customers is at the core of our NZSHRED
community. It’s as much about understanding the
marketplace, reading the customer requirements
or paying the bills as it is being honest to ourselves
and making sure we are also ‘getting out there and
doing it’!
I’ve always found it funny when sitting with a
customer fitting them into a new pair of snowboard
boots or trying them in a good pair of goggles and
they comment - “Well, you could sell me anything, I
suppose”. And partly, they are right. A salespersons
skill is sometimes misconstrued as their ability to
convince a customer that they need a particular
item. I’d like to think we take a very different
approach and our reply to their suggestion is - “But,
I will see you in the lift line”, and we do! There is
no better feeling than to be waved at randomly by
someone sporting their new kit, proud as punch,
and, just like us, they’re ‘out there doing it!’.
Sitting in the line-up some months ago at our
closest break on the New Zealand South Island’s
very south coast, the swell had dropped out and
I had time between sets to loose myself in the
magic of the morning sun reflecting on the water
and the glassiness that was suggesting to me
perhaps a switch to a SUP would keep me out there
for another hour or so. As I perused those hardy
folks, who no doubt were having similar thoughts
to me, I recognised a recent customer sporting
a 7’6” funboard purchased just days before. He
was ‘out there doing it’, as were the group of local
Queenstown girls, eating their breakfast after their
“There is no
better feeling
than to be waved
at randomly by
someone sporting
their new kit,
proud as punch,
and, just like us,
they’re ‘out there
doing it!’.”

morning session while watching the tiny swells meander into the bay
from the side of their campervan. Two of the wetsuits hanging from
the back door were literally hanging instore just days before.
I think this is what owning a shop is really about, the ability to be part
of your own community, to do the things you like and sell that game to
your customers.
Whether it’s some early morning laps up the Remarkables, or a
session with friends in the backcountry of the Doolans,
It could be negotiating messy peaks at Colac Bay, or a sunset SUP
paddle and a beer on Lake Wakatipu.
Or, just getting that endless powder fix on our annual Japan snow
tour.
In equal measure, we must strive for the products to facilitate the
tasks, as much as we encourage and embrace the drive to stay ‘out
there, doing it’!
Real Surf
“Real Surf is a locally owned and operated Core Surf Store
specialising in surfboards, wetsuits, hardware and rentals. Come
check out our new store just down the road at 5/56 Kingsford
Smith St, Lyall Bay, Wellington.
“We’re open 7 days a week with a friendly and experienced team
ready to help out with your next purchase!
Alternatively check out our website for the latest products and
sale deals at www.realsurf.co.nz or find us on social media.”
+64 4 387 8798
www.realsurf.co.nz
team@realsurf.co.nz
In the 80’s we printed t-shirts as kids
with our surf designs in our beach
garage. Coupled with home made surf
wax and board repairs, our surf brand
was a family affair.
Today the prints are available worldwide
through our online store. Our shirts are
hand-crafted and made with the same
love and aloha from the 80s. We stock
authentic Hawaiian shirts, single
fins, vintage art and all things
longboard. We have strong
connections to Australia
with Michael Saggus
Longboards and Surf
organic wax. Find us
under the palm trees of
Mount Maunganui.
169 Maunganui Rd,
Mt Maunganui Beach
P: (07)5743888
NZ SHRED
words: jase johns
www.nzshred.co.nz
mountlongboards.com
83 / #54 / SB

SUP CENTRE
In days heavily reliant on online shopping and web
orders, at the SupCentre we still recognise the
importance of an in-store experience. With our shop
conveniently located near Auckland’s CBD, we aim to
be a one-stop shop for all your watersport needs.
In-store we not only stock an extensive range of quality
brands but a variety of clothing, accessories and hard
goods. Customers of the store are always met with
our friendly, knowledgeable staff who can answer your
questions, provide you with local advice or are just
down to have a yarn about all things surf and SUP.
By buying in-store not only do you get to try on gear,
compare boards and view or test products but you
are more likely to walk away with a board that is a
perfect fit for you and your needs. An in-store surf shop
experience is unparalleled. Whether it be the live surf
comps streamed in the shop, a peek inside our fin box
or our exclusive instant coffee service from our wellknown
neighbour’s Cafe Laffare. A trip to SupCentre
will leave you feeling psyched and ready for your next
mission!
So be sure to pop in store for a good time and great
deals. You are in good hands with Auckland’s shop for
all things stand-up paddle, surf and foil.
P: 09 520 3366
20 MELROSE STREET, NEWMARKET,
AUCKLAND 1023, NEW ZEALAND
supcentre.co.nz
Your stand
up paddle
boarding
specialists.
Moana
SUP and Surf
Your stand up paddleboarding specialists
We’re a locally owned Nelson-based business specialising
in everything SUP and driven by our passion for the
magnificent Moana.
Our premium range of NZ inspired stand up paddleboards
and accessories are designed by kiwis, tested on kiwis, and
paddled all over Aotearoa and beyond. Having fine tuned
every detail of every board, we believe we have a range
of boards that will get your whānau out there enjoying the
Moana. So if you are looking for a flat water cruiser or a
wave machine, we can hook you up!! Pop in and check out
our range, try a demo, and get amongst it. We also stock
a great range of quality Moana clothing and merchandise,
as well as other well-known surf brands like Vissla, Xcel,
Sisstrevolution, and O’Neill.
Whether you want advice on which board is best for you,
the ultimate paddleboarding locations or any advice
remotely related to the ocean - don’t be shy, it’s our favourite
thing to kōrero about. We paddle, we surf, we play, and we
enjoy being out there as much as you do.
Come see us at Shop 2,
623 Rocks Road, Moana,
Nelson, 7011, visit us online at
moananzsup.co.nz, drop us an email
at boards@moananzsup.co.nz,
or give us a bell on 027 285 0772.
We ship nationwide.
SB / #54 / 84

Pedal and Paddle
With over 25 years of experience in
recreational activities on the land and sea,
Pedal and Paddle is a cycle and surf store
with soul at the gateway to the Coromandel.
Whether it is a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard, we have enlarged
hire fleets available for you to experience the pristine coast in
your own way. Or, if you prefer to explore on land, we have a
comprehensive range of E-bikes for you to traverse the urban jungles
and Mountain Bikes for you to immerse yourself in the forest regions.
In alignment with our obligation to preserve the environment, this
summer we are actively promoting and committing to the collection of
rubbish with our TRU NORTH initiative in respect to the land and sea.
As part of this, we are proud to announce that we are now a key
stockist of Helly Hanson’s sustainably sourced professional-grade
range of clothing and gear.
If you are passing through in your self-contained campervan,
you are invited to stay at our Little Onion Parkover, an animal
friendly campground nestled next to the serene water of the upper
Whangamata harbour complete with barbeques and supplied kayaks.
We also welcome you to take advantage of our store boat ‘Castaway’
to deliver you to the quiet haven of the peninsular beaches for a surf
or a picnic.
Pedal and Paddle is here to make
your experiences on the land or sea
unforgettable all year round.
Full range of NZ Kayaks,
and all equipment
www.pedalandpaddle.co.nz
85 / #54 / SB

SADHANA SURFBOARDS
NZ Board Building Supplies
NZ Board Builder Supplies, is New Zealand’s only online specialist
shapers supplier.
Stocking a full range of Bennett PU and EPS blanks, known for their
whiteness, small cell structure, consistent density, strength and
lightness. We also have fibreglass cloth and tapes, polyester and
epoxy resins, Shapers tools, DIY kits and installation equipment.
Whether you’re a seasoned shaping veteran or a backyard expert, we
have the tested, professional equipment to craft your own board.
Buy online or visit us in store at Sadhana Surfboards, Christchurch.
Shipping New Zealand Wide
sadhanasurfboards.co.nz
+64 03 3895611 sales@sadhanasurfboards.com
Ultimate Surf
& Skate
Ultimate Surf & Skate has been
Auckland’s premium core surf & skate
shop since 2000, supplying New Zealand
with quality gear that’s been tested and
proven by our crew.
We’re New Zealand’s biggest stockist of
Firewire and Haydenshapes surfboards,
with many other amazing brands such as
Christenson, Tokoro, Salt Gypsy, NSP
and many more.
Tested and proven wetsuits from
Billabong, Vissla, C-Skins and
Sisstrevolution.
Next time you’re up in Auckland
come visit us in our huge
showroom and have a chat
with our very experienced,
knowledgeable and friendly
staff. We’ll make sure you’re on
the correct gear and/or advice
before leaving the store
+64 9 476 7000
ultimatesurfnskate.co.nz
‘Ultimate Surf & Skate -
by surfers, for surfers’
SB / #54 / 86

BEACH FRONT CAFE
OFFERING BREAKFAST, LUNCH
OR AN AFTER SURF BEER!
Beachstreet
Beachstreet Surf Shop - is a core surf shop, locally
owned and operated, just up from Fitzroy Beach.
We stock surfing products for all types of wave
riding. Home to local brands Lost in the 60’s and
Blacksand.
Also offering trade in’s, ding repair, hire equipment
and stand-up paddle and surf coaching.
Beachstreet Surf Shop, it’s all about surfing!
+64 6-758 0400
chip@hotmail.co.nz
CONTACT
+6 4387 4539
cafe@maranui.co.nz
7 Lyall Parade, Lyall Bay,
Wellington, New Zeland

AUS
AUSTRALIA , S BEST SURF SHOPS
BRICKS
MORTALS
SB / #54 / 88

89 / #54 / SB

HUGE CHOICE.
UNBEATABLE PRICES.
BEST ADVICE.
SB / #54 / 90

HANDMADE SURFBAORDS
MORE THAN
JUST A
SURF STORE.
Open every day from
19th Dec - Xmas Eve: 9am-5pm
TEXT US!
0408 068 068
WE’RE HAVING
TECHNICAL ISSUES
WITH OUR LANDLINE.
Mon, Wed & Fri: 9am-5pm
Sat & Sun: 10am-3pm
29 Ipswich Rd,
Woolloongabba QLD 4102
(parking at rear on Gibbon Street)
office@goodtime.com.au
goodtime.com.au
91 / #54 / SB

Peter White still making the surfboards locally in
Eumundi with the showroom open for convenience in
Noosaville. Our showroom address is Unit 3/37 Project
Ave Noosaville, next to the Land and Sea brewery.
Appointments to see Peter in the factory can
be via EMAIL: peter@classicmalibu.com
and/or PHONE: 0402 106 616
Unit 3/37 Project Ave, Noosaville, qld
info@classicmalibu.com
Ph: 07 5474 3122 / Janet: 0409 004 760
classicmalibu.com
@classicmalibusurfboards
SB / #54 / 92

More than
200 years
board
building
experience
under one
roof
Since 1969 this familyowned
surf brand has tied
the coastal community
of Philip Island together
with not one, but two
surf stores. Island has
become renowned for
their quality hand-shaped,
custom boards and their
generational knowledge on
everything surf related.
Their store on Smiths Beach
just happens to be home to
one of the most established
surf schools in Australia.
Island’s location is so close
to the surf you can almost
feel the sea spray while
perusing their wide selection
of performance surfboards
and all the accessories
and clothing a surfer could
possibly need to enjoy their
time in the water.
+613 5952 2578
islandsurfboards.com.au
cowes@islandsurfboards.com.au
147 Thompson Avenue, Cowes
225 Smiths Beach Rd, Smiths Beach
@islandsurfboards

10%
off
ONLINE
“REVIVAL10”
at checkout
Brunswick Surf
1/12 The Terrace,
Brunswick Heads NSW
p: 02 6685 1283
brunswicksurf.com.au
1/25 coldstream strett,
yamba, nsw
02 6646 3454
revivalyamba.com.au
HUTCHINSON 7’ x 18 ¼ x 2 7/8
MORE THAN
JUST A SURF
CLOTHING
STORE!
WE STOCK
BODYBOARDS,
SKATE, SURF
HARDWARE AND
A FINE DISPLAY
OF CLASSIC
SURFBOARDS.
The Anglesea Surf Centre is situated in
the heart of the Surfcoast, 10 minutes
from the surf capital of Torquay and
twenty minutes from the popular coastal
get away Lorne.
Located right on the Great Ocean Road,
we are famous for our friendly and
helpful service, huge range of new and
second hand surfboards, wetsuits and
accessories.
lowpressuresurf.com.au
68 Prince St Grafton NSW
Phone: 02 6643 5551
noel@lowpressuresurfco.com.au
SOL 6’8” x 19 x 2 7/8
111 great ocean road,
Anglesea vic
03 5263 1530
angleseasurfcentre.com.au
@anglesea_surf_centre
SB / #54 / 94

40 years in the making, the store was founded on
following the alternate and freeing surf lifestyle. With
an awe-inspiring store, Natural Necessity is the
largest single doorway surf shop in Australia boasting
an assortment of surfing fashion, hardware and a
stunning gallery of over 1000 boards.
Located in Gerringong a couple hours south of
Sydney, the store is one of the Smorgasboarder
crew’s all-time favourites. Indeed, when we’re asked
about the best surf stores we’ve ever seen, Natural
Necessity is always one of the first that comes to
mind.
Natural Necessity Surf Shop
115 Fern St, Gerringong NSW
(02) 4234 1636
naturalnecessity.com.au
@naturalnecessity
95 / #54 / SB

HED NINE
REW
OMING
HROUGH
Shed Nine, the core, surf, skate, bodyboard, snow and foil store in Rye, Victoria is run by mutli-boarding
legend Eddie Wearne. There is not much he can’t ride and Eddie has had two feature articles over the past
decade so when we approached him for our “Bricks and Mortar” edition he was surfing alone in a remote
Indonesian tidal bore and said “Lets do something on the next generation of our team riders and staff
because They Are The Future! Lets stoke out the Groms! There are plenty of talented kids coming up on
our coast and around Oz, and although we can’t sponsor them all, we will do what we can! Support Your
Independent Bricks And Mortar, They Have Community At Heart!
SB / #54 / 96

Lilly is a fearless, talented and committed skater,
her favorite moves are frontside tailslides and
backside airs, she loves any white stripes tune old
school Elton and Hip Hop like her mum.
Sponsors: Shed Nine | Pic: mum
LILLY
SHERRIFF
OWEN
FAIRWEATHER
(16 yo Junior World Kneeboard champ and staff)
O-dog loves pit to roundhouse cutback combos
and cant wait to get to the Mentawis.
Sponsors: Shed Nine, Balin,
Mick Pierce Shapes
Pic: bruce sherlock
SPENCER
DAVIS
(17 yo surfer, skater & snowboarder and staff
member) Spence is a multi board, mutlti sponsored,
techno shred head. He hopes to surf and dj his way
around the coast of Oz, some day.
Sponsors: Shed Nine, Adelio, 3D Fins, ZFlex
Pic: Jeff lease
JETT
HARRISON
(16 yo surfer and staff member) Jett was
last years most improved junior in the local
‘Peninsula Boardriders Club”. Well sponsored,
he dreams of running a boat in the Mentawai’s so
he can surf amazing waves every day.
Sponsors: Zion, OAM, Shed Nine,
Two Boys Kombucha
Pic: peninsula sports
photography
97 / #54 / SB
shednine.com
362 dundas street
rye ocean beach, vic

pic: @corabezemersurf
The
Harries
Pro 9’1”
Introducing the Harries Pro. It looks
like a Mal but it rides like a short board.
This board, which features Sunova's
BalsaFlex construction technology, is
so free and loose that no one believes a
Longboard can be surfed so radically.
The Harries PRO is the ultimate
performance longboard, striking a fine
balance between competitive edge and
longboarding tradition.
benbucklerboards.com.au

AVAILABLE NOW AT YOUR LOCAL SURF STORE
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