Aust. Surfing Life Board Bible 2011 by Morrison Media

b o A r d

The incredible ASl boArd TeST goeS

UP The coAST

24 boArdS And oUr deePeST TeSTing yeT + HARDWARE Back through time FINS They’re too good SOFTBOARD CHALLENGE Iron vs Plastic AND MORE

b i b l e

2 0 1 1

CONTENTS 04 THE ASL BOARD TEST “Look! I can surf two at once!”

We’re sooo RAV.

Hell of a quiver. “Finished?? Don’t make me laugh.”

In ASL’s unmissable annual breakdown on the state of the surfboard art, our crack team of analysts tear apart a quiver worth trying – and find out a bunch about the boardmakers’ world in the process. 06 BAILLIE – small-wave sensible 08 BALIN – surfs bigger than it looks 10 CLEARWATER – a fine tuned gem 12 DIVERSE – great use of a new dress 14 DIVISION – just what the market ordered 16 DP – a happy accident 18 DURANBAH – defending the flag 20 GOODTIME – you’d be surprised 22 GRAVELLE – the master’s touch 24 HAMMO – the high performance niche 26 ISLAND – pro-level adjustments 28 JR – way too much squirt 30 LOWEN88 – making four fins work 32 MAD – the international influence 34 MG – just going for stoke 36 PRIME – the sturdy alternative 38 RIP CURL/DHD – she’ll do anything you like 40 RMS – creative use of the vee 42 SANTA CRUZ – would Ozzie go? 44 STUART – a classy formula reborn 46 TAKEDA – amazing what one man can do 48 WALLBRIDGE – shut up and ride it! 50 WEAPON – the value of colour 524 XANADU – one straight out of the box

54 HARDWARE

How far have we come?? Mark Rosenberg and Will Hayden-Smith track boardbags, leggies, deck grip, wax and their fellow travellers from the Dark Ages on through. Each thinks: “God I rip.”

58 FINWORLD

They’re clean, they’re refined, they’re pretty much flawless. Where can we possibly go from here? Nick Carroll asks the designers what’s around the corner for fins and their systems.

60 THE SOFTBOARD CHALLENGE “No, Mikey, you hold it like this.”

Forget the goddam Coolangatta Gold, here’s the Burleigh Heads Flapa-Thon. See what happens when you unleash some of the nation’s best young waterkids on some of the nation’s comﬁest craft.

63 SHOWCASE // 68 DIRECTORY

24 more boards and contact details for everyone involved!

002 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

WRITING+WHIPCRACKING_NICK CARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY_ADAM WEATHERED + ANDREW SHIELD ACTION VID_NICK POLLET ASSORTED ASL UNDERLINGS_WILL H SMITH, TOM DAWSON, MARK ROSENBERG, GRA MURDOCH If you think Testing’s a piece of cake, you should see what we do to some of the boards. Ryan Callinan putting one up to the task. (See page 28 for the next shot.)

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 003

THE ASL BOARD TEST 2011

Power Man JOSH FULLER 31, 6’1”, 78kg Pottsville

Mr Muscle CLINT KIMMINS 26, 5’10”, 80kg Burleigh Heads

Charger RYAN HIPWOOD 25, 5’9”, 84kg Burleigh Heads

Next Big Thing RYAN CALLINAN 18, 5’10”, 70kg Merewether

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US OUT WITH STUFF: CREATURES OF LEISURE, FCS, FUTURES, 4WAY, SHAPERS, DAKINE, BALIN, MRS PALMERS. 004 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

...UP THE COAST WITHOUT A PADDLE...

Air Supergrommet MIKEY WRIGHT 14, 5’5”, 50kg Lennox Head

Ms Magniﬁcent TYLER WRIGHT 16, 5’7”, 64kg Lennox Head

Yes folks. There were no paddles involved in this Test…though we thought about giving it a go with one of the boards, at least. Not a SUP to be seen, we’re afraid. And there’s no fakies here either. In a year refreshingly free of hype, mega-selling imports, or ideas desperately searching for a home, our Test crew focused on what’s real about Australian surfboard design. The sort of boards you’re looking at, thinking about, and wondering if they’re worth your valuable hard earned biscuits. Come with us on a little adventure into the NSW north coast beachies, with 24 of the ﬁnest in the land….

Mr Sleek ASHER PACEY 26, 5’9”, 68kg Snapper Rocks

Scaramanga NICK CARROLL 51, 5’8”, 75kg Newport

YOU’RE ALL CHAMPS! ALSO: THANKS TO THE SURFERS WE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE TEST FOR BEING COOL WITH US AND OUR TESTING ACTIVITIES. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 005

BAILLIE DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I like all styles of boards. I got interested in ars ago hanging boardmaking about 10 years oryy and I started around a mate’s factory wo o for friends. I making a board or two m th hat appeals to guess it’s the freedom that elf a board and I me; I can make myself meone else to don’t have to wait for som someone ng et into all the finish it for me, and I can get oarrd, the rocker,, small things about a board, ement. I’m most stt the rails, the fin placement. dividual likes ess influenced by what the ind individual rd II’m ’m making g, and wants from the board making, ralll trends in n not so much the overall b-n nosed fissh h design. I do a few snub-nosed ave to be e type things, but they stilll ha have eems tto o high performance; thatt sseems rom m thos se be what people want from those de e little boards. This one wass made h a for a slightly taller guy – I have d I jus st good shortboard outline and just d wider w r. went a touch shorter and wider. p to o the th he I like fixed fins but it’s up rea ally. y.”” customer, really.”

6’0”X19”X21/4”

FUNN FAFFACT A CT

Cheyne’s the only startup tarrttup manufacturer in the Test st th tthis his ye year. ear.

DAMAGE REPORT EPOORR T

very minorr de deck eck k compression ess sion n

SUITED TEDD TO

Any OK to skilled su surfer urffer in typical 2-3 3 fo foot oot beachbreak ak surf. su urf.

Little boards gotta swing. Josh gets the tail out.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED BAILLIE SURFBOARDS CHEYNE BAILLIE PH: 0407 151 766 WWW.BAILLIESURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

006 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

There’s still room for the little guy. Cheyne hasn’t been making boards professionally for very long, but he’s already gained a toehold in what’s surely one of the world’s most competitive

BULLET Dimensions: 6’2” x 18 3/8” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 2-5ft all conditions. Accelerates incredibly and rides hard off rails. Who is this board best for? The average to experienced surfer chasing a drivier reﬁned feel.

DESIGNER_CHEYNE BAILLIE, FAR NORTH COAST NSW BASICS_SQUASHTAIL // SINGLE CONCAVE TO FLAT THRUSTER FIXED FIN SETUP FINS USED_SOAR TECHNICALS_ CORE PU BLANK, ACCUSHAPER MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X6X4OZ GLASS, CARBON TAIL RAIL LINING, POLYESTER RESINS “Crikey! Look at ‘im go! It must be the ASL Board Test!” Fuller showing off at the back beach.

tester’s comments

Ryan going all “flowy”.

RYAN: “It felt fast, really buoyant and ﬂowy. I got the impression it was meant as a bit of a grovel board but it didn’t just feel like that. It held in and it draw tight arcs and stuff. Good to test that out. The waves were really suited to a board like this and it showed a lot of ﬂair for a little one.”

JOSH: “On ﬁrst look it appeared to be a well-rounded board. Just like a shortboard that’d been squished down a bit. The thing I liked about it was that the whole design looked like it was in proportion, which you can’t say about every shortened-down board these days, some of them are a bit straight in the middle. And that’s how it felt in the surf – it ran a nice tight arc that sometimes a cutdown shortboard won’t want to do. So for those summery days you could get your speed out of it, but it’d still run a nice tight curve when needed.”

surfboard markets. “At the moment I’ve got about 30 orders sitting on top of me,” he says. He’s done this sticking to the PU/PE formula, and relying on feedback from friends and acquaintances (a few of whom are pretty good surfers, by the way). And he’s not selling his ambition either. “In ﬁve years? I’ll just be cruising along, doing boards and evolving with things.” In this overheated market, sounds like a breath of fresh air.

ABOUT BAILLIE

SLINGSHOT Dimensions: 6’1” x 18 1/2” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 2-4ft summer surf. Skims over the water and pivots tight off tail. Who is this board best for? The average to experienced surfer who likes a wider nose and tail outline.

Surfer/shaper with intense attention to detail. Cheyne Baillie strives to get more and more performance from his boards. Honed with feedback from some extreme talent in the water from riders such as Nick Vasicek, Izak Clifford and Joshua Fuller. Cheyne has been involved in the board-shaping industry for the past 10 years, shaping boards for the beginner right up to some of the sport’s elite. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 007

BALIN

tester’s comments

A straight back end rocker got this one going from section to section. Ryan, bouncing from one to the next.

RYAN: “I rode the Balin in the middle of a full on high performance board blitz one afternoon. The surf was fun and around three feet and I must have powered through four or ﬁve boards in a stretch, from just after lunch to sundown. There were a lot of good boards in the mix, the Island, the Gravelle, the Hammo I think, but this one stood right up to them all. The drive off the back of turns was really impressive and it didn’t ﬂow so much as get speed from turns. Felt like you could ride it in bigger waves, like a gunny 6’1” for sure.”

CLIPPER: “It’s my length, 6’1”, but felt a little thin in the rail at ﬁrst pickup, which is why I was surprised by this board’s energy and squirt, specially in the waves we were riding. Given that thin rail it came off the bottom really fast and kept speed through all of its turns. I think it’d be a good board pretty much any surfer – maybe for someone a bit lighter than me, but I didn’t mind the thing at all. Mustard, responsive, and fast.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED BALIN SURFBOARDS PH: 03 5984 5199 WWW.BALIN.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

008 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

4-FIN FISH Dimensions: 6’0” x 20” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? Goes great in 1-6ft. They rip! Who is this board best for? Anyone can surf a ﬁsh, get one to suit your size. Go and try a demo!

DESIGNER_TIM CROZIER BASICS_SQUARE SQUASHTAIL // SINGLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_ SHAPERS S-MOJO STEALTH SET TECHNICALS_OCEAN FOAM PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X5X4OZ GLASS, POLYESTER RESINS

6’1”X181/2”X21/4”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “That’s a rocker we work on – everything gets customised off that cu curve to suit the surfer who’s done the ord ordering. We get good waves down her re, a here, and bowly waves too, but a lot of the tim time we’re riding ﬂatter-faced waves wit th b with bowly sections every now and then, and we can’t just plough in a lot of th he boards b rocker, the won’t run otherwise. been working w I’ve been and shaping for 2 years y about 20 now and it’s a really interestin industry at the moment. interesting e seen s We’ve a lot of things come and b the best thing about today go, but th he diversity of what guys are is the hav vin fun on. They’re actually having ge ettin boards they want to getting ssurf, urf not what they’re told they ssho should surf. We’ve stuck with PU because people like it and P bec because setting up for epoxies is too complex for 350-400 boards a yyear, and we’re still ﬁnishco coating a lot of boards for p people who want ‘em to last.”

EELEGANT TOUCH

A straight back end rocker blends with the concave’s deep point between the ﬁns to produce a near-ﬂat stringer line in the last two s ffeet, giving the board some rreal top end range

DDAMAGE REPORT

vvery minor deck denting

SSUITED TO

S Slightly more experienced s surfer, 70-80kg, in beachies and reefs from 2-6 feet an

Bet the Balin didn’t expect to be doing this.

The computer cutter is absolute gold – but it still has its weaknesses. Partly through repetition: “People can’t help it,” says Tim, “you see so many similar boards s coming through and it’s hard for people to avoid the standard ﬁle.” But partly also because it can limit a designer’s variety. “Not every 6’1” can be shrunk down to o a 5’7”. You might have to re-design it ﬁrst. You only learn that when you try to shrink or lengthen it on screen and it comes out a bit odd.”

ABOUT BALIN Balin Surfboards have been shaped and reﬁned in Australia’s Great Southern Ocean scince 1974. Balin’s desire for travel and development began in Bali way back then, thus the name Balin, as in Bali-in-ventions. Bet you didn’t know that, but that was their beginning! 6’1” Dimensions: 6’1” x 18 1/2” x 2 1/8” What surf is this board best in? Anything up to 9ft, will handle slop and ride well in barrels. Who is this board best for? Typical board that the young, good surfers are ordering. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 009

CLEARWATER DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I’ve always made all sorts of boards but for a while now I’ve been trying to focus on high h horter and d performance boards. I know sh shorter dilyy working wider is a trend but I’m steadily h this one to prove a point to myself. Wit With g everything e I’ve concentrated on keeping urves, and smooth and constant in the cu curves, i aesthetically pleasing – that iss important kin ng on rails in a board. I’ve been working e part of a a lot lately. They feel like the thing else iiss board you get to once everything ein the right place; it’s kind of the ﬁne neoarrd and iiff tuning part of shaping a board hin ng els se you get the rails right, everything else yed with h comes into full view. I’ve played o in n narrower outlines than thiss one unn ny the past and this would be a ffunny go o bu ut set of measurements a year ago but m re it feels right to use a fraction mor more mon n width to balance the outline. Sim Simon sp pirre (Anderson) continues to inspire ng a me through my time working att h me me Base, he’s shared a lot with me.”” over that time.”

6’0”X181/2”X21/4”

STYLE POINT IN T

This was one of the few w volume-neutral boards in the e test this year. Many designers errs had worked a bit of extra chub hub b into their craft under the guise ise e of shorter but wider – this his s one went the other way, with h Steve cutting off absolutely elyy everything he didn’t need in the e board. ard d.

DAMAGE REPORT PORRTT

Very minor dec deck ecck k compression ssion

SUITEDEDD TOO

Any good to excellent sur surfer, rfer,, preferably in 3-5 foot quality ty surf. f.

Ryan spins and clears a whole lotta water.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED CLEARWATER STEVE DEL ROSSO PH: 0417 912 207 WWW.CLEARWATERSURF.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

010 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

DOUBLE FLYER FISH Dimensions: 6’4” x 20” x 2 5/8” What surf is this board best in? Fun, full, small to medium-size waves. Who is this board best for? Bigger guys wanting to surf loose and fast.

DESIGNER_STEVE DEL ROSSO, GOLD COAST VIA WA BASICS_SQUARE SQUASHTAIL // FLAT TO DOUBLE CONCAVE TO VEE THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_FUTURES F4 TECHNICALS_BURFORD GREEN PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4X4OZ BAY MILLS GLASS, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS

Mikey’s got a comic touch in and out of the water.

tester’s comments

Clint’s forceful power style found a nice foil in the Clearwater’s slender rakey lines.

MIKEY: “A good board. Felt really sharp when you went off the bottom, then off the top it had a LOT of ﬂow. I got one nice wave where I did three top turns in a row and the board just ﬂowed through all of ‘em. Really really nice.”

CLIPPER: “A step down from what I normally ride, volume-wise. I thought it was gonna bog because of that, and that I’d have a shocker on it, but the board went really good! It’s basiclooking but it didn’t feel like that. It felt like it sliced through the water really well. I’d love to ride that board back home on the points at Burleigh or Snapper because that board carves really well yet has a whole lot of squirt.” RYAN: “Like a normal board! When I picked it up I got excited – we rode a lot of wider little ﬁshy-type boards in the test and this felt different, it felt like something I’d usually ride. When I got out there it felt a bit looser than I’d expected, but as I settled into it the board was poppy and loose off the top but still drivey and fast down the line. Felt real comfortable.”

System fins have undergone a significant makeover in the past year. Wherever you look across the fin industry companies, you’re seeing major leaps forward, amazing quality, good ideas, and value for money, with newcomer designs like 4Way and Powerbase shining, but the originals – FCS, Futures – still keeping their edge. “I like the Futures set a lot,” says Del Rosso, “the base is super sturdy and it means you can use a slightly smaller fin and get away with it, ‘cause the whole fin is being used.”

ABOUT CLEARWATER Steve Del Rosso has been shaping his own label, Clearwater Surfboards, for over 20 years. Originally based in Rockingham, Western Australia, but now residing in Burleigh Heads, Queensland.

SCOOTER Dimensions: 5’10” x 19 1/2” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? A good all-rounder for small to medium-size waves. It loves to get some air. Who is this board best for? Designed for a medium-sized surfer who wants to boost. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 011

DIVERSE

5’8”X191/4”X25/16”

tester’s comments

Controlled feel in a very short board … now that’s a sign someone’s doing something right. Ryan, easy money.

MODEL_DYNOCORE // DESIGNER_DAVE VERAL, GOLD COAST BASICS_ROUND-SQUASHTAIL // FLAT TO SLIGHT CONCAVE THROUGH CENTRE TO FINS THRUSTER FUSION SYSTEM SETUP FINS USED_FCS PC-5

Mikey can’t help himself right now, it’s air or nothing.

RYAN: “I’d never ridden a Dynocore and I could tell it was different. It responded well to power and felt best when you got some speed or found a steep section to drive it against. I did some nice snaps and fin throws and it felt good through all of them, held in well and felt very light but strong as well. A controlled, smooth-feeling board.” MIKEY: “I rode this early one morning in sloppy one foot dribble and it wasn’t all that great, but I didn’t think that was a fair test, and I was right about that. When I got it into slightly bigger more wallier waves that arvo, it went really good! It had lots of speed, and every single air section it hit sooo perfect it made you fly! I want to take this board home with me. It’s fast, airy and has a lot of flow.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED DIVERSE DAVE VERRALL PH: 07 5598 4848 WWW.DIVERSESURF.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

012 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

ROUND-TAIL RACING MULLET Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? Great in everything from good points to weak beachies. Who is this board best for? Those who want to catch everything and have a need for speed!

TECHNICALS_“DYNOCORE” TECHNOLOGY: EPS CORE FUSION BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, INNEGRA GLASSING WITH CARBON FIBRE BLEND DECK INLAY, EPOXY RESINS WHAT IS IT??_ INNEGRA IS A PLASTIC FIBRE CLOTH, MORE FLEXIBLE AND A LOT STRONGER THAN CONVENTIONAL FIBREGLASS, BUT HARDER TO WORK WITH IN A SURFBOARD CONTEXT BECAUSE IT DOESN’T LIKE BEING SANDED. DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “You get team guys wanting a super light 4oz board, but in four weeks that board’s been broken down and lost its liveliness. So for 10 years I’ve been playing with stuff that won won’t lose its spring but will still let us make a board as light as a one-layer 4oz mod el. P model. Pretty much gone down all the roadss lik like Firewire and Fiberflex have, and d th this is what I’ve settled on. The Inne egra doesn’t change a board’s Innegra fle patte ern at all, it’s completely exx pattern neutral, but it allows a board to bend neutral, withoutt breaking bre without down. It costs a bit more but it preserves a board, and I more think k people peo want that. Design-wise, think shorrter wider ones like this, I think shorter it comes co ome back to people having fun it a ga ain – the boards paddle well again b u ut th but they’ll let people fit in all the tu urns without as many technical turns dem d demands. I’ve scaled the initial rock down by around 3/8” in rro rocker rres e p response to the materials – but tha suits this type of board that any anyway, so it’s a good fit.”

SSUITED U TO:

Any A n intermediate to skilled surfer s u looking for board llongevity, on in two to four foot waves. w a

DDAMAGE A REPORT None N o

Tyler reckons she can’t do airs. If you say so missy.

Surfboard sales numbers may be slightly down across the nation, but custom orders are up – and so is general quality, whatever the materials. “People are making much better boards now,” says Dave Verall. “Go back three to ﬁve years ago and there was some absolute crap out there, but the attention to detail in manufacturing is a lot higher at the moment.” Perhaps it’s a natural result of customer choice: “The alternative materials have really started to snowball .”

ABOUT DIVERSE Diverse Shaped Surfboards = Different. Why? We make boards for fun and want you to enjoy them as well. Whatever your idea of fun on a shortboard is… we make them and we make them to last. The only company with a 50% guaranteed trade-in for 12 months! STYLE COMMANDER Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? Small to solid surf, for tight turns in the pocket and the opportunity to nose ride. Who is this board best for? Those wanting a classic style with engineered performance in a variety of conditions. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 013

DIVISION DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I had one of the crew come in the other day after buying one of my old short wide 1980s models and saw the outline on it, and thought, wow, I should have just gone to that! This one’s a modified three-fin version of what we tested last year, a ingle concave bit flatter on entry and a single le. I think this rather than a flat double. nd wider, is a style of board, shorter and w and it’s what bit of a trend right now e a bit tired of et happens when people get h and want hile what they’ve ridden for a while g a change. a change – but not too big e trendss ese There’s a rhythm to how these n I think ng, k pass through boardmaking, u need ural d it’s because there’s a natural h feeling g for surfers to get a fresh w we’re e underfoot; in any case I know W the e getting orders for ‘em. Why e I’ve ell e cutoff semi-diamondtail? Well akerrs seen a few other boardmakers d with h responding to the trend d something a bit plumperr and s a softer and I wanted to see h the e hard curve back through e tail, just get rid of a bit of the r re.” foam back there.”

5’7”X193/4”X23/8”

STYLE POINT I INT

A lot of curve through th tthe he middle of the outline gives ves ve this board a quick turning ing in response despite the ﬂattened ned ne rocker – a classy make-up ffor or the reduction in length. gth. gt

DAMAGE REPORT P T PORT

Minor deck denting n ing nti g

SUITEDED TOT O

Any intermediate to good surfe ssurfer fer in classic Aussie eastt coa coast ast beachies and smalll reefs. reefs fs.

Asher, nice and smooth at every turn.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED DIVISION PETER DANIELL PH: 02 9979 5334 WWW.DIVISIONSURF.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

014 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

BURRITO Dimensions: 5’7” x 19 3/4” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? 1-5ft, slop to chop. Who is this board best for? Beginner would suit a larger version, advanced rider, smaller.

DESIGNER_PETE DANIELL, SYDNEY NORTHERN BEACHES BASICS_CHOPPED SQUARE/DIAMONDTAIL // SLIGHT SINGLE CONCAVE BLENDING TO FLAT FORWARD OF THE FRONT FOOT AND BEHIND BACK FIN THRUSTER FCS SETUP // FINS USED_FCS H3 NEXUS, KR B17 SET TECHNICALS_DION GREEN PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X4X4OZ AERIALITE GLASS, FGI NUPLEX UV CURE RESINS

Snap!

tester’s comments

This board didn’t mind if you chucked it around a bit. Mikey, trying to throw it away.

ASHER: “It was small, flat, fast and flowy, and I had a lot of fun on it. Quite easy to turn but with plenty of speed and flow. I would have liked to keep surfing it, but for testing purposes I didn’t need to … which is a tribute in a Board Test. There was no need to battle to find out what it was capable of – this was one of those nice boards that did everything you wanted and expected it to.”

MIKEY: “Very wide and thick for me and it’s got a weird tail, like a Batman tail but not as curved. It moved well but didn’t out-run the wave. On my backhand it went OK; on my forehand, when I came up for an air move, it just went real smooth through the air. Fast and airy, it’s a good board, yeah!” NICK: “Typical Pete Daniell board – sturdy design basis from his many years in the craft. Some designers have fallen down a bit in the past coupla years trying to step down to the mini-board trend, but not Pete. This board felt secure and calm despite its stumpiness and never skitzed out. Particularly seemed to function well if you worked the mid-section in turns and came back on the tail a bit when going down the line. Really suited the H3 ﬁn’s cutaway sorta template, like they were made for each other.”

Maybe it’s part of the high-quality trend in custom boards these days, but we couldn’t help noticing how many boardmakers are going slightly higher density on their PU blanks. This board’s a good example: Daniell chose a 6’7” green rather than a super ultra light one. “Some miniboards are being made from kneeboard blanks, but that just means you cut away too much of the (harder) shell foam,” he says. “Plus with a board this little, lightness is less of a priority.”

ABOUT DIVISION Thirty years’ shaping experence, 15 of those under the Division brand, Peter Daniell is a very versatile shaper always looking to give the surfer a great outcome no matter what type of board you order.

OPTION R Dimensions: 5’11” x 18 1/2” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 2 1/2-7ft with push. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 015

tester’s comments

Ryan’s lanky style found a friend in the DP’s sure-footedness through carving turns.

RYAN: “I’d never ridden a quad before coming on this test, but this one was kinda my size and dimensions so I knew I could push it a bit. Whatever I’d thought it might go like, it was different again. It felt really nice in carves and held in really sweetly with a lot of control and that was good. Quads do seem a bit complicated in snaps and at times I felt like I was bogging a bit when going straight up the face, and I didn’t want to go up quite as vertically as a result, but that would have been something I’d have worked out after growing more used to it I’m sure. Good for a change of feelings and to try something different, and feel it work really well.”

5’10”X185/8”X25/16”

Working the quad drive backside.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED DP SURFBOARDS DYLAN PERESE PH: 0415 386 558 WWW.DPSURFBOARDS.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

016 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

STALKER Dimensions: 5’9” x 18 7/8” x 2 5/16” What surf is this board best in? Designed to destroy the summer slop. Who is this board best for? For those who like to go fast.

MODEL_4WESOME // DESIGNER_DYLAN PARESE BASICS_SWALLOWTAIL // SLIGHT SINGLE TO DOUBLE WITH PRONOUNCED VEE RISER BETWEEN FINS QUAD FCS SETUP FINS USED_SHAPERS MG QUAD SET TECHNICALS_SOUTH SHORE PU BLANK, ACCUSHAPER MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4X4OZ GLASS WITH PRINTED FABRIC INLAY TAIL PATCH FOR ADDED STRENGTH, FGI HILITE POLYESTER RESINS DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “The original one of these was a handshaped stringerless PU blank. It didn’t start out with that centre rocker setup; what happene happened was that when I was glassing it, th the weight of the resin and glass actuall ly bent the blank, so it had actually this new une ex unexpected curve. I thought it’d push wat te for sure and people water found that it d did, but only in very ﬂat ssections ections – on n the face or in the lip and p poc o ket it wa pocket wass just superb, really carvy a nd responsive. respon ns and Quads tend to set one lline lin li e and stay ssta on it in turns, so I put iin n the ext tr vee spine and concaves extra tto o help b break up the bottom and k kee p it g keep going up and down and rail tto o rail.. T That original one was a m agicc board – it went to Nias and magic e veryyt everything before it eventually ssnapped, nap pp but a lot of people got a llot ott of fun out of it.”

TTRIPPY RRI FEATURE

Dramatic D ra outline curve to as surprisingly narrow tail put pu a lot of turning power back ba near the ﬁns without the th he need for too much back end en rocker; instead all the rocker’s roc o through the centre. Nice Nic thinking in a four-ﬁn! N

DDAMAGE A REPORT

Very Ve V e minor deck ccompression om o

SUITED TO

Intermediate to excellent surfers, 65-75 kilos, who want a quad without giving away too much turn variety.

Getting it through a classic Australian goofy-back. The 4wesome story is evidence: happy accidents still occur in surfboards. “Don’t get me wrong, the shaping machine is a beautiful thing,” says Dylan. “But handshaping is a really good way to try new things, or revisit one ones in a new way. I’ve only handshaped a few from scratch in the past two years, but I just did a 5’7” Fish, sort of a throwback to a board I made years ago when I was 18 – it’s a bit bumpy, but it might have something.”

ABOUT DP At DP Surfboards, the main focus is on performance, quality and good customer service. At age 27, Dylan has already been shaping for 13 years. A young team with experience and modern ideas.

PERFORMA Dimensions: 6’0” x 18 3/8” x 2 3/16” What surf is this board best in? An all-round, everyday board for beachies and reefs. Who is this board best for? Suited to everyone from below-average to high-performance surfers. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 017

DURANBAH DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I got sick of seeing imported Chinese crap on our beaches! I’m in and out of shops all the time but I wanted to give Australians a lower-priced board that isn’t imported. ve e been living in Other than that, I’ve sh hovelling foam Burleigh all my life, shovelling r was where it ry in Jack Knight’s factory e’s designed for started for me. This one’s ie es, but I tested any East Coast beachies, u urleigh s, this design in 4-5 foot Burleigh barrels, we ent better than tha an like drainers, and it went lo ooks a bit like lik ke ke my normal board. It looks n from the nes th he one of Gill Glover’s outlines furthe er er ‘70s, with the wide point a bit further r--diver sort so ort forward than a dumpster-diver rfformancce of take on the smaller performance hiis sort of of board. The market for this ett a lott of of board is spreading, I get e Coast. Coasst st. interest on the Sunshine n that ng th hat And the public like seeing reallly Australian-Made logo, itt really th hing g.” means something.”

5’9”X195/8”X23/8”

FUN FAC FFACTC T

Probably the least expensive ns sivve Australian-made board rd d on on the market rket rk

DAMAGE REPORT POORR T

Minor deck denting, ting g, ﬁns plugs loosened ned ne

SUITEDD TOT O

Any surfer, post-beginner nne er to skilled, looking for a goo g good od value board in classic Aussie us ss sie e east coast surf 2-4 fee ffeet. et.

Nothing like a shuv-it gone mad really is there?

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED

DURANBAH SURFBOARDS DAN PATCH PH: 0418 356 263 WWW.DURANBAHSURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

018 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

DINGO Dimensions: 5’10” x 18 1/2” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? For good waves, points or pumping beachies. Who is this board best for? A performance board that suits everyone.

MODEL_GUMLEAF DESIGNER_DAN PATCH BASICS_CHOPPED SQUASHTAIL, SINGLE TO DOUBLE CONCAVE 1980S OUTLINE THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_FCS H3 NEXUS TECHNICALS_SOUTH COAST FOAM PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X4X4OZ SOUTH COAST GLASS, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS The board generated speed, Asher knew how to use it. Handy little late afternoon lip slide snap thing.

tester’s comments

Bit more rail work this time.

ASHER: “It was a little short wide board, nice and wide out the front too, very suited to the conditions we were surﬁng. I really liked the way it generated speed, quite easily, sat on top of the water nicely, good for cutbacks, and generally easy to surf. I might give it a bit more of a spin tomorrow – it’s got a lot of potential.”

NICK: “Something about this board flashed me back to an earlier time in board design – the late ‘70s single fin era. It was the first board I surfed on this test and it got me ready for all the miniboards coming down the line. Very functional when surfed off the back end, bounced off everything, and a nice clean soft recovery.”

There’s room in the market for a discount Aussie-made board. This came as a surprise till we learned a couple more things, one of which is that Dan’s providing the factory space rent-free – “We use a shed on my property” – and another is that even fellow boardmakers will give him a break … to a point. “The shops can sell my boards for around $575, which is a whole lot less than you can buy an Al Merrick, that’s for sure,” says Dan. “But it’s not so much that local makers are gonna hate me for it.”

ABOUT DURANBAH One hundred percent Australianmade surfboards designed and shaped in the rolling hills of Duranbah. We are sick of imported surfboards so we sell ours for a good price. We like to call it “Aussie shapes at mates rates”. SUGAR GLIDER Dimensions: 6’4” x 20 1/2” x 2 11/16” What surf is this board best in? Designed to perform in any conditions. Who is this board best for? For those who like to glide. Paddles like a longboard, surfs like a shortboard. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 019

GOODTIME DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “We’ve always made a big-boy board – in fact we started making them before anyone else. Everyone was making the same tiny little boards as each other back then and they looked at the bigboy and said no way, but I’ve gotta make a board people can ﬂoat on! And you’ve no idea the business we did. A lot of people we sell boards to don’t surf all that often, or they surfed a lot once and they’re just getting back into it. With this one we wanted to make a ﬂoaty sort of all-rounder, something you could have a bit of fun on and enjoy it, nice and easy like it says – but would still have a bit of mileage, and go with the surfer as he begins to get better, help him along down that road till he’s ready for something a bit smaller and not as easy.”

FUN FACTT

The only board in n the Test that was s unashamedly amedly made e for the lesser-skilled, sser-skilled,, less-ﬁt rider der – but stilll stoked d the Testers Testers!!

DAMAGE AMAGE REPORT REPORRT none non e

SUITED TO

Anyone from beginner to slightly older “comeback” surfer riding fairly unchallenging to good surf 2-5 feet

Clipper works the ‘80s rebound line.

SHOWCASE

“It really is a Good time!”

THINGS WE LEARNED

GOODTIME PH: 07 3391 8588 WWW.GOODTIME.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

020 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

GOODTIME BOOST FISH Dimensions: 5’6” x 20 1/2” x 2 5/8” What surf is this board best in? Clean or messy, small to shoulder-high waves with fun and ease. Who is this board best for? Designed for the learner to the ripper who wants a user-friendly ﬁsh.

MODEL_BIG EASY // BASICS_ SEMI-ROUNDNOSE WING ROUNDTAIL // VEE THROUGH CENTRE TOWARD TAIL, THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_FCS M5 TECHNICALS_BURFORD PU BLANK, FULLY HANDSHAPED (SIMON JONES), 6X6X6OZ BAY MILLS GLASS, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS

6’6”X21 ”X2 ” 1/4

3/4

The Big Easy wilted under the sheer power of the Tyler Wright martial-arts surfing approach.

tester’s comments

Works frontside too.

TYLER: “My initial thoughts were that it’s a bit of a stick and it’s going to be really hard to surf. But I caught a couple of waves and went to the back and found it was really manoeuvrable, very fun. And you could walk up and down it as well, which was awesome.”

CLIPPER: “This was fine. It IS a good time! I had a lot of fun on this thing. At first I wasn’t all that keen to jump on it because obviously it’s a lot bigger than what I normally ride. The waves were really fat and I was having a good time just paddling the board, it paddled really well and I could afford to sit out a bit further, which when you’re surfing with the groms and they’re frothing out, is a good thing. When I got to my feet the boared went really well, you could ride it way up the back on the tail pad and it pivots real well fromt here. I was also surprised at how much I could feel this board, I thought it would overpower me, but you could get it to do what you wanted no worries.”

Another handy reminder: a good board is a simple thing. “You don’t have to get carried away with design to have a board that’ll paddle well and surf well enough for fun,” says Gail. “The sight of a board can be regarded as more important than the way it goes sometimes. Look at the boardsa lot of the pros ride – not the ones when they’re off on an experiment, but the ones they ride every day in heats. They’re very clean, very plain and simple – neutral.”

ABOUT GOODTIME Goodtime has been the soul of surfing since 1971. Brian “Furry” Austen handshaping at Kirra, working with Michael Peterson, Peter Townend, Bob McTavish and other soul surfers, whose desire to make Goodtime “what surfing is all about” still rings true. BEAR BIG BOY Dimensions: 6’10” x 20” x 3” What surf is this board best in? User-friendly shortboard that will provide enjoyable surf sessions in small to 6’. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced surfers looking for float and stability in a shortboard template. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 021

GRAVELLE In an ASL Test, when the board says OK, you don’t ask it again. Ryan, putting the graceful Gravelle curve through the interrogation.

tester’s comments RYAN: “Really similar to the Clearwater. The first few waves I wasn’t pushing it too hard because I wasn’t sure how it’d go. It was a bit flatter in the rocker but very nice through turns, very cool and sweet there, smooth and fast down the line. Definitely in the quiver!”

JOSH: “The ﬁrst thing I thought about when I picked it up was that it was like hugging a little girl. Later it reminded me of being out at my home break with a bunch of frothing grommets. I’d decided it was too small for me before paddling out which is the cardinal sin, you should never make your mind up

about a board before you surf it, and so I got a real surprise. It rode fast, and held quite a long arc thanks to the lower rocker, and I was able to drive it really quite hard off the bottom and through turns. It was speciﬁc in the fact that it wanted turns to be timed very well. I could see it going well for

a grommet who is at an intermediate ediate level, learning cutbacks etc, when en the need for speed is important to maintain board speed through turns, having a wider arc will smooth out a typical grommet’s wiggles and d insigniﬁcant direction changes.””

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED GRAVELLE PAUL GRAVELLE PH: 1800 061 248 WWW.GRAVELLESURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

022 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

STEALTH TAIL Dimensions: 6’4” x 18 3/4” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? Good quality, 4-6ft hollow waves. Who is this board best for? All-round board for intermediate to experienced surfers.

DESIGNER_PAUL GRAVELLE, PENONG, SOUTH OZ BASICS_ROUNDTAIL // SINGLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FUTURES SETUP FINS USED_ FUTURES F4 SET TECHNICALS_BURFORD REGULAR PU BLANK, FULLY HANDSHAPED, 4X6X4OZ SURF9 GLASS, SILMAR UV POLYESTER RESINS

/ 6’0”X183/8 ”X25/16”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I think of this board as a versatile a all-rounder for most conditions. It’s got a bit less concave than last year’s mod el and it’s probably a model little easier to surf s a ass a result. Plus it’s a roundtail – a lo uys have been shifting lott of gu guys off swallows an nd squ uares to rounder tails and squares llately, la lat ely, and I thin nk it’ss because they don’t think h e such a defi hav defined d sweet spot, you have can surf the board d from a few different can places. Turn n off the t middle or further places. up the nose nosse as well w as off the back up end, that sort of o thing. But it isn’t end, j t a summer jus ju su umme er board, it should go just better as a the surf gets better. We better are getting gettting a few more orders are now for fo or shorter sho orter boards than this, now p roba ably 20 0% of orders, because probably 20% o elly an nd other guys doing off Ke Kelly and w hat they y’ve done and cutting what they’ve d ow wn len gth. But most of the down length. yyoung oung gu uys who surf well are guys still looking look king at this first.” still

ELELEGANT LEGANNT TOUCH

A great great simplicity in the outline o utline u e curve of this board cconceals oncea o als something with a lot more m movement and range range a than its soft curve would w indicate

DDAMAGE AMAGGE REPORT

vvery ery e minor m deck ccompression ompre o ession

SUITED S UUITEDD TO

any a ny n sur surfer rfer 70kg or less, int intermediate terme ediate to good-plus s skills, kills, in n fun to high quality b beachies eachie es and reefs.

Wheee! Yeah, it seems to work all right.

The surfboard market is a patchy hy bastard at pre present. esent Shop retail sales vary quite markedly around th the nation, and nobody’s looking for boom sales there. But! underneath, all over Australia, custom board orders are up. “As good or better than last year,” reports Paul. “95% of what I do is custom and demand’s still going strong. I think people are looking at a lot more options in their boards and they’re getting surprised by the boards they’re riding, they’re discovering that a modern groveller works well in four-foot surf, for instance.”

ABOUT GRAVELLE Custom shapes for committed surfers across Australia.

TOMMY RUFF Dimensions: 5’9” x 19 1/4” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? Small junk to semi-reasonable waves. Who is this board best for? Fast, high-performance board for gutless waves. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 023

HAMMO DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I used to compete a lot, won a couple of Queensland Titles, then got to 16 or 17 and the women and partying took over. I think I must have thought I’d already made it! My Dad’s a boardmaker and saw this happening and thought, shit, I’d better get this young bloke working. I did a lot of handshaping and other work, then when I was around 20 Darren Handley offered me a job and I’ve been working there with him and Simon and the crew ever since. I’m friends with Dean (Morrison) and he has the same board measurements as me, and he has heaps of boards from everywhere in his quiver, so I’ve just surfed my way through them, learning as I go. That’s really why I’m shaping – ‘cause I love to surf! I’ve been doing a few ﬁshes but I really love high performance boards that have no extra foam on ‘em at all. You can really feel the waterﬂow on a board like that. But it’s not for everyone on every day of the week.”

5’11”X181/8”X21/16”

DAMAGE REP REPORT PORR T

very minor nor d deck ecck compression pressio on

SUITED UITE D TO

Active skilled or developing evelo op ping younger surfer around 65-70kg 5-70k kg g in any surf 2-5 fe feet. eet.

Take that, damn it! Ryan’s spinfest.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED HAMMO DANE HAMILTON PH: 0408 215 783 WWW.HAMMOSURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

024 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

POCKET ROCKET Dimensions: 5’8” x 19 1/2” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? This board is great from waves from 1-3ft. Who is this board best for? The six-channel Pocket Rocket is a great fun board… built for speed!

DESIGNER_DANE HAMILTON, GOLD COAST BASICS_SQUASHTAIL // SINGLE CONCAVE, VERY SLIGHT DOUBLE LIFT ON STRINGER THRUSTER FUTURES SETUP FINS USED_FUTURES BLAKSTIK V2FJC1 TECHNICALS_ BURFORD PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X4X4OZ GLASS, POLYESTER RESINS High performance is a specialist arena happily inhabited by the Hammo. Mikey gets it up.

tester’s comments MIKEY: “I REALLY liked that board. Picked it up and it felt a little thinner in the rail than a lot of boards here and I think I responded to that. When I jumped on it in the water it was exactly how I thought it’d be, real fun and fast, and just willing and able to let you do whatever you wanted to on it. I connected with it, I guess. Quick, sharp, and ﬂowy in turns.”

RYAN: “Felt pretty good for a grommet’s board. I wished I was a bit smaller so I’d suit its measurements the way it suited Mikey! This board was small, loose and responsive, very much a high performance board and something I would have ridden when a bit younger. It just skimmed along.”

The high performance board market – once the staple of shortboard makers – is now becoming a specialist design area. Dane’s stripped-down style of design comes from his own high level of surﬁng skill, yet he can see this style has a speciﬁc customer: “I still try and do a lot of contests and surf with the boys, so I know the market for it. There’s a lot of guys who are labourers or apprentices or whatever but who still surf well; this is the kind of board they want. But to know ‘em you’ve got to hang with ‘em.”

ABOUT HAMMO

DEAN MORRISON MODEL Dimensions: 5’11” x 18 1/4” x 2 1/8” What surf is this board best in? This model is built for power turns and speed - great board for good waves. Who is this board best for? Built for anyone from average to pro surfers.

Dane”’Hammo” Hamilton surfed competitively in the Junior State and National Titles and on the WQS for two years. Hammo started shaping when he was 16. Now at the age of 28, he has worked for DHD, Simon Anderson and JS, and runs his own label and surf shop – Coolangatta Board Store.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 025

ISLAND

tester’s comments

It’ll turn on a dime and come down fine. Tyler, no need to nurse this one.

TYLER: “Really nice rails, good speed, and really really good in the pocket, quick and responsive. There was one turn in particular, I think I came down out of the pocket and it really released out nicely off the top, came back round, and just kept going. Tight!”

RYAN: “Picked it up and it felt really nice. It had a pretty thin foiled-out tail which I didn’t notice at ﬁrst; I only realised that once I’d been in the water a while which is interesting because that might have changed my approach to it – I might have gone out a bit easier. But the ﬁrst few waves

felt really good, very controlled. It had a lot of response and would pretty much go wherever you wanted it to go. It felt like the kind of board I’d ride day in day out, in heats – a really good comp board. We rode a lot of different designs in this Test and it felt good to be on something I felt used to.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED ISLAND SURFBOARDS GLYNDYN RINGROSE PH: 03 5952 2578 WWW.ISLANDSURFBOARDS.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

026 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

SNAPPER Dimensions: 5’9” x 21” x 2 1/2’’ What surf is this board best in? Small, gutless waves to 3 foot. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to experienced surfers looking for fun.

DESIGNER_GLYNDYN RINGROSE, PHILLIP ISLAND BASICS_SQUASHTAIL // SLIGHT SINGLE TO DOUBLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_ FCS PC-3 NEW RANGE TECHNICALS_BURFORD PU BLANK, PROFILED THEN HANDSHAPED 4X4X4OZ GLASS WITH TAIL PATCH, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS

5’11”X181/2”X23/16”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: ““This board is straight off the rack and very close to what I’ve been making for a lot of regular good surfers who are local clients of ou our ours. I don’t reckon you can get away fro om the effect that guys like from Kelly have h ha had on board length in the past couple o of years, it seems to have people think more about going a made people little bit sh ho shorter and wider than they would ha av That means boards have. are a bitt ffreer up the face and a bit ﬂoatier, oatierr, a bit more foam in the centre e, which w centre, suits you if you’re ssu ng good but getting still surﬁ b Well you know what I on a bit! mea an My guys are riding these mean. i pretty pre punchy beachies and in r efs so you still want to keep ree reefs t e rails and tail foiled out and the sen se sensitive for hold and drive dow the line.” do down

FFUN U FACT

Glyndyn’s the only former G ASP World Tour top gun in A o designer’s list our

DDAMAGE REPORT

vvery minor deck ccompression

SSUITED TO

Any surfer, 70kg, A intermediate and beyond in in 2-4 foot plus beachies and 2 rreefs e

Super-Ryan crams it in.

ABOUT ISLAND

BIG BOY Dimensions: 7’4” ‘x 22” x 2 3/4’’ What surf is this board best in? A good wave range, with extra performance in ﬂatter waves. Who is this board best for? Developing surfers, or the older, competent surfer who doesn’t want to ride a mal.

With over 40 years in the business, Island are still designing hand-made, quality boards for the core surfer. Designs from ex-WCT surfer/shaper Glyndyn Ringrose, and the experience of Greg Hogan, enables Island to cover all areas when it comes to board manufacturing, something that Island is renowned for across the country and worldw wide.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 027

JR DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “It’s really just experimental. The parabolic thing is everywhere and so we tried to do something a little different. Test riding other types, I’ve found some over-flexed a bit so they’ll pause a bit at the wave d. So we set base before slinging forward. n th he deck and the centre carbon strip on the e overcome bottom and it seems to have tty tough to that effect. Carbon can be pret pretty ng it i down to a work with but we’re getting o the blank bit of a fine art. You groove int into arbo on tape into about 3mm then lay the carbon e fin system m the groove. It goes under the ies everythin ng and that feels like it ties everything eo ve together, transfers some off the driv drive Th he design desig gn from the fins into the board.. The mewha at itself, the Boxster, is taken so somewhat one e a littl le off the Dumpster but done little ky. We W ca an more slick, not as chunky. can d do exactly the same in PU butt I fin fin nd e lif e and nd d the epoxy has a bit more life ng rreall ly bounce in it. We’re getting really me ers..” good feedback from customers.”

5’8”X19”X25/16”

ELEGANT TOU TOUCH UCHH

We can’t give this board too oo b big g a rap; it’s beautifully mad made, de, with great attention to detail, eta ail, and the underlying shape pe e is s ﬂawlessly balanced ncced d

DAMAGE REPORT PO RTT

Very minor deck denting ntiin ng

SUITEDED TOO

lively high performance oriented en nted d surfer in 2-4 foot waves of anyy quality. ua alityy.

Stick to goofy Ryan, your naturalfoot style is appalling.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED

JR SURFBOARDS JASON RODD PH: 07 5554 5488 WWW.JRSURFBOARDS.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

028 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

BOXSTA/ROUND TAIL Dimensions: 5’8” x 19 7/8” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? Small, peeling point waves and mushy beachies. Who is this board best for? Any surfer who wants a little pep in their step in the small stuff.

MODEL_201 BOXSTER DESIGNER_JASON RODD, GOLD COAST BASICS_SQUARE SQUASHTAIL, SINGLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FUTURES SETUP FINS USED_FUTURES BLAK STIK V2FEA TECHNICALS_CORE FUSION HIGH-DENSITY EPS BLANK, ACCU-SHAPER MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X4X4OZ GLASS PLUS PATCH, CARBON RAIL FRAME PLUS SINGLE LINE CARBON STRINGER TOP AND BOTTOM, RESIN RESEARCH EPOXY RESINS We had to take this board out of circulation after a couple of sessions, it was just too popular. Ryan, taking a punt.

tester’s comments

Clint riding the whole board.

CLIPPER: “The thing that appealed to me was the weight, it was just ridiculously light. I also liked the fairly soft rail line and the craftsmanship with the carbon, it’s so neat, and I appreciate the effort guys put into a board. In the water, the board was probably a bit small for me, but it went like it had a rocket up its bum. Had so much squirt, and just a minor adjustment would throw you into the next section. I’d love to ride this board in really good waves.”still drivey and fast down the line. Felt real comfortable.”

MIKEY: “Clint showed it to me and said it’s really fast, I’ll really like it. When I got on it, it had heaps of speed and release with a pop off the top. Clint was surﬁng good on it, recovering well and making turns, and Tyler was doing really nice carves too.” TYLER: “I dunno what I was thinking at the start but you knew it was going to be sick – really light, buoyant, and it was exactly what I expected. Really fun.”

Skilful boardmakers are still being backed by their customers to try new things with modern materials…and there’s a quiet conﬁdence driving the approach of some boardmakers as a result. “ I think we’ve got a late shock coming through the market right now from the GFC,” says Jason. “But in the longer run it’s a tiny downturn – maybe a tough summer, but after next winter I think it’ll bounce back strongly.”

ABOUT JR

JR PRO SERIES Dimensions: 6’1” x 18 3/8” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? This pro model will perform best in 2-6ft waves. Who is this board best for? The exact replica of what Shaun Cansdell rides, suited for the serious surfer.

Working closely with his team and spending countless hours experimenting with new materials, Jason has come up with some exciting new designs this summer. Whether it’s JR’s newest 201 epoxy range or his performance ﬁsh models, there’s a blank in the shaping bay with your name on it!

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 029

LOWEN 88

tester’s comments

Hippo’s a big bloke, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be graceful. Running the Lowen through a nice easy cuttie.

HIPPO: “A little too small for me but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t feel it out. Really fast and really fun. The little waves we were surfing this day was flat-sectioned but quick and it went superfast across those sorts of waves. Definitely something you’d want to keep in the bag and ride when there’s a snappy lil shorie popping up its head.”

MIKEY: “The Lowen88 ﬂoated me really well and I got it going pretty easily, though we were surﬁng these little lefts and it felt like it wanted to go forehand, so I waited for a peak going the other way and got a couple of those. It worked up really good speed and if I was standing back near the tail it snapped around quickly too.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED LOWEN88 WAYNE LOWEN PH: 07 5526 5161 WWW.LOWEN88.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

030 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

5’8” Dimensions: 5’8” x 19 3/4” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 1-4ft, any conditons Who is this board best for? Fast, lots of drive. Intermediate to high-performance surfers.

DESIGNER_WAYNE LOWEN, GOLD COAST BASICS_SEMI ROUNDNOSE SWALLOWTAIL // SLIGHT CONCAVE TO FLATS QUAD FUTURES SETUP FINS USED_FUTURES SIMON ANDERSON SET TECHNICALS_SOUTH COAST PU BLANK, FULLY HANDSHAPED, 4X4X4OZ GREAT WHITE GLASS, CARBON TAPE SURFACE STRINGER ON DECK AND BOTTOM, EPOXY RESINS

5’6”X201/4”X21/4”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “We’ve been working down toward these for about six years now, I’ve been surfing them for six months and finding them really easy to surf and just a lot of fun really. We’re going shorter and wider to preserve planing speed – now we’re looking for ways to make them turn in the pocket as well as build sspe speed down the line. The top guys have e de definitely loosened people up about this sor sort of thing; just in the p pas nths the public have caught pastt 12 mon months o and wa on ant tto experiment and try want d dif ferent stu different stuff. I tend to keep the quads a and thrusters apart a bit, I know you can combine fin boxes and a bo board will go OK as a four fin o or a three, but I think you do des sign a bit differently for four design ccompared co mp to three and so I try to do that, go one way or the to othe o other. We’re definitely going tto k keep working with epoxy res resins and EPS, but I like t feel of epoxy and PU – the tthe epoxy has a bit more th p po pop and that feel is great.”

TTRIPPY FEATURE:

How often do you see H a polyurethane blank without w a wood stringer line l down the guts? Not often. o This is one of those t rare beasts.

DDAMAGE REPORT

slight compression/ s denting on deck and d b bottom o

SUITED TO: SU

IIntermediate nt to skilled s surfer ur to 75kg in 1-4 foot down d ow the line beachies or poin p points where a bit of hurryu up p is needed

Then again you gotta chuck it round sometimes.

The arrival of the miniboard so close on the heels of the modern quad means the combo quiver’s popularity is up – and it’s deciding some boardmakers’ ranges. “We do three basic models,” says Wayne, “and we’ll kind of work off them and adjust to suit people. But these days it’s important that the transition between different boards in a quiver isn’t too hard or extreme. So we’re thinking of that when we design each model – how they’ll ﬁt together.”

ABOUT LOWEN88

6’0” Dimensions: 6’0” x 19 1/4” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? 2-6ft, any conditions Who is this board best for? Fast, good hold with lots of drive. Intermediate to high-performance power surfers.

Based in Miami on the Gold Coast with 22 years’ experience handshaping custom-made surfboards. We specialise in crafting custommade surfboards for you and your surﬁng. Try one of our demo boards and discuss how we can ﬁne tune a custom shape for you.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 031

MAD DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “This came from me shaping in California for over 10 years. I wanted to bring back a board that blew up in small waves but still handled in the pocket. In California I worked with Wayne Miyata and Dennis ore moving up Jarvis in the South Bay before an Diego right and down the coast from San up to San Francisco – got a lot of custom he conditions in Carmel. Over there, th the xtreme. Down tend to be a little more extreme. b pretty soft in Malibu the waves willl be o up the coastt and weak, then you’ll go nd it can be e past Point Conception an and nd as cold d as powerful as Hawaii a and d that, and d as South Oz. I recognised ha at would d wanted to make a board that m ass cover everything as much osssible.”” possible.”

5’8”X191/4”X21/4”

TRIPPY FEATURE ATTURR E

Distinctive deep concave nccavve matching a lot of rocker in n th the he back end from about two an a and nd et a half feet up; unusuall ye yet v ves. effective curves.

DAMAGE REPORT OT ORT

Very minor deck eck k compression siion n

SUITED TO

Any intermediate to highly skilled surfer looking to match or exceed the Dumpster Diver theory in 2-5 foot surf.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED MAD SURFBOARDS MARTY ALLEN PH: 0459 110 810 WWW.MADSURF.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

032 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

MCFLY Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? For small to medium surf, head high and under. Who is this board best for? All ages, from grom to master. All abilities, from beginner to pro.

MODEL_LITTLE MONSTA // DESIGNER_MARTY ALLEN, KINGSCLIFF BASICS_SQUARE SQUASHTAIL // SINGLE CONCAVE WITH EXIT VEE, SLIGHT HIP FORWARD OF FRONT FIN SET THRUSTER FUSION SETUP FINS USED_FCS PC-5 NEW RANGE // TECHNICALS_XTR PS BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4OZ GREAT WHITE AND AERIALITE GLASS, CUSTOM MIXED EPOXY RESINS The kind of move that comes easily on a board you like. Ryan flying with style.

tester’s comments MIKEY: “Me and Ryan really liked it, eh. Really fast. Similar to the Diverse even though it wasn’t the same shape. Every time there was a chance for an air, it went really good. Most of the time that was what I was doing out there. No turns! Fast – and I didn’t wanna share it.”

RYAN: “It went Mad. Probably the favourite board I’ve ridden in the Test. Kinda smaller and wider and thicker so it carried through ﬂat sections. Just a really fun board, very smooth and had heaps of speed so you could just ﬂow through sections. Really good pop and held in nice. Yeah, my favourite for sure.”

“Ooooo look it goes backhand too!” Australia really is the best place to be a boardmaker right now. “Californian boardmakers are expert in glassing and hand tools,” says Marty. “What I learned there gave me a lot of conﬁdence to go for it. But surf shop retail business is screwed in the US right now. Close to 80% of the shops are doing badly. I’m fortunate to have a good single client base there, guys who order direct rather than look in the shops.”

ABOUT MAD

BLACK SWALLOW Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? Medium surf, head high to 2ft overhead. Who is this board best for? For surfers that need one board to do it all.

Australian owned, Marty has shaped all around the world, shaping for many pro surfers, as well as great local talent. Marty has returned home with a great new technology called XTR – a closed-cell, epoxy foam, hand laminated with the highest UV treated epoxy, making this product the whitest, lightest, strongest epoxy in the world.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 033

MG A barrel? A BARREL? Nah, you’re seeing things. Mikey, the only one small enough to fit into this shorey.

tester’s comments MIKEY: “The MG I thought could be good but maybe not for me, because I’m small and it might be for a bigger guy. Surprisingly it went pretty good. On one wave I rode it went soooo fast through a clean little barrel and…. yeah! Good board.”

…and after the barrel…

TYLER: “My initial thought was that it’d be fun and that’s how it worked out – fun. It was kinda like a normal shortboard but with this funky little nose on it. I think it would be a LOT of fun if you could do airs on it … if you could do airs. (laughs) RYAN: “This was the very ﬁrst quad I’d ever ridden and I thought it was going to be different than it turned out – that it’d be looser, more pivoty. I think the quad was OK really because the board was so small you could get away with it and dominate it if needed. It was REALLY fast – I didn’t expect a board that size to be so quick. Turns felt nice and controlled.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED MG SURFBOARDS MAURICIO GIL PH:02 9939 3213 WWW.MGSURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

034 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

MGX - 1 Dimensions: 6’3” x 19 1/4” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? Lower rocker and fuller rails. Great in fuller waves. Who is this board best for? Suited for all surfers.

MODEL_SPUD CINCO // DESIGNER_MAURICIO GIL, SYDNEY NORTHERN BEACHES BASICS_ROUNDNOSE SWALLOW // SLIGHT SINGLE CONCAVE QUAD/THRUSTER COMBO FCS SETUP FINS USED_SHAPERS MG IV SET TECHNICALS_DION GREEN PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4X4OZ GLASS, FGI POLYESTER RESINS

5’7”X19”X21/4”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I designed this basic thing in 1993, when I was working with Donald Takayama on the US East Coast. I was driving between Miami and New York and looking for something to work in the waves they had to ride there there. Back then I was making them betwe between 6’10” and 7’4”, big planing things for ju un waves. Now the times junk are changin g people are going down in changing, llength, le len gth, so I tth thought let’s make it smaller! S I whack So ke it into the computer whacked a began and bega an shrinking and shrinking a thinking thin nk to myself, hey, this and i looking look kin good! Almost like a is skateb skateboard. When you’re scaling a b rrd down like this, you’ve gotta boa board g ive a give and take. It was a super at rocker ro flat at first and I had to llift ift th the tail up a little bit to free iitt p pr properly. With the variable fin ssetup, you know, four fins we w were like shooting blanks ffor or o me for a while, but then aft a after a lot of experimenting an playing around I got a and on some measurements onto th work…offering a choice that se seems to work.”

EELEGANT L TOUCH:

Volume V o pitched forward in the th h outline is matched by the th h concave, also pushed forward fo o under and through the front foot th

DDAMAGE A REPORT

Very V e minor deck ccompression o

SSUITED U TO:

Adventurous A dv d younger surfer llooking oo ok for a skatey fast feel in 2-4 2 -4 4 ffoot surf

Tyler’s patented look-back release was made for the MG.

Beware of the miniboard craze – especially if you’re a bit older. Mauricio has found himself having to advise some surfers against going too short. “People are asking for 5’7” and less, even some older guys. I think it’s pressure from the pros…people want to rip like them, and sometimes they get what they want, but sometimes not. I say try the middle of the road – don’t go that small ﬁrst up, you might get a shock.”

ABOUT MG

MGQS Dimensions: 6’1” x 19 3/4” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? Easy to catch waves without losing the aspect of a shortboard. Who is this board best for? Suited for all surfers.

Mauricio has been shaping for over 30 years in different parts of the world. He was the licensee and sole shaper for Aloha Surfboards for over a decade in North and South America. Mauricio now operates his factory on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and has launched his brand MG Surfboards, offering the cutting edge in surfboard designs.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 035

PRIME DESIGNER’S COMMENT: T ““We T: We could m mething more have tried to send you something w wanted to high performance but we o the boards maintain the integrity of le. I suppose we actually sell to people. wo o to four foot we were foxusing on two o who are ople re e beachbreaks and people p posed th he want8ing stability as opposed to the t Testers Testerrs high performance boards the e eing aske ed would mostly use. We’re being asked e headin ng for boards like that and we’re heading m nt, down that path at the momen moment, h of ne ew we’ve just made up a bunch new w this iss templates. But for now nk what we’ve been making. I thin think e savv vy buyers are a lot more savvy e day ys about what they want these days SL – maybe it’s education byy AS ASL and other mags. But they are a o ng onin lot more savvy and questioning u a ust about boards now ’It’s not just n y.”” ndy question of eye candy.”

FUN FAFFACT A CT

only board in the Test that w was as ﬁtted with the old school black lack la FCS composite ﬁns. Wow!! We thought they were all used d up.

DAMAGE REPORT P RT POR

Nothing signiﬁccant an nt

SUITED TO

Any surfer, 65kg and up, postbeginner to good skill level and into casual power-style surﬁng in 2-6 foot waves

Ryan, hammering.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED

PRIME SURFBOARDS PH: 03 9558 0008 WWW.PRIMESURFBOARDS.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

036 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

SHORTBOARD Dimensions: 6’ 2” x 19” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? 3-5ft beachies, points and ﬂatter reefs. Who is this board best for? Intermediate wanting speed down the line with ease of paddling.

DESIGNER_GRAHAM DEGOLDI, MELBOURNE, VICCO BASICS_SQUARE SQUASHTAIL, VERY SLIGHT SINGLE TO DOUBLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FCS SETUPP FINS USED_FCS G5 ORIGINALS TECHNICALS_SURFBLANKS PU BLANK, MACHINE CUT AND FINISHED, 4X4X4OZ GLASS, FGI POLYESTER RESINS, ACRYLIC SPRAY FINISH

6’4”X19”X21/2”

Something about this board reminded us of a Hawaiian quiver circa 1995. Josh, in full Sunny Garcia Testimonial Hack mode.

tester’s comments JOSH: “Pretty clearly one of those boards that you look at and say to yourself, ‘This is made for a big boy.’ It wasn’t super reﬁned but at that ﬁrst look you would also say to yourself, ‘Hmmm, I think that board’s gonna go’. The one other thing I also noticed was that it looked kinda narrow, but once you were in the water paddling, it didn’t feel that way, so that must have been a trick of the eye. It was easy to catch waves on and it did everything you would have expected it

to do. It pulled through carves really nicely, flowed well, stayed on top of the water, and still performed quite well – you still felt you were surfing all right on it.” TYLER: “I dunno, I didn’t think it’d go so good at first, I was kinda unsure about it. But I got on it and it was heaps of fun! You could get it going and do some cutties and massive carves on it. Yeeah! Fun.”

In the words of the great Hollywood screenwriter, William Goldman: Nobody Knows Anything. This applies to surfboards as much as Hollywood. If you’d told us before we started the Test that Tyler Wright would’ve really enjoyed this board, we’d have written you off as a madman. But everyone who surfed it came back happy as Larry. Maybe like the Goodtime, it just came down to simplicity: “I wonder if surfboard sales are ﬂat because there’s so much choice at the moment,” says Graham.

ABOUT PRIME Prime Surfboards is dedicated to providing high-quality surfboards to a full spectrum of surﬁng ability. From soft boards, shortboards to longboards, we are passionate about getting it right for the surfer, whether beginner or advanced. HYBRID Dimensions: 7’4” x 19 1/2 x 2 5/8” What surf is this board best in? 1-4 beachies and points. Who is this board best for? A performance hybrid, great for all conditions and ability. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 037

RIP CURL/DHD Here’s what happens when a board’s a bit looser than you thought. Ryan, getting it under control.

Yipes! Damn thing’s gone wild!

tester’s comments

RYAN: “Everything was fine, it felt pretty good, but … first wave it felt REALLY loose. I’m used to riding slightly tighter boards than this one. It was fast yet felt really responsive, it had that go-anywhere feeling. I was almost not ready for it. The waves were good that day, with some nice sections to feel for speed in the board, it had plenty and was very flairy, but again, you had to be ready for it when it went into hyper drive.” TYLER: “I really liked the rails on this board, rails are a big part of getting a board to run cleanly through the bottom and top, and that’s what this one did. Just really a good, sharp, quick-witted board that I’d happily recommend to anyone.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED

RIPCURL DHD DARREN HANDLEY PH: 03 5261 0000 WWW.RIPCURL.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

038 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

RCDC Dimensions: Model sizes or custom order. What surf is this board best in? For versatile surﬁng in a wide range of conditions in 2-6ft surf. Who is this board best for? Suitable for intermediate to expert surfers.

MODEL_COFFEE BEAN // DESIGNER_DARREN HANDLEY, GOLD COAST BASICS_ROUND SQUASHTAIL // SINGLE TO DOUBLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_DHD FCS SET TECHNICALS_ SOUTH COAST PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X4X4OZ EXCEL GLASS, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS

5’10”X181/2”X23/16”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “This was from Mick Fanning – he remembered a board that I’d made for Jay Phillips back when Mick was a junior and Jay was at the top of the Sna Snapper tree. It had this real wide soft sort o of sq squaretail and he wanted one a bit like itt for small waves. So we did it as close a ass I ccould remember to what I’d made for J Jay a and it was one of his boards d dur ing tha at wo during that world title, the ﬁrst one, 2007. W e ﬁddled ddle ed around ar We with it a fair bit over t nextt three thr years, just making tiny the a ustmen really – we narrowed the adj adjustments n e and tail in 2008 to make it a bit nos nose more user-friendly, us more but this year we p ullled ‘‘em back out again because pulled q uite a few people were starting quite to surf that wider style of board, to D ane a Reynolds and others. I Dane tthink hink we must have been ahead h o off ou our time! Anyway it’s feeling p ret good. This one has a pretty w hit spray on the blank, like white tthey hey say, if it’s white and bright iit t’ll sell all right!” it’ll

TTRIPPY R I FEATURE:

an non-standard parallel outline o ut through the middle with w it most of the curve pulling p ul in behind the 18-inch ttail ail mark, matching a deep double d ou concave in the back end; e nd result, a heap of lift coinciding coi with turns

DDAMAGE A REPORT

Very V e minor deck ccompression om

SSUITED UI TO:

any a ny energetic high performance oriented orien young surfer 60-70kg in in 2-4 foot beachies and points

Tyler shows the DHD who owns what.

Don’t pre-judge udge a boardmaker’s output. Darren Darren’s arren’s s been around fo for or many years now and he’s one of Australian board design’s staple diets. This tends to lull you into a false e sense of predictability about his boards; ie, yep, they’ll be good, but you’ll know ‘em in an instant. This little board turned the theory on its head a bit with its subtly nontraditional lines. “People struggled with it three years ago when they saw the nose and tail widths, but they’re more used to that sort of thing now,” says Darren.

ABOUT DHD

MICK FANNING SWIVEL Dimensions: Model sizes or custom order What surf is this board best in? A small-wave performer that can handle a bit of grunt as well as mush. Who is this board best for? Suitable for all skill levels.

Bred in Kirra on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Darren Handley has lived and breathed surﬁng his entire life. Starting in the local Pipedream factory at the age of 12, Darren Handley continues to remain at the forefront of cutting edge surfboard design and sets industry bench marks for quality and performance. Team riders include Mick Fanning, Steph Gilmore, Bobby Martinez, Sally Fitzgibbons, Mitch Colebourne, Just to name a few. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 039

RMS DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “This board has grown out of the past couple of years of drawing down length and putting a little bit more width in to make up the volume, sort of a modern y. Design-wise take on the ‘80s theory. pparent trends d I tend to rely less on apparent ’m feeling and and more on what I’m n me, on that nd seeing in the water around m guys can give and on what my team f like high me in feedback, and it feels ds are heading ng g performance type boards ow w, especially llyy in this direction right now, g to ﬂoat you ou u into summer; something urn straight straigh ht a bit but that will still turn ng speed.. I up the face without losing w it, it’s it’ t’ss used a Surfblanks green with be e just such a good blank – maybe n it, bu ut a touch more weight in but o ﬂaws; awss; beautiful to cut, just no oing..” Midget knows what he’s d doing.”

5’9”X191/2”X25/16”

TRIPPY FEATURE ATTUU RE

Pronounced ﬂat vee e ex exit xit behind the back ﬁn, foiling illin ng out of the double concave. ca avve. You don’t see a lot of vee ee e in the hi-per miniboard genre, nre, nr but it gave this lil fella llla aa real x-factor – smoothed hed he out turn transitions a treat. eat. ea

DAMAGE REPORT ORT OR

Minor deck denting; tiin ng; minor crease under no nose ose e from Mikey’s punting! tin ng!

SUITEDE D TOT O

Any surfer 65-75 kg who’s ’s s in into nto performance and looking g forr a sharp, ﬂowy alternative. nativve.

Swooping drive off the midsection concave.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED RMS SURFBOARDS REX MARECHAL PH: 0414 378 764 WWW.RMSHAPES.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

040 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

NR2 Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? From shoulder to way overhead. Who is this board best for? Someone who wants to do tight, quick turns in reasonable surf.

MODEL_TORKPEDO // DESIGNER_REX MARECHAL, NSW CENTRAL COAST BASICS_SQUARE SQUASHTAIL // FLAT TO DOUBLE CONCAVE TO VEE THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_KR JP-5, FCS H3 NEXUS TECHNICALS_SURFBLANKS GREEN PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4X4OZ GLASS, FGI UV-CURE POLYESTER RESINS The slight vee exit made this board a treat for snaps and recoveries. Clint, manhandling the little baby.

…and the added advantage of turning straight up!

RYAN: “Really liked it. It seemed chunky at first when I picked it up, maybe a good grovel board. I don’t ride grovel boards but it felt very nice – flowy, fast, and held in really well, if you laid into a carve it held the line and came out the other end. I was able to figure it out straight away which I always think is a good sign in a board.”

HIPPO: “I rode this straight after the Xanadu. It actually had vee in it! I remember a few years ago I started playing with a bit of vee in some of my boards – lately I’ve been getting it tucked into my towboards too. They hold in really well. The RM was a bit small for me but I really like it – probably the best of the ones I got to ride in the ﬁrst sessions. Surprising!”

Quads have found their place. From Test evidence we’d have to say that the trend phase for four-ﬁns is past. A lot of the initial bugs have been worked out in the process, so the design quality is less uneven, but the quad has shifted back a gear for most surfers, from a gotta-try-one to an option in the Fish or miniboard zone. “We’re still making quite a few,” says Rex, “they’re got their hardcore fans, but they’re no longer taking ground off three ﬁns.”

ABOUT RMS

DOPPLEGANGER Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? Best in surf 1-4ft, beachies and points. Who is this board best for? Depending on the length and volume, it works well from beginner to pro.

A brand-new website and online store, RMS Surfboards has a comprehensive range of quality performance boards and accessories. From design and machining to glassing, RMS is totally in-house and Rex is there to ensure a high level of quality and service.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 041

tester’s comments

JOSH: “The board was finished well, white-sprayed foam and that little semi-gloss look. It seemed to absolutely skim over the water. It was really smooth but did not have that slow smooth feel – it almost felt like it was being slung through a wedge on every wave. It made you surf smooth and stayed really high above the waterline, it almost felt as it floated above it. Most boards this size I find difficult to transition from flat face to lip but this one handled well. It really shone on the flat long-walled waves but also really surprised through lip turns. Unsure how it would handle bigger waves or steep faces as it might not fit right, but it was real fun to ride in what we had.”

SANTA CRUZ This thing’s so aerially inclined, it even threw Hippo into space. Ryan gets elevated every which way but Wrong.

tester’s comments HIPPO: “Pretty funny! I was looking for something on the Test that’d ﬁt my size and I saw the Ozzy model and went out and had a bit of fun on it. I dunno, I’m not an air specialist but I was trying a fair bit of air on it – not doing anything like Ozzy, but if you’re into that, it’s the board for you. It’s fast, freaky and dark – just like Ozzy.”

JOSH: “Different! It looks like a much bigger board chopped off down to the tail, then given a hip and single ﬂyer to bring the tail in, thus giving it a look that reminds you of an arrow. Rails were pretty boxy with a hard underside edge running up the whole board, not sharp but very square on the bottom edge. The board rode very ﬂat and fast, it really liked to speed

along the top part of a flat wave and was, as expected an aerial craft and launched from lips easily, however it was very specific and loved to do what it was suited to and almost forced you to surf it like that. It did work conventionally when surfed flat and conservatively and so might suit someone surfing softer waves and just getting the basics.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED SANTA CRUZ SURFBOARDS CHRIS STONE PH: 03 8525 9999 WWW.SANTACRUZSURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

042 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

ROB SHARK G-DECK Dimensions: 5’2” x 19 4/5” x 2 2/3” What surf is this board best in? Smaller 1-4 foot faces to head high. Who is this board best for? Skate-inﬂuenced surﬁng.

MODEL_OZZY WRONG DESIGNER_CHRIS GALLAGHER, SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA BASICS_WING SWALLOWTAIL // SHALLOW FLAT CONCAVE THROUGH TAIL THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_ FCS DHD3 SET TECHNICALS_POWERLYTE EPS POLYSTYRENE BLANK, MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X4OZ GLASS PLUS CARBON FIBRE/ENAMEL FINISH, EPOXY RESINS

5’8”X193/4”X21/2”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “Ozzie Wright is a freak of nature. He surfs like a bat out of hell. With his skate inﬂuenced style Ozzie punts giant airs and has a deep bag of tricks and grabs at his disposal. Ozzie’s contemporary wide-body wing swallow is designed to get you going at Mach 2 as soon as pos possible possible. Speed is your friend, boosting is your y objective, landing it is e eve rything. The T wide bodied design is easy everything. d ready re to ride and to take on any ramp y throw w in its way and provide you you w h smooth, wit sm moot stable landings. Paddles with f t and fas an nd catches c fast waves with ease. boa can be got in PowerLyte This board T technology tec EXT (eps/epoxy) nut a case it is built to take a in any lickin’ and keep on tickin’. Ozzie lickin’ ap ppro approved. Tested in Australia, Tava T Tavarua, North and Central Ame A America.”

FFUN U FACT

tthe h only board in the Test Te designed outside Australia – ironically for A Ozzie O

DDAMAGE REPORT

almost none visible a – very slight deck denting d

SSUITED TO

Average to skilled surfer A 7 70-80kg with air in mind, o or early intermediate s surfer 70g looking to ﬂoat a and n cruise turns.

…and yes, it will even do “conventional” things!

Again: variety. Gally is a highly talented nted surfer-shaper er-shaper with a wide e range of experience and k knowledge; the fact that he’s able to turn his design abilities to an Ozzy model as well as his specialist work with cutaway decks and big-wave quads gives us the tip that if anything can be regarded as conventional wisdom about boards right now, it’s that they’re whatever you want them to be.

ABOUT SANTA CRUZ

OZZIE WRIGHT CROSS WING SWALLOW EPX Dimensions: 5’8” x 19 3/4” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? Waist to head-high waves. Who is this board best for? Novice to expert riders for ramping out skate inﬂucenced surﬁng.

Chris Gallagher Stone: Gally is a former WCT surfer from Santa Cruz, California. He now resides on the North Shore of Oahu and shaped as a ghost shaper for Eric Arakawa for several years and credits Eric for being very generous with his shaping knowledge. Gally now shapes boards for some of the best surfers on the planet.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 043

STUART DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “This one’s a bit more rounded than a lot of the semi Fishy sort of boards I’ve been making in recent times. It’s primarily for small waves – catching ‘em and staying on ‘em. The roundtail reasoning is so you can push it a bit harder in turns.. A lot of fishy ush that hard, boards you can’t really pu push e round curve they won’t hold, but the an some fishy helps. A bit more rocker tha than om mbo fin setup,, boards helps too. Re the combo ad fan – I could d I’ve never been a big quad tha at well. But Bu ut never make it work all that e of o board in n I’ve been making this type w o Japan for a while and theyy wanted to e me m some e see it as a quad. They gave g well, w and d feedback that it was going en they eyy I was a bit sceptical. But the then tag ge and d sent me this Youtube footage d o there were these guys at a demo ere e jus st day riding one and they were just ustter iss flaring. Probably a Thruster es, and d still better for hard carves, n quads have their shot at it in urn ns.”” flatter longer turns.”

5’8”X193/4”X23/8”

FUN FACT FAACC T

Only board in the testt th that hat owes its presence e tto oa Youtube e clip clip cl

DAMAGE REPORT POORTT

minor deck denting ntiing g

SUITEDED TOT O

intermediate to skilled surfer, urffe er, 75kg, in any beachies or sandy san nd dy points 2-5 5 feet. fe ee et.

Cop this, ya quad! Hippo shows the Stuart no mercy whatsoever.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED STUART STUART SMITH PH:07 5572 0098 WWW.STUARTSURF.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

044 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

HPX-2 Dimensions: 6’1” x 19” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? 1-5ft beachbreaks, points and reefs. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced level, high performance in medium waves.

MODEL_SSV FX-2 // DESIGNER_STUART SMITH BASICS_ROUNDNOSE FLYER ROUNDTAIL // SINGLE CONCAVE TO FLAT QUAD/THRUSTER COMBO FCS SETUP (SURFED AS A QUAD) FINS USED_SHAPERS S-MOJO FRONT SET, FCS M3 BACK SET TECHNICALS_ BURFORD PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4X4OZ GLASS, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS

tester’s comments

Putting it bluntly, this board was for hurling around as much and wherever you liked. Asher using the nor-easter.

Amazingly loose off the back end, even on the flats.

ASHER: “Kind of a thicker board, a lot of volume up front. I figured it’d paddle well and it definitely satisfied on that score. It turned really well for the volume and I reckon this would be suited to someone 5-7kg heavier than me (Asher’s 68 kg). Fatter waves are its forte but I think it’d be good on a pointbreak too. With the quad setup it got speed quite easily and turned nicely. Happy with it.”

HIPPO: “The waves were terrible when I rode this board, but I went out anyway and it went quite well. You could get on it and actually move, and if you have a board that’ll turn and run well in half a foot waves, you’d have to hang on to it. Consistent and good to have around, plus a good all-round board.”

The quad/Thruster combo fin plug setup is proving a popular mix with a lot of surfers. “Partly it’s the ability it gives people to choose, partly it’s an issue-free way to try four fins,” says Stuey Smith. “You can give the quad setup a go at your leisure, knowing that if it doesn’t stoke you, you can always fall back on the three-fin configuration. It definitely turns one board into two.”

ABOUT STUART Stuart has been shaping since 1985! They have a great model range and specialise in customs. Check out their shop and sniff the fumes of a real surfboard store!

FX-1 Dimensions: 5’11” x 19” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 1-4ft beachbreaks, points and soft reefs. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced level in small waves. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 045

TAKEDA

tester’s comments

Asher’s sleekly skilful style fitted the Takeda’s precise and elegant outline like a condom. What did we just say? We meant a glove. Nice inside slash.

ASHER: “This was the last board I rode, the waves were fat and lumpy and I liked the feel of it – I think it would have gone way better and stepped up as the conditions got better, because the waves were fairly limiting. It did what I wanted it to do, deﬁnitely had a lot of spring out of the bottom turn and came cleanly off the top, and overall just had a smooth clean feel to it. Flexy – fast – and fun!” TYLER: “Light, fast, ﬂuid. Just a kind of all round board, I’m sure anyone could ride it and have a lot of fun. The waves I caught, you could get a lot of speed and drive, and since the board is really light as well, you could maintain its speed through turns. Very enjoyable.”

Tyler hooks it off a foamy little lip.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED TAKEDA YOSHI TAKEDA PH: 07 5534 1271 WWW.TAKEDA.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

046 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

HAYABUSA Dimensions: 5’6” x 20 1/4” x 2 3/4” What surf is this board best in? All conditions up to around 6ft. Who is this board best for? Ultra-modern quad ﬁsh. Change your local surf spot to a skate park.

DESIGNER_YOSHI TAKEDA BASICS_SQUARE SQUASH // SINGLE CONCAVE TO SOFT VEE EXIT BEHIND BACK FIN THRUSTER FUTURES SETUP FINS USED_FUTURES F4 SET TECHNICALS_US EPS BLANK, FULLY HANDSHAPED 4X4X4OZ GLASS, QUICK STICK EPOXY RESINS MIXED WITH WHITE PIGMENT

6’0”X183/8”X21/4”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “Mostly I do custom performance shortboards, but lately I’ve been starting to make more retro boards. I do everything myself so I can only do ab b about ﬁve a week. I only had three days av va available to make this board, Monday to We e Wednesday (We left for the Test on the Sa a Saturday – NC) and because t testers ar the re kept secret from the test are b boa rdmakerrs I wasn’t exactly sure who boardmakers, Iw as makin n the board for, so I just was making d dec ided to picture a 75kg good surfer decided a nd went ffrom there. For someone and b igger I m bigger might have pushed out the w idth in n nose and tail just a little width b bit s an eps blank to get a bit.. I us used llittle lit tle m more buoyancy out of it. T he d e pattern – I had a tattoo The deck o u hearts on my hand so I off fou four jjust ust d decided to put that tattoo ttogether tog o e et four times for ad e decoration.”

ELELEGANT E TOUCH

This T h beautiful board had ha a minimal volume for the th he measurements, yet h everything evv was in near perfect pe e balance with a slightly sllli pulled-in tail to create crrre subtle extra outline ou u curve.

DDAMAGE A REPORT

minor deck denting mi m

SUITED SU U I TO

Pretty P re e much any good surfer in n2 2-5 foot waves of most vvarieties arri

Another one of those airs she reckons she can’t do.

The art of custom surfboard shaping is turning up in ever more interesting places. Yoshi is just a young Japanese kid whose English has some improving to do, but he’s revealed an amazingly high level of craftsmanship with this very slick board. “I rent a little bit of factory space from Base,” he told ASL, seemingly unaware of the mild irony involved. “I’m still learning a lot but I’m happy to do so.” Us too.

ABOUT TAKEDA Yoshi Takeda has one goal in life – to make the best boards.

SEAHAWK Dimensions: 5’5” x 20” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? All conditions up to around 5ft. Who is this board best for? High-performance twin ﬁsh, extremely fast. Designed for speed, drive and manoeuvrability. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 047

Colour, flash and sanity all in the same package … pretty hard to pass up. Clint, pushing it through a functional arc. Boom! Get that fricken tail out.

tester’s comments

WEAPON

CLIPPER: “The Weapon felt pretty good! Not an all out magic superboard, but deﬁnitely one that you could take out on any day in any conditions and have a really good time. It felt safe, smooth through turns, and released off the top nicely. It’s colourful, fun and out-there in appearance, yet it’s sturdy and comfortable underneath.” RYAN: “A very normal board, fast and fun to ride. It’d never let you down. It did some good things but mainly it was sensible. This was the feedback from everyone who rode it and I wasn’t surprised to feel that way about it. I liked the colour a lot! It made the Weapon stand out and everyone kept talking about it – you couldn’t help but recognise it in the pack.”

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED WEAPON MARCUS GRAY PH: 0415 945 433 WWW.WEAPONSURFBOARDS.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

050 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

DOUBLE SHOT Dimensions: 5’7” x 20 1/2” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? This board is good in small to medium waves and pointbreaks. Who is this board best for? Everyone from kids to the old diggers.

MODEL_ARMOURED DWARF // DESIGNER_MARCUS GREY, SYDNEY NORTHERN BEACHES BASICS_SQUASHTAIL // SINGLE TO DOUBLE CONCAVE THRUSTER FUTURES SETUP FINS USED_FUTURES CLAY MARZO SET TECHNICALS_DION YELLOW PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED, 4X6OZ GLASS, FGI POLYESTER RESINS

5’11”X191/4”X25/16”

DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “This is basically a squashed down shortboard, made shorter and slightly wider on all meas measurement points so the planshape p p iis similar to a standard high perform m performance board but with extra planing area a. The idea is to turn like area. a shortboar rd and plane like a fish – shortboard basically a ssu summer board, to make live es easier. You can surf it in people’s lives crap wave es when other boards are waves strugglin ng to go top to bottom. I struggling started o out making fish-type boards for thatt k kind of surf, but what I’ve notice ed is that riding fishes makes noticed it har rd to re-adjust to a more hard norm m board when the surf normal getss good; this kind of board allo ow for that switch. People allows a ea are asking for this sort of thing no ow or they might come in now, wa w wanting a board but not sure wh w what to get and after a bit of talking it’ll come down in o tth direction. It’s all about this vvo volume really – that’s what yo have to try to preserve.” you

AARTISTIC R FLAIR

Marcus spent eight hours M on o n the spectacular colour work for this board; followw up drawings were done by u Caspian de Looze C

DDAMAGE A REPORT

Very V e minor deck compression cco o

SSUITED UUI TO

Aw wide range of surfers, iintermediate nte t to highly skilled, iin np pl playful surf to four feet or a b bit it b bi bigger

Yep, that’s a “normal” move there Ryan.

These days, appearance counts. In seven Tests, this was the ﬁrst time we saw the Testers really respond to artwork and colour in boards, and the Weapon was the focus of that attention; somehow it seemed to prepare the crew for riding it. Marcus agrees that art can affect a surfer’s perception of a board: “People like something that looks good, it’s just natural; it gets them frothing.”

ABOUT WEAPON

SAMURAI Dimensions: 6’0” x 18 1/4” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? Everything from small beachbreaks to solid reefbreak barrels. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced and professional.

Weapon surfboards have been established now for over four years, with shaper Marcus Gray having over 10 years’ experience in surfboard manufacturing. They have an extended model range of 10 boards, and can also redesign a board to suit the customer.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 051

XANADU DESIGNER’S COMMENT: “I’m sorta like that; I start with a radical idea then I go over everything with a ﬁne tooth comb, ﬁnding ways to make it work. I tried four different rockers on this outline and none of them quite worked out. Then I tried the massive double concave thing, thinking to gess in the outline balance out the big changes rd the the tail. There’s as the board foils toward another version of thiss design with a etu up. People look massive wing-swallow setup. that’s insane, but bu ut at it and think whoa, that’s fa angs! A lot of of then they ride it and itt fangs! ve been doing g these sort of boards we’ve eople haven’t ’tt for 10 or 12 years, but people ng attention on n necessarily been paying cuttting ‘em m – until Kelly started cutting e-in nventin ng down. He just keeps re-inventing ry for f us.” uss.”” the surfboard industry

5’6”X193/4”X23/8”

TRIPPY FEA FEATURE ATUU RE

Heck, isn’t it obvious? Dramatic ram ma atic “chopped” tail retains unusual nusu ual volume at the pod, with a deep deep de ng ba b ack double concave running back e wing wing wi from before the

DAMAGE REPORT EPOORR T

minor deck denting enttin ng

SUITED TO

any surfer around 75-80kg with an imagination, in 2-4 foot plus surf.

The thing recovered from anywhere.

SHOWCASE

THINGS WE LEARNED XANADU STUART SMITH PH: 07 5572 0098 WWW.XANADUSURFDESIGNS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

052 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

SW-15 // HIP WITH SWALLOW TAIL Dimensions: 5’10” x 19 1/4” x 2 5/16” What surf is this board best in? 1-4ft beachbreaks, points and soft reefs. Who is this board best for? Small guys for small waves or big guys for most conditions.

MODEL_HXBYO // DESIGNER_STUART SMITH - XANADU BASICS_OPEN NOSE WING DIAMOND TAIL // DEEP DOUBLE CONCAVE THROUGH TO TAIL SECTION THRUSTER FCS SETUP FINS USED_SHAPERS XANADU XL/XM SET // TECHNICALS_BURFORD GREEN PU BLANK, APS-3000 MACHINE CUT HAND-FINISHED 4X4X4OZ NUPLEX GLASS, SILMAR POLYESTER RESINS This wonderful little board just skated around all over the shop. Clipper, reining it in off a pitchy inside lip.

“Shit, it does this as well!”

CLIPPER: “ I didn’t really know what this board was going to do when I jumped on it. I don’t even know quite how to describe it, appearance-wise. But I was really, really surprised at how smooth this board was. Pretty much every wave I caught on it, I nursed it, until almost the end of the surf, because I didn’t know what would happen if I pushed it. Then when I started to push it hard, It didn’t slide out, it wouldn’t slow down, it was just a really good board. It went over sections, it was smooth, soft, and a pleasure to ride.”

tester’s comments HIPPO: “We surfed this little shorie on the first day and I was keen to try this out – I don’t get many chances to muck around with fishy sorts of boards. This was the first one I rode and I was surprised how quick it went through flat sections. As far as just getting on a board and getting out there and making it work, it was great.”

Most of all in the whole Test: Surfboard shaping is really evolving into a design race. In that sense, boardmaking is in turbo overdrive. “Everyone’s trying to make something funky that’s gonna go good,” says the designer. “Maybe the Chinese actually helped – by making all those ﬁshy boards, much as we hate to say it, the fact that people were willing to ride ‘em gave us permission to try all sorts of things we might not have done otherwise.”

ABOUT XANADU Xanadu shapes in four different continents every year and knows what crew need! Check out the model range and reviews!

X-16 // ROUNDED PIN TAIL Dimensions: 6’1” x 18 1/2” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 2-6ft good waves with face or barrels. Who is this board best for? High-performance design for good surfers. 2011 BOARD BIBLE // 053

HARDWARE

THE ASL ACCESSORIES GUIDE WORDS: Mark Rosenberg, Will Hayden-Smith and Nick Carroll

On A MissiOn

GAINING TRACTION Wax melts, gets stuck in your snail trail and goes missing in times of need, but at three bucks a pop it’s an item most surfers can stockpile. Although the nice-smelling sticky stuff is unlikely to ever be wiped out, the surf industry have continually hunted for alternatives, leading to the discovery of the tail pad.

BAlin

$54.95

$49.95

Mitch Coleborn ‘Angels Lime’ Signature Traction Pad

Perplex Traction Pad

• 3-piece pad • Rider designed and tested • Constructed using the lightest, thinnest and grippiest EVA on the market • Guranteed no waxing required! • 6mm arch • 26mm kick

• Engineered traction pad with tapered kickers to reduce drag and arch bar for added control • Premium quality EVA for superior grip • Won’t rub out your knees

The search for an alternative adhesive began in the swinging ’60s, when Tom Morey concocted Slipcheck, a shiny adhesive sprayed on to your sled via aerosol. By all accounts it kept feet firmly to board as toes hung over nose, but the resulting rash would make even the most bearded of saltdogs cry. In 1976 Herbie Fletcher started messing around with suction cups for surfboards, but it wasn’t until 1981 that his company, Astrodeck, really rocketed. According to Herbie, “I started cutting grip pads into small dots and it caught on as a punk fashion statement”. Little did he know, Astrodeck’s functional fashion would revolutionise the way surfers stayed stuck to their boards. Shortly after, Australia manufacturer Gorilla Grip followed suit with its three-circle grip-adjustment system. Grip decks were here to stay. Made of the same material and applied in the same way (3M adhesive) as today’s pads, Astrodeck grew popular throughout the excessive ’80s, producing all manner of radical day-glo pads. The designs were hideous, but the functionality meant tailpads were here to stay. As the ’90s dawned other companies jumped on board and the Astrodeck template was simplified to a basic tail pad. This, combined with wax, proved to be the ideal combination for ease of application and traction. Kelly Slater threw his hat in the ring with K-grip, and ever since he stomped that air in Momentum tail pads have become the norm. As of 2010, it seems things can’t get much better.

Gotta love the ’80s!

BAlin

PAlMers

DAKine

$44.99

$59.99

Josh Kerr Signature Traction Pad

Bruce Irons Signature Traction Pad

• 3-piece pad • Team rider spec medium density EVA • Diamond groove

• 5-piece pad • 10mm arch • 25mm rolled kick

TOOls

$49.95

$54.95

IT Traction Pad • 3-piece design • 6mm arch • 30mm kick • Diamond pattern

Flubber

DAKine

$54.99

Pancho Signature

PAlMers

$44.99

Heath Joske Signature

054 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

OCeAn & eArTH

$54.95

CreATUres

$59.95

BillABOnG

$54.99

MODOM

$54.95

Bobby Martinez Pro Model

Mick Fanning Signature

Taj Burrow Signature

Mark Matthews Signature

OCeAn & eArTH

CreATUres

BillABOnG

MODOM

$54.95

Owen Wright Pro Model

$59.95

Dusty Payne Signature

Parko Signature

$54.99

$54.95

Craig Anderson Signature

EvERy LITTLE ThIng COunTs There’s more to surfing than a piece of fiberglass. There’s a plethora of other gear you need to get from board rack to barrel. So unless you want to be slipping, swimming, or staying home, you need to read this.

Dakine

OFF THE LEASH

Kanui Team Series 6’ Leash

$39.99

The legrope is a vital part of today’s surfing experience. Surprising, since it’s only been around for the past 40 years. Prior to that enterprising hotdoggers drilled holes in their fins and attached crude devices made from innertubes and footy socks, a far cry from the lightweight, urethane hyperflex, inventions today. The legrope first surfaced in the ’70s, and controversy swirls around its beginnings. Pat O’Neill (son of O’Neill founder, Jack) is credited with the invention, but old school Gold Coast surfers are adamant Gordon Merchant (founder of Billabong) crafted the original. It’s a subject melanomariddled old-timers will debate on beaches the world over for many a beer to come. Initially people expressed concern that if a surfer wiped out their board would sling back and hit them, as seen with Jack O’Neill’s missing eye, but as time went on they were created from lessstretchy materials and today the odds of that are minimal. When leggies came into being they were called kook cords, and serious surfers refused to wear them. Now you’re more likely to get yelled at in the lineup if you don’t have one. The times they are a changing; these days Comp 6’ Leash the modern legrope is light, doesn’t $39.95 get tangled, and apart from gaining length with age, they’re pretty damn durable. Creatures Of Leisure marketing manager Shaun Wright ran us through their latest cord. “We’ve created a DNA mould flex joint – the ankle strap – that’s bonded to the leash in such a way that the two stretch together when under pressure. This allows the leash to absorb greater impact than a regular legrope, which improves flexibility and strength, and prevents breakage.” Sounds good to us.

• 6’0” long, 1/4” thick • Maximum strength urethane cord • Precision moulded fittings

CReaTURes

Tools

• Features DNA Flex Mould - a unique mould design allowing the cord to stretch with the mould absorbing wave impact and vastly increasing strength.

• Stainless double swivel • Double strings

BillaBong

MoDoM

Parko Premium 6’ Leash

$37.99

• Double brass swivels • Quick release 2” cuff • Triple wrap rail save • Key pocket

6’ Race Lease

$32.45

• Easy release tab • High quality urethane

6’ Comp Cord

$34.95

Sock it to ’em!

on a Mission

$35.95 • 6’0” long, 1/4” thick • Stainless steel swivel • Injection moulded endings

• Neoprene padded ankle strap • Best quality urethane

• Modothene - a unique material only found in Modom Legropes • Stainless steel swivels

• Ultra strong velcro • Detachable rail saver • Internal key pocket

Bede Durbidge Signature

oCean & eaRTH

$39.95

Balin

Comp One Piece Leash

Super 6’ Leash

oCean & eaRTH

Balin

$44.95

Premium One Piece Leash

$39.95

CReaTURes

$41.95

Pro 6’ Leash

$34.95

Balin Hyper Comp Leash

BillaBong

$31.99

Taj Revolution 7’ Leash

Dakine

$37.95

PalMeRs

$37.99

Kanui Series 6’ Leash

Josh Kerr Premium 7’ Leash

PalMeRs

MoDoM

$35.99

Josh Kerr Premium 6’ Leash

$34.95

6’ Standard Cord

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 055

HARDWARE

CREATURES

BOARD COVERS

Multi Slim Travel 1 - 2 Boards $189.95

BAG IT UP Can you imagine travelling without a boardbag? Seems ridiculous, but before the ’80s no company had a solution to the problem of dinged boards. When surfers first started journeying up and down coastal roads they protected their boards with old sleeping bags, or vinyl and canvas tied with twine. The first primitive designs that came into being were board socks, and although some retro revivalists still swear by them, surfboard luggage has come a long way since. As surf horizons expanded Californian company ProLite started producing the first functional boardbags. They were designed for air travel; with thick padding, shoulder straps and durable zips. While they couldn’t guarantee protection from travel damage, they were a vast improvement on the duct tape and cardboard jobs surfers were doing themselves. Some of the colourways still left a lot to be desired, and the original multi-boardbags weren’t exactly sleek, but it was a start. Things got bigger in the ’90s. Wheels got involved as manufacturers picked up on crew who were taping skateys to their coffins, and bags started holding more and more boards. In Australia guys like Ocean & Earth, Creatures of Leisure, Balin and FCS started to fine tune their designs, and as fin systems came into play and airlines got more heavy-handed about excess baggage, bags started to lose weight once again. Terms like slim and streamlined and spacesaver came into play, and the average recreational, travelling surfer now rolls a bag enormously different to a pro. For starters there’s about a 10 board differential, and whereas the pro will be met by a friend or minder and take off in rental transport, the average road warrior is carrying his own gear on to buses and through public transport systems. Pros seek as little weight as possible and aren’t that worried about convenience, whereas the layman seeks protection for his precious few crafts and ease of movement. The surf companies are constantly trying to up the ante when it comes to protecting our boards. “We have a tried and tested Aircon Ventilation system,” says Ocean & Earth’s marketing manager, Michael Pitt, of their cover series of the same name. “This gives the nomadical surfer peace of mind, prolonging the life of your board, creating a constant flow of air and keeping it cool.” So you mean our boards will be safe, and the bag won’t smell like a wet dog? Done deal.

• SlimFit are the world’s lightest and best fitting board covers. • The unique design with the expandable sidewall has allowed all excess materials to be trimmed away, reducing overall size and weight by 20%

The original board bag.

OCEAN AND EARTH

BILLABONG

Aircon Shortboard Cover

Explorer Day Cover 6’0”

From $99.95

$109.95

BALIN

CREATURES

Balin Tour Minimal

Retro/Fish Day Use

$129.95

ACCESSORIES

OCEAN AND EARTH

$114.95

BOARD BOG

Double Rap Rax $99.95

Knead It. Fill It. Surf It $5

• Double padded surfboard carrying rax designed for cars without roof gutters. • Easy to attach, soft flexible & secure • Designed to carry multiple combinations of boards. • Includes storage bag.

• A quick fix for both polyester, customs and epoxy boards • An easy to use temporary or permanent fix • Pulls off in one lump if you want the professional fix • Super sticky so it will stay on in any conditions • Travel safe so you can take it on any surf trip

ALL THE CREATURE COMFORTS Unlike its alpine brother snowboarding, surfing is a pastime that requires little other than a board and some shorts? Or is it? When you actually think about all the equipment out there for enhancing your surfing experience the list is endless. With R and D budgets growing year to year it’s no surprise that companies have come up with a plethora of ideas to make surfing just that little bit easier. Surf-specific sunscreen to ensure you won’t get fried in the tropical sun, bags to conceal smelly wetties, booties that feel like you’re wearing nothing at all, even paste to fill holes when there’s no shapers on hand! Who knows what they’ll think of next? Maybe self-applying wax, or a leggie string that can undo itself? 056 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

PALMERS Featherlight Shortboard Cover From $69.95

• 5mm light weight PU foam padding • Reflective tarpee outer shell • Hide-away shoulder strap • Utility pocket

BILLABONG

OCEAN & EARTH

BALIN

Platinum Single Travel Cover 6’0” $129.95

Double Compact Shortboard Cover From $199.95

Balin Tour Cover $99.95

• Heat reflective • Heavy duty woven nylon • 10mm padded tail protector • Heavy duy metal buckles

• 6’0” - 7’2” • Protective foam gusset • EVA side walls • Zip out tail gusset • Detachable shoulder strap • Non corrosive nylon zip • Internal wax & fin bag • Removable storage hook

DAKINE

ON A MISSION

Daylight Deluxe Cover 6’3”

Day Mission Cover 6’6”

• Padded cover in heat reflective fabric • Available in variety of sizes • New, built-in gear pockets and air vents

$99.95

$109.95

PALMERS

TOOLS

Transit Shortboard Cover

Board Wrap 6’6”

From $99.95

BALIN

$3.95

Balin Wax Comb

BALIN Balin Low Cut Reef Boots

CREATURES

$27.95

2.75m Tie-downs

$49.95

CREATURES Wetsuit bag

$39.95

TOOLS

$9.90

Power Scraper

$29.95

OC IMPORTS

OCEAN & EARTH

$69.95

Neo Free Flex Sleeveless Vest

From $9.95

Island Tribe Clear Gel Sunscreen

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 057

FINWORLD

THEy’RE TOO GOOD! ASL wOnDERS HOw FInmAkERS CAn pOSSIBLy ImpROvE THEIR pRODuCT.

On deck: as finmakers grow bolder and more confident of their product, fin sets these days are going for appearance along with high end production quality.

Remember FCS’s original black G5 fin? It was part of the screw-in fin revolution of the ‘90s. Back then the idea of taking fins out and putting ’em back in was radical enough in itself, but the black placcy fin ... Well let’s just say it didn’t quite match up to the idea. Those days are long since gone, something we were reminded of when we actually got to use a black G5 set in the Board Test. It highlighted just how stratospherically far Finworld has come in recent times. These days pretty much any system set you choose will be well ahead of almost any glass-on fin set of 10 years back, and hard as it may be to imagine, some of ‘em look like going way further in the near future. Here’s some of the highlights we pulled out of Testing this time round...

ShaperS’ quad work

This company has improved almost every aspect of its range; the carbon-spined Stealth S-mojo is up there with anything being made anywhere. But what we noticed during testing is how well they’ve dealt with the quad scene. While some fin-makers have approached this area with caution, Shapers has pursued it with a fair bit of success. We kept pulling their MG quad set out of Test boards and sticking it into others, for one thing – it just did the best job. They’ve also imported Simon Anderson’s excellent quad template. Both these sets match up well with three-fin sets and with many surfers opting for the five-plug combo in their small wave mini-boards this summer, Shapers may be on a winner – or at least something bloody useful.

Left: one of Finworld’s driving forces right now is the increasing numbers of five-plug setups in miniboards. The Wright kiddies check the alternatives.

058 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

4Way’s step-up

This small-scale Gold Coast based finmaker triggered a fair bit of designer interest a couple of years back when they reintroduced the idea of fin angle tuning to the market. The 4Way box has potential to bust open Finworld; it can be tweaked by the rider to change fin angle and cant, both of which have dramatic effects on performance. It’s the ultimate fine-tuning system, taken further now by a new, more robust plug design that’s installed pre-glassing. But it’s a specific plug too, which doesn’t work with FCS or Futures fin bases. This has meant relying on their own fin production, which as you might tell from how long it’s taken the big guns in the market, can take a while. But 4Way’s now fully on the way; they’ve busted out a special bamboo-based fin prototype and clearly have quite a bit more in the works. “Ongoing materials advances, which in turn will affect fin foil shape,” says 4Way’s Charles Geraghty of the next step.

KinetiK Racing

Well jeez, the whole company. KR is an offshoot of Jason Stevenson’s remarkable empire and the fins come packaged in a zip-up enclosed foam cushion box which shows ‘em off like the Crown Jewels. It’s a match for the superhero surf team but we’re not totally sure it’s the most practical way for a traveller to carry his or her fin stash. That aside, the fins are gorgeous, beautifully crafted with a powder-coated finish, and while the range is pretty tight compared with the ones who’ve been around for a decade or so, it’s kicked off right on the mark. KR isn’t tied down to a specific plug system so it’s able to make fin sets for both FCS and Futures plugs; its best fin (in ASL’s opinion), the AI template, comes in Futures, but the Parko one’s pretty shmick too. Watch with interest.

Fcs’s H-3 nexus

This is the follow-up to that silver stranded H-2 model from four years ago, and can we tell you, it’s a fair bit better. The H-3 uses carbon layers to set up a three-stage flex from base to tip, and feels like a better manufacturing job all round. Design-wise it’s a step toward a more “normal” fin shape, with a little more outline curve, a refined inside foil and dispensing with the old fin’s slight blobbiness. The thing rides a lot like a K2.1 setup, inclined to vertical surfing, tight lines and barrels, but the materials are superior to any being used throughout FCS’s range, or indeed any other fin range. They produce a clean foiled snap flex which feels natural, almost invisible. Surf Hardware’s Drew Quinnell says the H-3’s technology is finding its way into the rest of the range, which should spark up a few old templates.

FutuRes’ FutuRe

We sorta struggle to control ourselves when writing about Futures; like many hardcore surfers, we are unabashed fans of their full-base box and simple single-screw fix. It’s been gold from the start. But it’s worth looking at the fins themselves. The Vector2 sets are no longer alone in Futures’ magic box. The Clay Marzo set we used in the Weapon board is a hint that the days when they trailed the opposition ever so slightly in range are well and truly over. Pete Tesseyman says 2011 “will see a big focus on team rider, signature fins. Combining the high performance requirements of our team riders with the engineering and creative capacity of our group of fin designers has resulted in a new range which are looking, and testing, extremely well.”

poWeRbase: not just a new fin but a new plug.

You’ll have heard of Soar fins, the renowned NSW central coast fixed-fin maker. Powerbase is Soar’s bright young brother. It made its debut in last year’s Board Test and since then co-founder Greg Trotter has been hard at it designing a new box for the system. Reason: the fin was too tough. “It’s made to fit FCS’s plugs,” explains Greg, “but because it’s designed to pull right down onto the board’s surface, it ran the risk of fracturing glass near the plugs.” The new Powerbase box frames the entire fin base to prevent any such mischief. But it’s smarter than that; the box is designed to be canted on setting, so a boardmaker can correct fin angles off a dramatically concaved or veed bottom, overcoming an issue that’s long tortured laminators.

Four fun fins: the Powerbase Electraflex with its flared base; the Futures V2F4 classic; FCS’s flash new H-3 Nexus; 4Way’s bamboo inner spine.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 059

SOFTBOARDS THE SOFT FACTS Watching beginners in the water on softboards these days it’s hard to believe they’re riding the secret weapon that resulted in Australia’s surfing dominance stretching over two decades. Through the ’70s and into the ’80s Aussie surfers were unstoppable as they ushered in a new era of radical surfing. After spending their childhood summers learning how to surf the most unstable finless surfcrafts ever made, the Aussies took their superior sense of balance on to fibreglass and into bigger waves. The result was total stranglehold in the flaring ’80s era of surfing. Around 1970 a Sydney-based foam manufacturer named Frank Hordern found he had an excess of Esky-type foam. Hordern got into cahoots with Sydney surfboard maker Shane Stedman and within a month Coolite boards had taken over from Bells to Byron and everywhere in-between. Young grommies could buy a moulded chunk of the puffy lightweight foam – for a fraction of the price of a standard fibreglass craft. They were about five feet long and several inches thick, very simple in design, with rounded noses and tails, no fins. Within a couple of years Aussie beaches were full of 10-year-old kids tackling three-foot closeouts on their Coolites, scrambling to maintain control of the superlight, finless fun machines. The things bred horrendous cases of stomach rash from constant rubbing against the squeaky, stiff foam, but the kids didn’t care, they were up and riding! The Coolite fell out of favor through the late ’70s, replaced eventually by bodyboards as a startup tool, but in recent years there’s been a resurgence. Not Coolites, but their modern-day equivalent, the softboard. Built from modern materials and fitted with rubber fins more akin to today’s standard shortboard, the softboard is now back in vogue. For aspiring surfers there is no better way to learn how to stand up, while for experienced salts it’s the only craft you can ride between the flags when those pesky lifeguards set up shop at the best bank. Something they’re prone to do as summer rolls round.

060 // 2011 BOARD BIBLE

THE ASL

SOFTBOARD

CHALLENGE If anyone knows softboards it’s Brett Dowker and his crew of super groms down at Currumbin SLSC. Brett heads up Billabong Surf Camps Australia and is the director of Surf Lifesaving Australia’s High Performance Program. ASL took four of Brett’s best surfer/paddlers out in thumping Currumbin beachies (sans leggies) to give the goods a test drive. The pounding whitewater kept the grommies from punching out the back, but by all accounts the boards were “heaps good” and “sick”. “It was super easy to paddle and stand up on,” said Jake Waller, the smallest one of the bunch. “Perfect for beginners,” said Poppy Hayes. “It was so fun.”

Why didn’t I pull in?

Softboards. Good for handstands.

Party wave!

Double shakas for the ASL guinea pigs.

Clean faces were hard to come by.

Milking it.

Looks fun.

Hunting head dips...

Alice Cooper looked on in awe.

And sections.

2011 BOARD BIBLE // 061

THE MAGNIFICENT ASL SURFBOARD

SHOWCASE BOARDS FOR ALL OCCASIONS

‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

THE SMOKING TROUT Dimensions: Custom as you desire What surf is this board best in? 2ft slop - 4ft barrels. Who is this board best for? For the intermediate to advanced surfer looking for performance in a fun shape.

LITTLE RIP STICK Dimensions: Custom as you desire. What surf is this board best in? 2 - 5ft Summer waves. Who is this board best for? Anyone after an all round shortboard for small waves. Ridden 2 inches short and a 1/4 of an inch wider than your normal board.

SHOWCASE

PANDA SURFBOARDS BLAKE PETERS PH: 0427 797 910 WWW.PANDASURFBOARDS.COM

EL NINO PH: 02 8536 4700 WWW.ELNINOSURF.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

CORE Dimensions: 6’0” What surf is this board best in? Best in 1 - 4ft in fat to semi-hollow conditions. Who is this board best for? Best for the the begininer surfer who is looking for extra strength and durability.

FLUID Dimensions: 5’6” What surf is this board best in? Best in 1 - 4ft semi-fat waves but can handle the odd hollow section. Who is this board best for? A more performace template but great for the grom taking his surﬁng to the next step.

ABOUT PANDA

ABOUT EL NINO

Panda Surfboards is a new, young, fresh surfboard company born from the creative mind of young shaper Blake Peters who is emerging from the mass of talented shapers on Sydney’s northern beaches. They pride themselves on making boards of all shapes and sizes with a quality and ﬂair that sets them apart from the others.

This season brings lighter, stronger and more responsive boards than ever before. Strength no longer means heavy, bulky boards. These new El Ninos have been redesigned from the ground up to give a more enjoyable surﬁng experience for everyone. Couple this with fashion coloured slicks, dynamic new styling and new models, this is the best softboard range on the market.

‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

SHOWCASE

REDBACK PH: 02 9997 2288 WWW.REDBACKSURFAUSTRALIA.COM

SOFTLITE PH: 02 9318 7400 WWW.SOFTLITE.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

FISH Dimensions: 6’6” x 20 1/2” x 3 1/4” What surf is this board best in? Performs well 1/2 to 4 foot, catch every wave you paddle for. Who is this board best for? When paddle power counts, all levels of riders wanting to make the most of any conditions.

7’ Dimensions: 7’0” x 20 4/5” x 2 3/4” What surf is this board best in? Waist to head high waves. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to Experience surfers, that want to have fun in the summer swells, ﬂags included.

QUICKSTICK Dimensions: 6’0” x 19 1/2” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? Performs well 1/2 - 4ft, big manoeuvres on small days. Who is this board best for? Groms who expect performace similar to a glass board. Advanced riders for fun on desperate days.

5’6” Dimensions: 5’6” x 19 3/10” x 2 3/4” What surf is this board best in? Waist to head high waves. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to Experience surfers, that want to have fun in the summer swells, ﬂags included.

ABOUT REDBACK

ABOUT SOFTLITE

At Redback the team is dedicated to getting your wave count up and the performace to get the most out of every wave. Low proﬁle, high buoyancy, light weight, performance designs. Fun for all degrees of ability and surf conditions. Low impact construction means gain without the pain.

Softlite is a premium soft surfboard brand positioned in the market. With a focus on quality, performance and safety. Softlite offers a complete range of surfboards. Softlite complements all the types of surfers, from ﬁrst timers wanting to experience the thrill of surﬁng, to experienced riders wanting to add a extra board to their quiver for summer swells. Designed with the help of John Giles / CET

‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

SHOWCASE

SURFTECH SIMON ANDERSON PH: 02 4226 1322 WWW.SURFTECHAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

YALLINGUP SURF COMPANY PH: 08 9759 1536 ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

DK ULTRA FLX Dimensions: 6’0” x 20 1/4” x 2 3/5” What surf is this board best in? Smaller waves. Who is this board best for? All levels of surfer.

5’8” Dimensions: 5’8’’ x 19 1/4” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? 1’ to 3’ surf in any conditions. Who is this board best for? Small wave fun board suited to all levels

6’2” Dimensions: 6’2” x 18 3/4” x 2 3/8” What surf is this board best in? All waves. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced surfers.

5’10” Dimensions: 5’10’’ x 18 1/4” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? Punchy beach or reef breaks. Who is this board best for? Performace based board for the intermediate to advanced.

ABOUT SURFTECH

ABOUT YALLINGUP

Simon Anderson grew up in the ‘60s on the northern beaches of Sydney and played a key role in the evolution of the modern day surfboard. He has joined forces with Surftech to present a great range of his favourite boards for 2011.

Boyd specialises in custom order boards to suit the individual’s requirements. With almost 20 years experience he is sure to be able to do the board to suit you.

Photo: Jones/Stryker

‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

SHOWCASE

BOURTON MURRAY BOURTON PH: 07 5507 7600 WWW.BASESURFBOARDS.COM

DYLAN DYLAN LONGBOTTOM PH: 0410 343 989 WWW.DYLANSURFBOARDS.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

ROUND TAIL QUAD (TROY BROOKS - MACH II) Dimensions: 5’10” x 19 x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? 2-4ft good or bad surf. Who is this board best for? Experienced surfer wanting to surf with power in no power.

FLOWRIDER Dimensions: 6’0’ x 18’ 7/8’ x 2’ 5/16” What surf is this board best in? All kinds of conditions fro 1 to 5 feet and great for beachbreaks and little reef sessions. Who is this board best for? Perfect for all levels of surfers as an all rounder.

FAT BULLET (QUAD) Dimensions: 6’0” x 20 1/2” x 2 9/16” What surf is this board best in? 2-5ft beach or reef, it will handle it. Who is this board best for? Beginner to expert looking for paddle, speed and performance.

HOVERCRAFT Dimensions: 5’8’ x 19’ 1/4’ x 2’ 3/8” What surf is this board best in? small beachbreaks from 1 to 4 feet. Who is this board best for? Good for all levels as the ﬂat rocker and thicker board is great for paddling.

ABOUT BOURTON

ABOUT DYLAN

Murray ﬁrst picked up a planer back in 1970. Due to Murray’s embracement of the computer shaping programs his passion to innovate has soared. Drawing from past and present his new hybrid designs have inspired many who have lost patience with the thruster’s status quo.

One of the most highly regarded professional freesurfers in Australia, Dylan is known for amazing big-wave antics. His talents aren’t just limited to charging Shipsterns or Tahitian bombs. He is also not afraid of busting big airs. With experience in all situations, Dylan has combined his knowledge of surﬁng with the art of surfboard shaping to produce boards to ride beach breaks all the way to riding on mountains.

‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

PANTHER Dimensions: 6’1” x 18 5/8” x 2 5/16” What surf is this board best in? Performs well in all conditions; a great all-rounder. Who is this board best for? Intermediate to experienced surfers who surf powerfully and in the pocket.

SHOWCASE

DMS PH: 07 5559 5949 WWW.DMSHAPES.COM

WEBBER GREG WEBBER PH: 02 9999 1307 WWW.WEBBERSURFBOARDS.COM ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

THE ONE Dimensions: 6’0” x 19 1/4” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? The ONE is for all wave from 2-5ft. Who is this board best for? The ONE is for all surfers.

BAMBOO FLEX / FAT CAT Dimensions: 5’7” x 18 7/8” x 2 5/16” What surf is this board best in? Smaller waves up to 6’ Who is this board best for? Intermediate to advanced surfer.

THE PULSE / FATBURNER Dimensions: 6’0’’ x 19 3/4” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? 2-4ft waves of all conditions. Who is this board best for? The Pulse is for learners getting better, longboarders wanting to turn, and shortboarders who are getting old, tired or unﬁt.

ABOUT DMS

ABOUT WEBBER

Through working with the most innovative shapers around the globe, DMS has developed over 30 models, catering to all aspects of a surfer’s quiver. From high-performance shortboards and guns, a vast hybrid range, classic twinnies and single ﬁns, as well as longboards and SUPS.

I like making two or more big changes at the same time so that performance jumps are possible. Then I try to inject some of the consequences of that new knowledge into all of the models that I do.

‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

SHOWCASE

JACK KNIGHT PH: 07 5576 5914

GUNTHER ROHN PH: 02 6686 9879 WWW.GUNTHERROHN.COM.AU ‘SHOWCASE’ INFORMATION AND ASSESSMENTS SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURER

JACK KNIGHT Dimensions: 6’8” x 20 1/2” x 2 5/8” What surf is this board best in? Quad option from 1-4ft, Thruster option from 2-5ft. Who is this board best for?The surfer who is surﬁng less, but still wants to rip.

POPSICOOL Dimensions: 5’4” x 20” x 2 5/8” What surf is this board best in? Made to enjoy poor surf up to head high. Who is this board best for? Average surfers around 70 kgs.

JACK KNIGHT Dimensions: 6’2” x 18 3/4” x 2 1/4” What surf is this board best in? Quad option from 1-4ft, Thruster option from 2-5ft. Who is this board best for? The high-performance surfer.

PANCHO CARVER Dimensions: 6’4” x 19” x 2 1/2” What surf is this board best in? Average to good surf beach or reef. Who is this board best for? All surfers above 80 kgs. Designed for larger surfers.

ABOUT JACK KNIGHT

ABOUT GUNTHER ROHN

Started shaping in ’69 at Brookvale under the guidance of Neal Purchase at Keyo Surfboards. Has shaped for Barry Bennet, Freeline, Fluid Foils and Jim Pollard. Moved to the Central Coast in ’80 and shaped for Glen Winton where they developed the quad ﬁn. Moved to the Gold Coast in ’91 and is still making 100% hand-shaped boards. Has huge experience shaping quads and is thus his most in-demand shape.

Gunther is a world-renowned shaper. Very experienced. Has a comprehensive range to choose from. “Knowing and understanding the relationship between the dimensions of a board is very important. The board must be balanced to perform.” Started shaping in Rep South Arﬁca 1972. Over 40,000 boards . Shapes boards for the world’s best surfers.

DIRECTORY BOARDS

FINS

BAILLIE SURFBOARDS P: 0407 151 766 W: www.bailliesurfboards.com

LOWEN88 P: 07 5526 5161 W: www.lowen88.com

4WAY P: 07 5580 4469 W: www.4wfs.com

BALIN P: 03 5984 5199 W: www.balin.com.au

MAD SURFBOARDS P: 0459 110 810 W: www.madsurf.com

FCS P: 02 9997 4744 W: www.surffcs.com

BOURTON P: 07 5507 7600 W: www.basesurfboards.com

MG SURFBOARDS P: 02 9939 3213 W: www.mgsurfboards.com

FUTURES P: 07 5593 8260 W: www.futureﬁns.com.au

CLEARWATER P: 0417 912 207 W: www.clearwatersurf.com.au

PANDA SURFBOARDS P: 0427 797 910 W: www.pandasurfboards.com

POWERBASE P: 0403 890 480 W: www.powerbaseﬁns.com.au

DIVERSE P: 07 5598 4848 W: www.diversesurf.com.au

PRIME P: 03 9558 0008 W: www.primesurfboards.com.au

HARDWARE/ACCESSORIES

DIVISION P: 02 9979 5334 W: www.divisionsurf.com.au

REDBACK P: 02 9997 2288 W: www.redbacksurfaustralia.com

BALIN P: 03 5986 6069 W: www.balin.com.au

DMS P: 07 5559 5949 W: www.dmshapes.com

RIP CURL P: 03 5261 0000 W: www.ripcurl.com.au

BILLABONG P: 07 5589 9899 W: www.billabong.com

DP SURFBOARDS P: 0415 386 558 W: www.dpsurfboards.com.au

RMS SURFBOARDS P: 0414 378 764 W: www.rmshapes.com

BOARD BOG P: 07 5536 5990 W: www.boardbog.com

DURANBAH SURFBOARDS P: 0418 356 263 W: www.duranbahsurfboards.com

SANTA CRUZ SURFBOARDS P: 03 8525 9999 W: www.santacruzsurfboards.com

CREATURES P: 08 9756 7311 W: www.creatures.com.au

DYLAN P: 0410 343 989 W: www.dylansurfboards.com.au

SOFTLITE P: 02 9318 7400 W: www.softlite.com.au

DAKINE P: 07 5589 9899 W: www.dakine.com

ELNINO P: 02 8536 4700 W: www.elninosurf.com.au

STUART P: 07 5572 0098 W: www.stuartsurf.com.au

MODOM P: 03 5261 9013 W: www.modomsurf.com

GOODTIME P: 07 3391 8588 W: www.goodtime.com.au

SURFTECH P: 02 4226 1322 W: www.surftechaustralia.com.au

OCEAN & EARTH P: 02 4441 2482 W: www.oceanearth.com.au

GRAVELLE P: 1800 061 248 W: www.gravellesurfboards.com

TAKEDA P: 07 5534 1271 W: www.takeda.com.au

ON A MISSION / OC IMPORTS P: 07 5659 1136 W: www.oamsurf.com

GUNTHER ROHN P: 02 6686 9879 W: www.guntherrohn.com

WALLBRIDGE P: 08 8376 4914 W: www.wallbridge.com.au

PALMERS P: 07 5589 9899 W: www.palmerssurf.com.au

HAMMO P: 0408 215 783 W: www.hammosurfboards.com

WEAPON P: 0415 945 433 W: www.weaponsurfboards.com.au

TOOLS AUSTRALIA P: 0406 889 227 W: www.toolssurfaustralia.com.au

ISLAND SURFBOARDS P: 03 5952 2578 W: www.islandsurfboards.com.au

WEBBER P: 02 9999 1307 W: www.webbersurfboards.com

JACK KNIGHT P: 07 5576 5914 W: n/a

XANADU P: 07 5572 0098 W: www.xanadusurfdesigns.com

JR SURFBOARDS P: 07 5554 5488 W: www.jrsurfboards.com.au

YALLINGUP SURF COMPANY P: 08 9759 1536 W: n/a