Design

Surfing is a personal pursuit. We all have different paths into the ocean with different experiences and feelings, hopes and passions. But the differences don’t stop there - like anything in life, we are all surfers of varying abilities. Some of us prefer cruisy sessions with mates in easy waves, while others are happy to compete for surf. Some aren’t comfortable in big waves, while others thrive on challenging conditions. There is no right and wrong. No better or worse. There is virtue in all approaches and importantly, there’s room for everyone. As a shaper, nothing beats feedback that someone has just had a magical experience on a board you’ve created for them. This spurs me on to design surfboards that go faster, carve harder and showcase a continual evolution of performance virtues. Along the way, I’ve been pushing the boundaries of high-speed tow surfing, have worked closely with the world’s best surfers to feed their information back into the design process and have constantly strived to develop manufacturing credentials that are both sustainable and world’s best practice. I’ve been tremendously fortunate to be a surfer and a surfboard designer at a fascinating time in the history of this unique surf culture. Over the last half century, I’ve had a wealth of experiences that have influenced innumerable shapes, ideas and visions and am proud to be able to share all this with the next generation of surfboard craftsmen. With this in mind, we have created The Surfer Designer Collective that provides the opportunity for me to personally mentor future designers.