Smorgasboarder_Edition_45

smorgasboarder
Being a Snapper Rocks Board Rider since he
can remember, Jye has grown up in such an elite
surfing community with the likes of Joel Parkinson
and Mick Fanning to call on for advice when it
comes to board design.
“Yeah, well I was pretty much born into it, I even
have photos of myself at the age of two going
on surf trips with the team. Growing up with Joel
and Mick being around town has had a massive
influence on me as a shaper, because whenever I
was surfing I was always checking out their gear.
With them being so dialled in with their equipment,
you know it was what worked, so it’s pretty helpful
to have people like them to call on for advice.”
Jye has practised his craft with some of the best in
the business when it comes to surfboard design.
Still only 26, he already has over 10 years of
invaluable experience working with some of the
biggest names in the industry.
“Originally my first job was with Shaping Co. back
in the day when I was 13. I just swept the floors and
cleaned up (laughs). Just before I turned 17 I began
working with JS Industries where I started to FCS
and glass at an outsourcing factory. I then glassed
for SuperBrand Surfboards which was followed
by a move to Sydney where I shaped for Chilli
Surfboards. When I returned to Coolangatta I started
working with Mayhem and Pyzel, with whom I still do
a bit of work to this day, shaping and glassing about
50 surfboards a week for those two.
“It’s been great growing up working with the high
profile names, I have learned so much from those
guys. For instance I remember watching Darryl
Bulger, who is an amazing shaper, when I was 17 or
18. I watched him shaping boards for the JS team
but it’s not until now that I realise how much I have
learnt from people like him.”
Working on his own designs since the age of
14, Jye finally decided to go out on his own and
create Gen4 Surfboards. Jye’s concept at Gen4
is to produce high performance surfboards for
consumers at a fraction of the cost.
“It’s pretty hard to do but we want to steer away
from stores if we can. Basically that way we are
able to sell online for a wholesale price. Just to
make it cheaper for everyone, not having to pay
distributor costs and all the add-ons which don’t
necessarily need to be there.
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