Smorgasboarder_Edition_45

smorgasboarder
“We still use all the same materials as the top guys
like the foam, cloth and the resin is all of the highest
standard available. We don’t really have a massive profit
margin but we figured if we were selling to stores, the
profit margin would stay the same anyway. So that’s
where we want our consumers to look at buying online
by creating a big following through social media so
people see our boards and know they're just as good as
the big names, but with a more affordable price tag.”
With professional surfers such as Mitch Parkinson
and Ellie-Jean Coffey among Jye’s team riders, there’s
not much need for proof that Gen4 are producing
high quality sticks. Jye mainly specialises in high
performance surfboards but also insists that Gen4
caters for every type of surfer.
“We mainly make high-performance surfboards but
we also make fishes and hybrid style boards. Our fish
designs are constructed with the capabilities to surf
like a performance board, because if you’re not a great
surfer, we still want you to be improving instead of
just being stuck in the same spot. It offers the average
surfer an opportunity to progress easily into our more
high-performance models.
“We have the ‘Allstar’, which is our high-performance
for when the waves are pumping. We have the ‘Black
Magic’, which is our all round performance board
which is basically our go to board for the whole team,
it just goes in everything. They all froth off it and it
is probably our most popular model. Another of our
popular models is the ‘Hybrid’, which is a combination
of one of our fish models the ‘Bull’ and the ‘Black
Magic’ model, we just joined them together, which
gives you heaps of foam up the front and the tail of the
‘Black Magic’ so it’s still really responsive. Finally, we
have the ‘Bull’ our fish model, and the ‘Little Secret’
which has a little secret to it (laughs).”
With aspirations to become one of the biggest
surfboard brands in the world, Jye is certainly heading
in the right direction. With over 80 years of family
knowledge behind him mixed with the passion,
determination and love that Jye pours into his
surfboard design, we wouldn't put it past him.
For the bigger, longer conversation, listen at
smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast
itunes spotify buzzsprout
24