SB-issue59_digital

2024 

smorgasboarder 

SURF 

magazine 

ISSUE #59

Celebrating 

48 YEARS 

Celebrating 

45 YEARS 

Gerringong | 90mins south of Sydney 

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38 

#59 

contents 

2024 

62 

70 

82 

12 Reader Photos 

18 News 

28 Across the Ditch 

34 Controversy 

38 The Road to Patagonia 

62 Jake Killen 

70 Agata Dobrzynska 

76 Art 

78 Tech Talk 

82 Mana Surfboards 

88 Quiver 

98 Aloha Barry 

smorgasboarders 

Editorial | Amber O’Dell 

amber@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0420 615 107 

Editorial & Advertising | Dave Swan 

dave@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0401 345 201 

Social Media | Phoebe Swan 

phoebe@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0459 705 404 

New Zealand | Jiff Morris 

jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz 

0220 943 913 

South Australia | Jimmy Ellis 

james@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0410 175 552 

Design | Horse & Water Creative 

mark, vale, helen, taylah, sarah, florencia 

mark@horseandwater.com.au 

Accounts | Louise Gough 

louise@smorgasboarder.com.au 

2024 


SURF 

magazine 

ISSUE #59 

our cover 

The Road to Patagonia 

Photos: Matty Hannon/Heather Hillier 

get involved 

Got any stories, photos, ideas, or 

new and interesting surf-related stuff 

you want to share? Drop us a line at 

editorial@smorgasboarder.com.au 

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Smorgasboarder is published by Huge C Media PTY LTD ABN 30944673055. All information is correct at time of going to press. The publication cannot 

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sharing what y 

# 59 // smorgasboarder // 

6

ou love 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTY HANnON 

The etymology of the word ‘pastime’ dates back to the late 15th century. 

Its definition is to undertake some sort of amusement that is so positively 

agreeable that time slips by unnoticed. Surfing for many is a ‘pastime’. 

It certainly is for me. I couldn’t count how many hours have drifted by 

while I have been immersed in the ocean enjoying the waves. 

That is why, for me, surfing has always been, and will continue to be, 

a ‘pastime’. The sheer thought of competing and all the stresses that 

ensue with competition would spoil the sheer unbridled joy I experience 

when surfing. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong 

with the sport of surfing — it’s simply that riding waves has always 

been about relaxing and unwinding for me. Surfing has always been my 

‘downtime’ — my chance to escape from a hectic work schedule where 

leisure time has always been limited. 

When we started a family way back when, that downtime was 

diminished even further. Whenever the opportunity arose to duck down 

to the beach for a quick surf, the kids were often in tow. I quickly figured 

out how to address the situation. I would paddle out with my two young 

daughters on the deck of my longboard. As we glided down a few 

sliders, one would often end up on my shoulders and the other out front 

on the deck holding onto Dad. Those moments ‘passing time’ out in the 

water are forever etched in my memory, and whilst still so crystal clear, 

how I wish I had a photo of all three of us on a wave. 

Through the years, all three of our kids learnt to surf out in the water 

with me, initially as a trio or tandem and then eventually on their own. 

Only one however, Phoebe, caught the surfing bug like her dad, initially. 

Mikaela went on to find her passion in the world of arts and drumming, 

and our youngest, Sam, found football. You see, ‘pastimes’ are 

something you must find yourself, not something pushed onto you by 

your parents. 

So, it was Phoebe and I through the years who would venture out for a 

quick surf here and there whenever the opportunity presented itself. She 

became my surfing buddy many years after I had moved away from my 

brother and regular surfing mates down on the Gold Coast. 

Sam has now joined the fold after catching the bug some 18 months 

back, and he has caught it big time. I am glad he’s found his love for 

the waves. I am also so happy that both Sam and Phoebe have helped 

rekindle my love for surfing, which often competes with running a 

business. Their calls to “stop working so much and come have a surf” 

have helped get me fit again and improve my surfing, which had fallen 

by the wayside over the last few years. 

The three of us now take to the waves regularly, and I cherish every 

moment, even when the young buck constantly calls me out to go 

harder. I must laugh because I did the same to my dad. Would I love 

for all five of us to be out there together, Katie and Mikaela as well? Of 

course, but three is better than one. 

What’s my point about all of this? I don’t know, I tend to waffle. I guess 

it is in part what surfing is to me and why I consider it my ‘pastime’. The 

second is to underline the importance of sharing something you love 

with someone you love in the hope they love it too. My goodness, how 

eloquent was that? A mini monologue delivered in true, long-winded 

Swandog style. Anyhow, I hope you get the two points I am making. 

In this edition we share a number of enthralling stories, none more 

so than Matty Hannon’s trek surfing along the entire west coast of 

the Americas. This surf adventure of a lifetime is tastefully packaged 

up as a documentary-style film that is equally stunning and intimate. 

On his adventure, he finds love and someone to share his love of the 

ocean with, but the film is so much more than that. It is most definitely 

thought provoking and prompts you to reconsider your priorities in life. 

It admittedly left me watery-eyed at its completion. It is quite simply a 

must-see film. 

We also chat with Agata Dobrzynska, a professional kiteboarder who 

also loves to surf, snowboard, and snowkite… and compete! You see, 

we’re all different, and that’s what makes life interesting. Agata is also 

particularly passionate about sharing her love for kiteboarding as a 

means of bringing like-minds together and empowering women to 

pursue their aspirations. 

Then there’s Jake Killen, who popped into our social media feed one 

day and had us completely captivated by his shots surfing Norway. 

Next thing we were scrolling through his Instagram and marvelling at his 

other surf adventures around the globe. He’s a pretty interesting dude 

who absolutely rips, shapes his own boards, and even built his own little 

shack. We couldn’t help but share his story. 

There’s more to read inside aside from these three stories, but I have 

already rambled on too long. So there you go — sharing is caring, and 

we have plenty to go around in this edition. Enjoy. 

The Smorgasboarders 


7

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EADER PHO 

reader photos 


12

eader photos 

TOS 

JAKE KILLEN... IT IN NORWAY. 

TO READ MORE ABOUT JAKE'S ADVENTURES, TURN TO PAGE 62. 

PHOTOS SUPPLIED.

eader photos 

THE SMORGASBOARDER GIRLS SHOW HOW IT'S DONE. 

VALE AND PHOEBES GETTING AMONGST IT AND SHARING THE LOVE. 

PHOTO BY TONY PIPER PHOTOGRAPHY. 


14 

EADER PHOTOS

eader photos 

GB VISION PHOTOGRAPHY 

EADER PHOTOS 

READERS PHOTOS

eader photos 


16 

ALL FLOODING BACK. 

SOUTH COAST SURF AND SUN. 

ALICIA FLOOD PHOTOGRAPHY + MEDIA


17

memorium 

The Real 

McCoy 

Just as we were going to print with this edition, 

we heard news of the passing of Geoff McCoy. 

I had the great pleasure of meeting and interviewing this legend of 

the surf industry back in 2012. What an unbelievable opportunity 

that was. Thankfully, through the years, I got to catch up with Geoff 

on more than a few occasions. If truth be told, on nearly every 

distribution run we would catch up for a few hours and talk all things 

surfing. Geoff was so gracious with his time. I particularly liked how 

he called it like it was. There was no bullsh*t whatsoever or beating 

around the bush with Geoff. You knew where he stood on all 

matter of issues. I had complete admiration for his 

achievements and the man I got to know. 

RIP Geoff. 

For those keen to read more about 

Geoff and his theories on surfboard 

design, check out Edition 9 online at 


We also have a handful of rare 

back issues available on our 

website. 


18

surfing 

news 

roadies 

The anticipation that comes with strapping your board to the roof and 

cramming into a car with your mates in search of the perfect break is a 

timeless tradition of surfing. The surfing road trip was first celebrated with the 

release of Surfing Roadies — a book compiled by Chris Tola, John Warning, 

and Brian Birkefeld back in 2017. It featured a wonderful compilation of stories 

about hitting the bitumen in search of swell. 

Well, we’re pleased to hear Chris and the boys are back for round two and are 

calling for those 'chronologically challenged surfers' with interesting stories, 

anecdotes, and pictures to share relating to surfing road trips from back in 

the day circa 1940 to the late 1980’s. Keen to help preserve this fascinating 

part of surfing history, they are seeking submissions that must be 'mostly true, 

believable, and interesting' with a suggested length of around 300 words. 

Successful contributors will have their story published and acknowledged 

within this second iteration of Surfing Roadies. The forthcoming edition will be 

solely available in digital form. Those interested are requested to submit their 

story to surfingroadie@gmail.com by July 1, 2024. 

WE BUY AND SELL SECOND HAND BOARDS 

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Ph: 0352631530 @anglesea_surf_centre 

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news 

words by darren "curl" marks 

It was a much-needed community get-together 

featuring vintage surfboards, music, tattoos, 

art, photography, great food, tall tales, and 

cold ales. 

The inspiration came from a couple of mates 

with a scheme to pay their respects to the 

local surfing culture. Pat O’Garey and Lindsay 

Becker are both avid collectors of exotic 

watercraft, and thought it might be a good idea 

to put on a shindig that embraced both board 

and beach. But there is more to this story, and 

I’m not too sure if it's mere coincidence or 

cosmic confluence. 

If you’re an avid reader of Smorgasboarder, 

you may remember an article on Lindsay about 

a similar event he organised at a local holiday 

resort on Phillip Island a couple of years ago. 

The display he curated was an amazing 

effort that was sadly underappreciated by 

management. Their failure to see the benefit of 

securing permanent residency left his 

impressive collection now looking for a new 

home, and that was where Pat understood an 

unrealised opportunity. 

Pat has been a prominent member of Phillip 

Island’s hospitality industry for well over 20 

years now. He’s currently operating his third 

restaurant, which he runs with his 21-year-old 

daughter and business partner, Ebany. 

Bang Bang Restaurant and Bar pumps out 

delicious, clean, and healthy Asian-style 

cuisine with an equally impressive and eclectic 

drink selection. Unpretentious and welcoming, 

it has taken on a life of its own since opening 

five years ago. 

So even if you may be a couple of penguins 

short of a parade, you can see where this is 

headed. A couple of mates with a passion 

for vintage surfboards, an impressive surf 

culture display that has recently been rendered 

homeless, and one funky surfside restaurant 

and bar looking for a distinctive personality. 

So, with a handshake and a six pack, a 

deal was struck, and Bang Bang now hosts 

a permanent display of over 70 beautiful 

surfboards across its walls and ceiling. 

Currently, they showcase a combination of 

their board hoards, running at around 60/40 in 

Lindsay’s favour. The pair would have to have 

one of the best combined personal collections 

open to the public. 

Some of you who believe in fate and the 

magnetic powers of the universe would not be 

surprised to find out that earlier this year, as an 

incredibly talented tattooist, Lindsay was part 

of a collective that has taken over the 

retail space next to Bang Bang called Hectic — 

a shop full of art, tattoos, music, clothing, and 

more surfboards. It only seemed logical that 

both premises combined to present an annual 

event to be added to Phillip Island’s 

cultural calendar. 

The Phillip Island Celebration of Surf had 

something for everyone, collectors came 

from far and wide to show their manicured 

sticks, classic 70’s surf photography provided 

by Simon Chipper, indigenous art by Millowl 

elder Steve Parker, legendary surf stories from 

Dogga Luke and Bobby Matthews, and the 

official (yet late) launch of the Aloha 

Barry book, “Sand in my Crack: Life as 

a Beach Bum” (now available on the 

Smorgasboarder store). 

Live music by Nic & Adzy and the Laing 

Brothers provided a party atmosphere for surf 

lovers of all ages. Fans of lowbrow cultural 

pursuits enjoyed a pleasant afternoon that 

lurched haplessly into the haziness of evening. 

Delicious beverages fuelled the bullsh*t and 

bravado of worn-out stories between old 

friends, and a few pairs of dancing shoes were 

dusted off. 

What is so enchanting about admiring the 

sensual curve of a 70’s swallow tailed single 

fin as you recall feats of embellished aquatic 

courage and years of wasted youth and 

wanderlust? Old surfboards are more than 

cultural artifacts — they are a museum 

of your memories, past glories, and future 

possibilities. It was a great day to pause and 

show gratitude for our fortunate ability to revel 

in the ocean's abundance. 


20

news 

OLD 

SURFBOARDS 

ARE MORE 

THAN CULTURAL 

ARTIFACTS 

— THEY ARE 

A MUSEUM 

OF YOUR 

MEMORIES, 

PAST GLORIES, 

AND FUTURE 

POSSIBILITIES. 


21

news 

ITALIAN 

BALSA 

Mark Riley’s beautiful balsa has made its way 

across the globe to Italy, linking up with former 

factory hand Michele Vallenari. Michele set 

up his own surfboard building business in his 

homeland a decade back and recently accepted 

his first shipment of Riley Balsa. Looking at his 

craftsmanship, we’re sure Michele will put it to 

good use. 

Mark had this to say on the arrival of his stock 

in Verona. 

“Finally, we have some 150kg/m3 balsa in stock 

in Italy. We have been working on this shipment 

for years. Europe is ahead of the pack with the 

development of eco-friendly surfboards. 

“At Riley Australia, we have been importing and 

building boards in Sydney for over 25 years. In 

Australia, we supply the likes of Outer Island 

Surfboards, Dick Van Straalen, Sam Egan, and 

Pieter Surfboards. 

“We have been sending balsa to single retail 

customers, but the freight was expensive. This 

is why we loaded a container and sent it directly 

there (Italy).” 

As for the wood itself, four-year-old trees have 

been selected at the end of their lives and 

cut, dried, and dressed to specifically suit the 

surfboard industry. 

Photos supplied courtesy of Michele Vallenari. 


22

MICHELE CAN 

EVEN BUILD 

A FINISHED 

GLASSED AND 

WE HAVE BEEN 

WORKING ON THIS 

SHIPMENT FOR 

YEARS. EUROPE 

IS AHEAD OF THE 

PACK WITH THE 

DEVELOPMENT 

OF ECO-FRIENDLY 

SURFBOARDS. 

POLISHED 

BOARD THE 

WAY IT WAS 

BUILT IN THE 

'50S. 

“This balsa is the best material for your 

eco-friendly boards. This will give you 

flex, feather feel, and ease of bending and 

building your boards. Wait until you try it! 

What a difference! 

“The stick sizes will vary from 60 mm x 60 

mm up to 200 mm x 90 mm in section sizes. 

They are graded, so if you are on a budget, 

we can supply something that suits you. 

“We have lengths ranging from 1m up 

to 3.6m, so that means no joins. That 

increases the structural strength of a board 

by 100%. No joins, no worries!” 

Mark said he and Michele were keen for the 

European contingent to see how good this 

wood is, adding that Michele can cut the 

wood to size, build a solid blank, or build a 

hollow blank for customers with all goods 

able to be shipped throughout Europe. 

“Michele can even build a finished glassed 

and polished board the way it was built in 

the '50s.” 

To find out more, visit vallenarisurfcraft.com 

and balsasurfboardsriley.com.au. 


23

BOYS 

IN 

BLUE 

news 

This time last year, the Australian 

Police & Emergency Services 

(AP&ES) Games were held in 

Rotorua with the surfing part of 

the program taking place at the 

world-famous Manu Bay, Raglan. 


24 

Die-hard Smorgasboarder supporter, former ambo, 

and President of QUESST (Queensland Emergency 

Services Surfboard riders Team), Paul Tuckett, 

along with Shane Panoho, the surfing event 

coordinator for the QPES (Queensland Police and 

Emergency Services) Games, flew the flag for the 

mighty cane toads. Unfortunately, things didn't go 

as well as they had hoped. Shane filled us in. 

“The Queensland surfers (Paul Tuckett and I) let 

the team down. Nil medals. The surf gods did not 

smile favourably upon us either, with the swell 

dropping to near non-existent. This resulted in the 

four-day event being run and done in two. 

“Paul made the final of the Over 55’s, but after 

leading the final with only two minutes to go, he 

somehow went from first to fourth. Choked. 

“It was a great experience nonetheless, and 

we got to see the wave potential of one of the 

world’s most revered left-hand breaks. Of equal 

importance was the great camaraderie shared 

between competitors, with everyone supporting 

and encouraging those out in the water who were 

making the most of the trying conditions.” 

Providing insight into the formation of QUESST 

and how all this came to be in the first place, and 

how he and 'Pannas' made the journey across the 

ditch, Paul had this to say. 

“QUESST is made up of emergency services 

personnel past, present, and hopefully future. 

We developed the club for the mental health and 

wellbeing of the participants. We have surfboard 

meetings and competitions up to four times a year 

and try to have a local trip away as well. This was a 

particularly special one.” 

Tasmania will play host to the 2025 AP&ES Games, 

with the event scheduled for 15 - 22 March in 

Hobart. 

In the meantime, the QPES Games surfing program 

is scheduled to be held on North Stradbroke 

Island. The event will be run across a three-day 

window, from 14 - 16 May 2024, to take advantage 

of renown local breaks at Cylinder, Frenchman’s, 

and/or Main Beach, with surf conditions dictating 

which beach is utilised on the day. 

The QPES Games surfing program will embrace 

the game's ethos of friendship and inclusiveness 

to encourage surfers of all abilities from 'novice' to 

'perceived pro' to 'get on board'. The competition 

will incorporate shortboard, longboard, SUP, foil, 

knee, and boogie board categories. 

It is anticipated that there will be approximately 40 

competitors, with family and friends welcome to 

attend the festival. 

The games are a celebration of Queensland’s 

Emergency Service personnel, and everyone is 

welcome to come along and show their support 

for Queensland’s everyday heroes. 

To register or find out more, go to qpesg.org.au.

news 

Surf until 

you , re 100 

FELIPE 

POMAR 

STILL RIPPING 

Speaking of Mark Riley, he’s taking a crew of 

surfers keen to carve across to Roti to learn the 

ways of Peruvian legend Felipe Pomar. 

To those unaware, Felipe Pomar is an 80-yearold 

surfer from Peru who still charges. Pomar 

was crowned the first officially 

recognised World Surfing 

Champion in 1965. Now 

living in Kauai, Hawaii, he 

has inspired the likes of legends such as Duke 

Kahanamoku, the father of modern-day surfing, 

and Laird Hamilton. 

Always eager to spread the word about his 

latest venture, Mark sent us an email giving us 

the rundown. 

“I have met an amazing man called 

Felipe Pomar. He has developed a 

program to help anyone surf until they 

are 100 years of age. He wants to share 

his secrets to longevity and has 

invited me and a small 

group to hear about 

his journeys and 

participate in his 

remarkable program to 

keep all of us in the water for longer. At this stage, 

we have earmarked the dates for 31 August 

to 12 September this year, with the cost being 

approximately $5,500. 

“The cost will depend on numbers and sleeping 

arrangements, but the planned inclusions are 

three meals a day, airfares and ferry rides, 

accommodation on Rote Island in Indonesia, surf 

spot transfers, many different types of waves 

to choose from, and two nights in Kupang. The 

locals in Roti are nice and generally do not surf. 

There’s good fishing and very few mosquitoes, 

with uncrowded world-class waves.” 

Those interested can reach out to Mark on 

email at mark@riley.com.au or go to his website, 

balsasurfboardsriley.com.au. 

Photos supplied courtesy of Mark Riley. 


25

news 

While perusing biological research 

A neat little 

papers, as highly educated people 

do, we were quite amused to stumble 

across an incredibly important 

scientific breakthrough unveiled in 

recent history – bees surf. 

discovery 

Well, more specifically, they foil, and are one 

of the only creatures to do so. Of course, this 

interesting little tidbit was discovered in one of the 

surfing cities of the world, completely by accident, 

at the California Institute of Technology. 

While walking on Caltech's campus, research 

engineer Chris Roh happened to see a honeybee 

stuck in the water of a nearby pond. Although it 

was a common enough sight, it led Chris and his 

advisor, Mory Gharib, to a breakthrough about 

the potentially unique way that bees navigate the 

complicated physics between water and air – you 

know, the thing that we try to perfect every day 

we are out on the waves. 

As the bee struggled to make its way to the edge 

of the pond, Chris noticed that the shadows on 

the pool's floor showed the amplitude of the 

waves generated by the bee's wings, as well 

as the pattern created as the waves from each 

individual wing crashed into each other. 

Chris said he was actually very excited to see this 

behaviour, and so he brought the bee back to his 

lab to take a look at it more closely. 

"Turns out, the motion of the bee's wings creates 

a wave that its body is able to ride forward. It 

hydrofoils, or surfs, towards safety.” 

Working with Mory, an expert when it comes to 

aeronautics and biologically-inspired engineering, 

Chris recreated the conditions of 

the pond by placing water in a pan, 

allowing it to become perfectly still, 

and then put bees in the water one 

at a time. 

As each bee flapped about, filtered light was 

aimed directly at them to create shadows on 

the bottom of the pan. Chris and Mory studied 

33 bees individually for a few minutes at a time, 

carefully scooping them out after a few minutes to 

let them recover from their swimming efforts. 

When a bee lands on water, the water sticks to its 

wings, robbing it of the ability to fly. However, that 

stickiness allows the bee to drag water, creating 

waves that propel it forward. 

Sound familiar? That’s because it’s this exact 

marvel of physics that allows us surfers to cruise 

atop waveless oceans on a foil board. 

Chris said that water is three orders of magnitude 

heavier than air, which is why it traps bees — 

however, that weight is also what makes it useful 

for propulsion. 

“The motion has never been documented in other 

insects and may represent a unique adaptation by 

bees.” 

The bees do not seem to be able to generate 

enough force to free themselves directly from 

the water, but their wing motion can propel 

them to the edge of a pond, where they can pull 

themselves onto dry land and fly off. 

Just as it is a lot more taxing for humans than 

surfing, Chris said foiling for bees is more 

exhausting than flying, and estimates that bees 

can keep up the activity for about 10 minutes, 

giving them a fixed window to find the edge of the 

water and escape. 

"On hot days, beehives require water to cool off, 

so when the temperature rises, workers are sent 

out to gather water instead of pollen. 

“The bees will find a water source, swallow some 

into a special chamber in their bodies, and then fly 

off. Sometimes, however, they fall in.” 

Chris and Mory, who work in Caltech's Centre for 

Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST), 

have already started applying their findings to their 

robotics research, developing a small robot that 

uses a similar motion to navigate the surface of 

water. Though intensive, the motion could one day 

be used to generate robots capable of both flying 

and swimming. 

For those of you that are interested, the study 

is titled "Honeybees use their wings for water 

surface locomotion” and was funded by the 

National Science Foundation and Caltech. We just 

thought it was neat! 

surfing bees 


26 

Photos: Chris Roh and Mory Gharib from Caltech

news

Across the ditch 

Winter 

isn’t A 

season 

It’s about this time of year that I really 

start to feel the chaos that can be 

the wonderful world of retail. As we’ve 

brushed past the extremes of Christmas and 

New Years and balanced against stocktake 

and Easter sales, now it’s time to get that 

fresh winter product on the shelves ready 

for another crazy snow season. 


24 28 

Words by Jase John 

Each year we are privileged to get NZSHRED brands, products, 

and staff on the ground in Japan to trial, test, and experience the 

workings of gear before we present it to our customers over the 

impending southern hemisphere winter season. 

This year was unique – we managed to tag-team our staff in the 

shop, with Jon and Federica heading over in late 2023 as the first 

wave. On their return, Nick, Aabhi, and myself set off again (with 

about 10 crew from New Zealand, Australia, and Scotland) on our 

traditional sojourn, extending through to mid-February. Finally, Nat 

snuck away to catch up with one of our returning staff, Brooke, 

through late February and into March. 

As usual, there’s a large amount of kit to take and a variety of 

products to test-drive in this Yuki mecca – from Dakine Low Roller 

board bags to Burton boots, socks, and gloves, and helmets from 

Smith and Oakley, as well as Eivy and XTM baselayers. 

We took our traditional quiver of powder boards to report on, 

particularly offerings from Nitro and Jones Snowboards. A highlight 

for most was the Jones Storm Chaser as a dedicated powder stick. 

The graphic of the limited edition speaks for itself, with a number of 

Jones aficionados pulling us up to ask what it was and get a photo. 

Getting your outerwear wrong can make or break you anywhere, 

let alone on a trip to Japan. Appreciating the functionality of the 

garments is where it really comes down to ‘science in the field’. 

This year, we had the opportunity to try out both jackets and pants 

from the Oakley snow range. The quality of the offerings was 

it’s a feeling 

never in question – however, it is always interesting to analyse the 

features, understand the pocketing, comprehend how the cuffs 

and hoods perform, and try out the overall thermal qualities of 

each piece – especially when immersed in -28°C off the top two 

chairlifts... that was a chilly morning! 

We also had the opportunity to try a new lens offering from Oakley 

– Prizm Argon. Using the lens in the Line Miner frames, it is set to 

replace the Prizm Jade in the range. Argon only differs in visible 

light transmission by 1% from its predecessor – however, everyone 

in the group felt the tint offered a much broader range of use, 

only needing to be changed up on the brilliant blue bird days or 

those welcome dumping, blizzard conditions that give Japan the 

traditional 12 to 16 metres of snow across the two islands. 

As always, there are plenty of stories out of trips such as these – 

that uncomprehendably deep powder through the trees, the smiles 

and yelps in the lift lines, the uncontrollably excited explanations 

as you travel back up for another 

run, and that amazingly pleasant 

exhaustion that generally hits after 

your second post-playtime beer. 

When combining these with the 

chance to test-drive products in the 

field, it just simply adds an extra 

dimension to something we are truly 

privileged to partake in. 

www.nzshred.co.nz 

ARIGATOU 

GOZAIMASU

Across the ditch 

Beachstreet 

Beachstreet Surf Shop is a core surf shop locally owned and operated 

just up from Fitzroy Beach. 

We stock surfing products for all types of wave riding. Home to local 

brands Lost in the 60’s and Blacksand. 

Also offering trade ins, ding repair, hire equipment, and stand-up 

paddle and surf coaching. 

Beachstreet Surf Shop, it’s all about surfing!” 

+64 6-758 0400 

chip@hotmail.co.nz 

Real Surf 

Real Surf is a locally owned and operated core surf store 

specialising in surfboards, wetsuits, hardware, and rentals. Come 

check out our new store just down the road at 5/56 Kingsford Smith 

Street, Lyall Bay, Wellington. 

We’re open seven days a week with a friendly and experienced team 

ready to help out with your next purchase! 

Alternatively, check out our website for the latest products and sale 

deals at www.realsurf.co.nz or find us on social media. 

+64 4 387 8798 

www.realsurf.co.nz 

team@realsurf.co.nz 

Keep the 

summer 

feeling 

alive 

SUPcentre 

(Not Just A Stand Up Paddle Board Store) 

What began as a specialist stand up paddle store over 10 years ago has 

now grown in to one of New Zealand’s best SUP, surf, and wing-foil stores. 

Not only do we have a unique store in the heart of Newmarket, Auckland, 

but we also have a fantastic website, so no matter where you are located in 

New Zealand, you can shop online and we will get what you need to you. 

We still carry a huge range of stand up paddle boards, paddles, fins, and 

SUP accessories. However, now you’ll also find a wide range of surfboards, 

surf fins, leashes, and wetsuits. Or, if wing-foiling is your new passion, 

then check out our quality range of wing-foil boards, wind wings, foils, and 

foiling accessories. Whatever you need, visit us in-store or online. 

+64 9 520 3366 

www.supcentre.co.nz 

sales@supcentre.co.nz 

Explore our region 

by Sup and Kayak 

ALL EQUIPMENT PROVIDED! 

Visit our world famous Whenuakura Island, also known as Donut 

Island, and try a sailing excursion on Argonauta, a classic 44ft sailing 

yacht, in conjunction with our partner, TRU NORTH OCEAN. 

Stay and play on our multiple beach surf breaks. 

THIS IS NEW ZEALAND’S PARADISE COAST. 

pedalandpaddle.co.nz

STUFF 

Flexin' 

The godfather of flex is at it again. We couldn’t help but 

marvel at this recent beauty. The amount of time that 

goes into crafting these flextails defies belief. 

outerislandsurfboards.com 

A 50-year tapestry woven 

from uncompromising 

craftsmanship and pioneering 

new world materials 


Wall hanger 

Knobs 

Merch 

Balsa gun and racks. Bruce McLachlan 

of the Central Coast saw it as the 

perfect complement to his fireplace. 

balsasurfboardsriley.com.au 

Everybody loves Knobs. 

Not only is it the best wax 

you can buy, now available 

in cold, cool, warm, and 

tropical, but there is some 

cool merch available now 

too. The perfect gift for a 

knob you know. 

t-shirt 

$39.00 


30 

stubby cooler 

$10.00 

surfknobs.com.au or head 

over to the smorgasboarder 

shop, smorgasboarder.com.au. 

bottle 

openers 

3-pack 

wax 

$6.99 

entire 'I Love 

Knobs' bundle 

$60 

$14.25

Leading surf and skate brands 

TWO ULTIMATE 

SURF SHOPS 

ULLADULLA 

NSW 

Rip Curl Ulladulla 

138 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla 

T 02 4454 4904 

southernman.com.au/rip-curl 

Premium range of surfboards, 

SUPs, bodyboards and wetsuits 

for sale and hire. Stocking 

apparel and travel gear. 

Surfer Luke O’connell 

Photo by Max Zappas 

Rip Curl Ulladulla 

Southern Man 

The Buckpitt Family. Ben,Beau and Keira 

Photo by Max Zappas 

Southern Man 

T7, 119 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla 

Phone 02 4454 0343 

southernman.com.au 

A huge range with over 5000 

products and 100 brands. 

One of the fast-growing online 

surf shops in Australia. 


31

IN! 

WIN!WIN! 

WIN! 

safe and 

sound 

) 

) 

GHOST 

RACKS 

) 

> 

This edition, we review a few of the leading 

key safes – those bits of kit where you store 

your car keys before heading out for surf. 

While neither in our opinion are comparable to the 

original Surf Lock, which was near indestructible 

thanks to its full metal construction (I must have 

dropped mine more than a hundred times 

without any form of damage and it lasted for 

close to a decade), the modern rendition is 

significantly cheaper. The question remains 

whether these ones will stand the same test 

of time. 

FCS KEYLOCK 

Features: 

Nothing should take away from, diminish, or distract from outstanding 

works of art. Just check out this mind-blowing, epic Hardwood Tides 

surfboard mounted with a pair of invisible vertical Ghost Racks. 

Hardwood Tides are custom wood and resin art pieces painstakingly 

hand-shaped by the clearly super talented Josh Marks. Josh crafts 

various surfboards, skateboards, and sculptural décor pieces. 

Ghost Racks are a near transparent, super strong acrylic rack system. 

The appeal is undeniable, and the reason why the racks have taken 

the world by storm. 

The good folks at Ghost Racks now make every kind of rack 

imaginable, from surfboard racks to skateboard racks, corner racks, 

horizontal, vertical, multi-angle, free standing and overhead options… 

you name it, they have it. Better yet, Ghost Racks cater for a diverse 

array of board shapes and fin setups too, so your board doesn't get 

jeopardised. We love them so much at Smorgasboarder that we are 

offering up a set of Ghost Racks for one lucky reader in every edition. 

Hardened steel shackle coated 

in soft plastic 

Weather protected 

combination lock 

10,000 possible combinations 

Foam backed body to avoid 

scratching your car 

Proximity key blocker 

Large key storage area 

Twin locking mechanism in 

hardened metal case 

Medium size 

$69.95 

large size 

$79.95 

Internal Dimensions: 

L 65mm x W 70mm x H 25mm 


L 69mm x W 107mm x H 40mm 

FAR KING KEYSAFE 


32 

Things you need to know… 

We’ll pick a winner on Monday 1 July 2024, so you have plenty 

of time to enter. We will announce the winner on our Instagram 

via an update to our GHOST RACKS COMP post. 

This competition is open to Smorgasboarder readers worldwide. 

The prize will be your choice of either a vertical or horizontal 

wall rack from the Ghost Racks surf range. We will even post 

the racks to you at their expense! This is a game of chance. 

how to enter 

Go to our Smorgasboarder 

Instagram page: 

a. Follow our Smorgasboarder Instagram page 

b. Like the GHOST RACKS COMP post 

c. Share it on your Instagram page 

d. Tag Smorgasboarder and Ghost Racks on your 

shared post 

It’s that simple. 

Features: 

Twin locking mechanism 

Regular 

Hardened metal case 

Foam backed to protect car 

4 dial Combination 

(10,000 combinations) 

Proximity key blocker sleeve 

Approx. 110mm x 67mm x 35mm 

$64.95 

Deluxe Model 


L 70mm x W 72mm 

x H 29mm 

$74.95 Internal Dimensions: 

L 70mm x W 75mm 

x H 35mm 

Verdict 

Both the FCS and Far King features are similar. The Far King iteration is on 

average $5 cheaper. Having bought one of each a few months back, I would 

say for $5 extra, I would go the FCS. The key safe just seems more robust. 

The Far King combination cover has already starting sliding under the 

casing, which is a pain in the arse, and the plastic cover seems flimsy.


33

conTrOvERSy 

WhAt happeNs wheN AI makes 

words: Mark chapMan 

sUrfBoards? 

illusTraTion: valEria covaTTa 

NOT AI :) 


34 

The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) and the impact of it on 

our world is simply too big to tackle in a short article, nor 

do we have the brainpower or depth of wisdom to begin to 

understand the ramifications of this new technology on us as 

a species. Not only that, it seems we don’t all agree. All you 

have to do is talk to ten people and you’ll have ten starkly 

different options on AI: “It’s good.” “It’s bad.” “It’s simply a 

tool to help efficiency.” “It’s the antichrist that will destroy us 

all.” And the truth is in the weeds there somewhere. 

So, getting to the matter at hand, who remembers the 

continued heated arguments around machine-shaped 

surfboards (which remains polarising today)? Well, AI is 

the brand new horizon for the argument – soon you may 

no longer even need a person to operate the system to 

machine-shape the board. With ever-improving algorithms, 

surely the guesswork gets removed, human error is irrelevant, 

and the world’s most perfect surfboards should be popping 

out quicker and more consistently than nuggets from a 

sphincterless kangaroo*. 

Allowing an AI to do your thinking is a bit like leaving a 

stranger to raise your kids. You nurture your family with 

good intentions that the learned behaviour they develop from 

you, and the values you instil, along with your perspective 

on the world, will help them as they grow into adulthood to 

act responsibly and make informed decisions. This “good 

household” is your brain, thinking for yourself. Conversely, 

with information drawn from who knows what source, AI 

may be learning bad behaviours and following in the wrong 

footsteps. Long story short, what goes in is often a result of 

what comes out. 

While AI may have proposed advantages in some areas of 

process, business, or production efficiency, surely it’s equally 

dangerous in the areas of our lives that we’d prefer it not 

to infiltrate. The problem is, how do you limit the intrusion? 

Unfortunately, it seems you can’t. You also can’t directly 

control the outputs, and you certainly can’t control the 

information AI is fed to form them. Will those with the most 

gold be able to pull more levers we can’t see and control 

even more of what we experience? It seems so. 

But back to the boards… Being a newer technology, many 

of the emotional arguments around machine shaping can 

be revisited here, such as “Does the final product have any 

soul?” to which we know the answer is a flat no. You, as a 

surfer, will simply never feel the same connection to an AI 

board as to one that you have had made for you through 

conversations and human interaction with a surfboard shaper, 

and connection matters. However, more importantly, there’s a 

genuine, rational argument for concern here: innovation. 

If, based on what we know, AI is only rehashing what has 

been done in the past and learning from what is there already, 

then nothing new can happen. Worse yet, at some stage AI 

will start rehashing its own creations, inevitably leading to 

an ever more homogeneous, uninspired product. Innovation 

comes from mistakes, accidental discoveries and challenging 

conventional thinking – all the things AI is not in its current 

form. 

From a surfboard manufacturing industry perspective, AI 

may be the next step in the removal of more hands and 

more craftspeople from the production chain. ‘Savings’ 

for all will be touted as the reason to embrace AI with both 

arms, yet name one time in history where this has been true. 

Surfboards will cost the same, and any production savings 

will simply line the pockets of an ever-shrinking group of 

people controlling the purse strings. Will skills and jobs be 

lost? Of course they will be. But hey, as U.S. President Joe 

Biden told coal miners losing their livelihood back in 2019: 

“Learn to code.” 

It'll be fun to type in “make me a 19-finned surfboard with 

five wings, a possum-tail and 37.3 channels” and see how 

it comes out, but the reality is that this will be used to refine 

existing shapes, chasing ‘maximised performance’ and the 

elusive ‘perfect board.’ Yes, we yawn even thinking about 

it. Perfection in itself is simply boring and contrary to human 

nature. 

We are fallible, flawed, complicated creatures, and all the 

richer for it. 

Persian carpet makers have intentionally woven in mistakes 

for centuries to avoid perfection. The Japanese philosophy 

of Wabi Sabi not only embraces the beauty of imperfection 

but celebrates it by amplifying errors and drawing attention 

to mistakes. Why has this been practiced for centuries? 

Because our brains need imperfection and difference to 

remain interested, just as our souls need connection with 

something human to make an object worthwhile. When 

there’s soul in it, it matters to you – it’s no longer disposable. 

We may be bordering on neo-luddites here, and we note the 

intense disagreement from those that love and embrace AI. 

Good for you. We recognise the world is changing at a rapid 

pace, and we’re certainly not sticking our heads in the sand 

about it. However, recognising a change and being complicit 

in the undoubtedly massive negative impact on many talented 

individuals and our greater society are two very different 

things. 

We all have our own minds to use and our own decisions to 

make, and it’s not a black-and-white position. However, in 

a world with less and less connection daily, we – as rational, 

thinking, imperfect, flawed human beings – need to choose 

whether we want to go with the flow and be washed along 

with the AI tide, or even in our own smallest swim against the 

current and choose human over machine. 

*Note: a line like “nuggets from a sphincterless 

kangaroo” hopefully gives you confidence that this 

article was penned by our imperfect hands as opposed 

to ChatGPT (but yes, that’s another wombat hole to 

explore).


35

A 

UNTANGLING LIABILITY 

IN UNPROVOKED 

SHARK ATTACKS 

UNTANGLING LIABILITY 

IN UNPROVOKED 

SHARK ATTACKS 

# 59 58 // smorgasboarder // 

36 

Global shark bite deaths doubled in 2023 to ten with 

Australia recording a disproportionate number of shark 

attack fatalities when compared with anywhere else in 

the world, according to The Florida Museum of Natural 

History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF). 1 

While 40% of these fatalities occurred in Australia, the 

US leads the world (again) in unprovoked shark bites at 

36, with ISAF studies revealing that surfers and others 

participating in board sports were the most likely to be 

attacked, accounting for 42% of bites. 2 

Three of these four fatal attacks in Australia in 2023 

occurred in a region known for its seal colonies and 

high density of great white sharks – the Eyre and Yorke 

Peninsulas in South Australia. One of these tragically 

involved a 15-year-old up and coming surfer, Khai 

Cowley, on the Yorke Peninsula. 

Each shark attack stokes new debate about shark 

protection measures and how to prevent such tragic 

loss of life for those enjoying our waters. Should the 

shark be hunted and killed? Are shark nets effective and 

are alternative shark protection systems required? And 

inevitably, who is to blame and who is liable? 

Do local and state authorities, being aware a particular 

shark has attacked a person, owe beachgoers a duty of 

care to reduce the risk of further attack? By say hunting 

and killing that shark? Or if a surf competition is aware 

of a shark near competitors, would event organisers be 

liable if they persisted with the competition despite that 

risk, and one of the competitors was attacked? 

In an unprovoked shark attack, liability will always depend 

on various factors, including the specific circumstances 

of the incident and the legislation that applies based on 

where the attack occurred. It’s advisable to consult with 

a local legal professional for specific advice. 

At the end of the day though, the risk of a shark attack 

remains extremely low - you are more likely to be struck 

by lightning than killed by a shark. 3 

This extremely low risk of an incident occurring is one of 

the difficulties with any argument to impose liability on a 

council or other authority to say hunt and kill a shark after 

it has fatally attacked someone. Removing one shark 

does not avoid or even minimise the risk of another shark 

related incident. 

The other difficulty with the argument to impose liability 

is that by entering the ocean we accept we are entering 

their habitat and natural environment where the presence 

of sharks is a known risk. 

While it is difficult to imagine a situation where a surf 

competition continues despite knowing a shark is in the 

vicinity, the organising body could be exposed if a shark 

attack were to occur. This is because of their knowledge 

of the risk and their ability to control their participants’ 

exposure to that risk by halting the competition. 

Competitors will usually sign a waiver form prior to 

competing but in reality, it is rare for waivers to preclude 

the recovery of compensation. 

According to the ISAF, the uptake of fatalities in 2023 

might be reflective of the increasing number of white 

sharks near popular surf breaks, particularly in Australia. 

Emersion in nature, through surfing or other water 

sports, involves a degree of unpredictability, and it is this 

inability to control the environment in which we surf that 

only adds to the beauty of it. 

1 

The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF) - https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/ 

science/shark-bites-consistent-with-recent-trends-with-small-spike-in-fatalities/#:~:text=The%20University%20 

of%20Florida's%20International,consistent%20with%20long%2Dterm%20trends 

2 

The ISAF 2023 Shark Attack Report - https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/yearly-worldwide-summary/ 

3 

The ISAF Annual Risk of Death During One’s Lifetime: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/odds/ 

compare-risk/death/ 

schultzlaw.com.au 

i

∆ 

NYTHING 

YOU 

∆ 

IMAGINE ≈ 

« 

WECAN 

CREATE 

okesurfboards.com 

1/1-7 Canterbury Rd, Braeside, VIC 

P: 03 9587 3553 

E: rory@okesurfboards.com

photos: The Road matty to Patagonia 

hannon and heather hillier 

words: amber o’dell 

THE 

ROAD 

TO 

PATAGONIA 

#59 // smorgasboarder // 

38

Documentary by Matty Hannon 

If this profound little 

film has taught me 

anything, it’s that the 

best kinds of stories 

happen on the road, often 

unintentionally. They’re 

out there, you just need 

to go find them. 

Made by an Aussie who set out to surf the west 

coast of the Americas, The Road to Patagonia 

features awe-inspiring shots of beaches in the 

middle of nowhere, campfires on snow-capped 

mountains, starry skies in the desert, and 

surfboards strapped to four charismatic horses. 

And while this incredible footage spanning over 

an entire 16 years is deserving of a watch all on 

its own, the doco really is a lot more than that. 

Hence the contemplative, heavy silence that fell 

over our team when the screen went black. 

Some of us sobbed more than others… 

but don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a sad or 

emotionally exhausting film at all. Actually, it’s 

rare to feel so inspired after sitting in front of a 

screen for so long. 

We all took our own things from it. But for me, 

it made me think about being too nervous to 

get out there in the surf – to be amongst the 

incredible stories and people that I am lucky 

enough to experience through this magazine. 

It’s easy to see why each of us latched onto 

the story of Matty Hannon – an ecologist from 

the north coast of New South Wales who is 

left feeling overwhelmed, uninspired, and 

diagnosed with clinical depression after a 

tedious life in the city. 

Everyone has their own ways of dealing with 

monotony, but his solution was to spend a few 

years travelling the coast that stretches from 

the top of Alaska all the way down to the tip 

of Patagonia – which is as admirable as it is 

absolutely insane. 


39


While he set out to merely 

document the journey, Matty 

ended up telling a deeper 

story about humanity and our 

connection to nature... 


40


While he set out to merely document the journey, 

Matty ended up telling a deeper story about 

humanity and our connection to nature – a premise 

that came about by surprise after he started talking 

to the people of the land, living an adventure on a 

daily basis, and even falling in love along the way. 

As you probably already know, we are avid fans 

of unhinged surfing trips, so we were pretty quick 

to grab tickets to one of the first screenings of the 

film’s national Q&A tour. 

Here, Matty informed us that the unflinching themes 

of the doco came later in the editing process, and 

that it took a long time before they were able to 

distil them. 

“It’s hard, because when you’re out in the middle 

of nowhere on the back of a horse experiencing an 

incredibly animate moment with a girl you love, you 

don’t really need words to communicate that shared 

feeling – you’re intuitively connected to each other 

and the world around you. 

“Especially if you’ve been doing that for months on 

end – you’re immersed and leaning into a different 

way of life. But to communicate that feeling through 

a digital medium on screen to an audience in a dark 

and insulated cinema is tricky. 

“Fast-paced, modern lifestyles have removed a 

lot of the language necessary for exploring our 

connection to nature, or the universe... or whatever 

you want to call her. 

“That’s where long adventures into the wild can 

help. The isolation is grounding, the people you 

meet turn your world upside down, and a lot of the 

bullsh*t, if you let it, can fall away.” 


41


Amidst the jungles and beaches of West 

Sumatra, he spent the next five years 

surfing, painting, engrossing himself 

in the lives of local tribes, and 

existing happily in a thatched hut. 

After studying ecology at university, Matty moved overseas 

to explore the rainforests and traditional culture of Indonesia. 

It was here that he became infatuated with understanding 

humanity’s place in nature and, of course, the heavenly waves 

of the Mentawai Islands. 


42 

Amidst the jungles and beaches of West Sumatra, he spent 

the next five years surfing, painting, engrossing himself in the 

lives of local tribes, and existing happily in a thatched hut. 

Really, it’s no wonder returning to the city was so crushing 

for him. I think if we all took the chance to experience such a 

simple life, we would never go back. 

While Matty originally picked up a camera to show his friends 

and family why he kept delaying his trip home, shooting the 

islands also led to his love of documentary filmmaking. Not 

just the cinematography, music, or storytelling, but the way it 

inherently brought him closer to people.


We all wanted to know how on earth Matty was able 

to fully immerse himself in the surf, wilderness, and 

societies of so many foreign places, which is why I 

was stoked to have the opportunity to chat with him 

about it. 

He told me that, while his favourite places to live are in 

the subtropics, he loved visiting the cold and extreme 

environments in Patagonia, British Columbia, Alaska, 

and Peru. 

“Mentawai will always keep calling me back. I left 

my heart in the tropical rainforest there, especially 

when you can hear the call of the Bilou gibbons in the 

morning, but I suppose I was always intrigued by the 

wilderness of Alaska, the steamy tropics of Central 

America, and the towering Andes mountains. 

“Just knowing there was a traversable coastline that 

long in the world, that also copped swell all year 

round, was enough of a reason to grab a board and 

go. 

“I left my heart 

in the tropical 

rainforest there, 

especially when 

you can hear the 

call of the Bilou 

gibbons in the 

morning.” 


43


“Surfing in Alaska was unique because I was 

alone, surrounded by huge mountain ranges 

capped with glaciers and snow. The best waves 

we had on the trip were probably the hissing 

tubes of the Baja peninsula, the perfect point 

breaks of El Salvador, and the endless lefts of 

Chile. 

“I was scared at Mavericks beforehand, and 

pretty nervous at Todos Santos too. I was 

even spooked out of the water a few times in 

Alaska and Oregon by the wildlife, but generally 

speaking, I enjoyed the different characteristics 

of each break. It made surfing even more 

interesting.” 

The terrifyingly beautiful is something you get 

used to seeing in The Road to Patagonia. As 

soon as the film fades onto screen with a kombi 

van crash on a scenic highway deep in the 

Alaskan tundra, it’s clear that Matty’s ambitious 

journey is going to be one stunning, chaotic 

ordeal. 

From torrential weather, dead ends, and a 

stolen motorbike to the looming threat of 

predators, the doco certainly keeps you on 

the edge of your seat. But it also does what 

it sets out to do – capture the greater sense 

of freedom, spirituality, and happiness that 

comes with living on the land, while still showing 

how hard it is to remain off the beaten path, 

especially in such a modern age. 


44 

“I was scared at 

Mavericks beforehand, 

and pretty nervous 

at Todos Santos too. 

I was even spooked 

out of the water 

a few times in 

Alaska and Oregon 

by the wildlife, 

but generally 

speaking, I enjoyed 

the different 

characteristics of 

each break.”



45


As frightening as a solo 50,000-kilometre surf trip sounds, 

you’d be pleased to know that Matty wasn’t alone for the 

entire journey. In British Columbia, out on the waves of 

Vancouver Island, he met Heather Hillier – a permaculture 

farmer with a passion for climbing, growing cabbages, 

and surfing. 

While the pair’s love story is by no means the central 

focus of the film, it does make for a heart-warming 

throughline. It’s also refreshing that the doco doesn’t 

sugarcoat the problems that come with having a lifechanging 

adventure as your first date. 

Camping, exploring, foraging, and living freely on 

nameless beaches and forests with someone you care 

about does sound pretty nice though, especially when 

you can surf some of the most surreal breaks in the world 

together. 

From torrential 

weather, dead 

ends, and a stolen 

motorbike to the 

looming threat 

of predators, the 

doco certainly 

keeps you on the 

edge of your seat. 

Unsurprisingly, Matty told me they preferred to use 

surfboards that have a bit of a unique flow to them. 


46 

“Having said that, we did have one thruster on the trip 

with us, but none of the waves we surfed it on made the 

film. I had a high-volume Corey Graham shorty five-fin set 

up, but I mostly rode it as a single fin. 

“I also had a 7’2” Corey Graham six channel widowmaker 

for when the waves got big or really good, and that 

board was amazing. Heather had a Mini Simmons styled 

twinny that was heaps of fun. We shared the boards 

between us. 

“All three boards made it from the beginning of the trip 

until it’s end, and I even took the 7’2” to Indonesia last 

year, where, after nine years of surf adventures, it held its 

own really nicely in the eight-foot swell of Lance’s Right.”

Documentary by Matty Hannon


ARTIC OCEAN 

NORTH 

ATLANTIC 

OCEAN 

SOUTH 

PACIFIC 

OCEAN 


48 

The Route 

From the top of 

Alaska to the tip of 

Patagonia — a 50,000km 

surfing odyssey. 

SOUTH 

ATLANTIC 

OCEAN


GENRE 

Documentary 

COMPLETION 

January 2024 

PRODUCTION 

10 years 

WORLD PREMIERE 

Byron Bay International 

F.F. 

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE 

Maui Internaitonal Film 

Fest 

Of course, Matty and Heather rode out their journey 

on more than just a few surfboards. Luckily for us, 

after growing sick of leaving tyre tracks and plumes of 

petrol behind them, they eventually downshifted from 

motorbikes to riding on horseback. 

Oh, those horses. If you asked anyone what their 

favourite part of the film was, they would most likely 

say Blacky, Pichi, Salvador, and sweet old Harimau. 

They simply made the film as memorable as it was, 

with their experiences being as entertaining and 

touching as the couples’ were. 

Matty explained it best when he said the horses 

amplified their emotions throughout the entire trip. 

“Just knowing there was a 

traversable coastline that 

long in the world, that also 

copped swell all year round, 

was enough of a reason to grab 

a board and go.” 


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50



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“If we were stressed or impatient, the horses would sense that 

and become uncooperative and moody. If we were tired, then 

they would have been tired too. We were all going through it 

together. 

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“After six months of living and sleeping alongside the horses, we 

knew their personalities down to a tee. They could be so funny, 

cheeky, defiant, and even dangerous. Blacky, our lead mare, 

almost killed me early in the trip with a double barrel kick aimed 

at my head. 

“I jumped backwards at the same rate her kick was coming 

towards my face, and everything went slow-motion in a full 

matrix moment. I saw her hoofs two inches from my nose as I 

flew through the air, before landing flat on my back, unharmed. 

That taught me a lot.” 

Near-death experiences aside, it was clear that by the end 

of the journey the odd bunch of travellers were like a herd – 

wherever one went, the rest followed. While the horses helped 

carry Matty, Heather, and their things, the couple ensured they 

were safe, fed, and cared for. 

Due to their unpredictable temperament and strange (but 

relatable) fear of surfboards, Heather was apprehensive of the 

horses at first, but agreed they were the highlight of the entire 

trip. 

“They shrunk our perspective, which feels dangerously insular in 

this age of data overload, when we’ve been told that the more 

information we have, the better. 

“The horses forced upon us a local dependency on the land 

above all else, but also on the communities we passed through, 

and each other. 

“We were constantly aware of swales in the landscape, as a tiny 

creek running through it might be our only water for the day.” 

Completely reliant on each other, far from the conveniences of 

modern life, and with no room for personal space, it’s certainly 

impressive that Matty and Heather handled the journey as well 

as they did. 

Although it wouldn’t have been easy, it was uplifting to see the 

pair have complete trust in one another throughout the film, 

even when things didn’t go as planned. Maintaining a healthy 

relationship is difficult enough, even without having to constantly 

film each other and live out of a tent for two and a half years. 

Matty said there were a lot of individuals who added something 

special to the doco, but without a doubt it was Heather’s 

tenacity that made it special. 

“She’d never even been dinked on a motorcycle before she 

sold her business and bought a 500cc bike in Mexico, rode into 

South America with me, and said yes to a relatively dangerous 

horse expedition. 


52 

“She let me film really intimate moments of her, she learned how 

to use a camera and interview people, and she put up with me 

through the thick of it.” 

The further Matty and Heather persevered, the more The Road 

to Patagonia’s identity began to take shape, as for every scene 

featuring lush rainforests and the vital connection between 

humanity and nature, there is another revealing kilometres of 

deforested, exploited land. 

It’s a confronting perspective, which only hits harder when the 

couple rides further south, passing through a myriad of seaside 

and mountain villages filled with people far more in tune with the 

earth and their ancestors than many of us would be used to.



53



54



55


Each of these Zapatista rebels, Amazonian 

shamans, and Mapuche leaders describe the harsh 

consequences of today’s dominant systems, and 

how their ancient lifestyles have conflicted with the 

modern attitude that humans are separate from, 

and even superior to, nature. 

After stumbling into so many welcoming cultures, 

all with their own words for things far beyond the 

English language, we were curious how the pair 

came to understand and empathise with the people 

they interviewed on their trip. 

Matty told me he didn’t understand everything 

that was said, at least not until they translated the 

footage later in the editing process. 

“I speak reasonable Mentawai, fluent Indonesian, 

and at the time pretty decent Spanish. Heather’s 

Spanish was really good by the end of it. We both 

made a big effort to learn the languages where we 

could. 

“There are definitely concepts in the film that don’t 

translate well into English because our culture has 

loaded them with connotations and denotations. 

Words like ‘spirit’ and ‘ancestors’ suffer from this, 

so it’s hard to translate some of the concepts from 

the animistic people we met and spoke with. 

“Very often, when you’ve developed rapport 

with people and you sit them down in front of a 

camera, they’ll open up deeper than they would 

in conversation. It’s such a beautiful thing, that 

offering of vulnerability. 


56


Each of these Zapatista 

rebels, Amazonian shamans, 

and Mapuche leaders 

describe the harsh 

consequences of today’s 

dominant systems, and how 

their ancient lifestyles 

have conflicted with the 

modern attitude that humans 

are separate from, and even 

superior to, nature. 

CLOSING 

DOWN 

SALE 

“As a filmmaker, you have the privilege to help them share that story. It 

comes with a lot of responsibility, but without a doubt that’s my favourite 

part. Often, we used music, imagery, and the ‘feeling’ of the story to convey 

those ideas, rather than over-explain them with words and language.” 

That’s the great thing about The Road to Patagonia. As such a passionate 

dirtbag production, it excels at communicating ideas like animism – the belief 

that all things, places, and creatures have some kind of spiritual essence. 

It’s a gorgeous-looking film, simply because what you see is what you 

get – nature and humanity in its rawest form, with few fancy techniques or 

overcomplicated edits to mask that. 

To that end, I was both surprised and delighted to hear that the cameras 

Matty used were relatively cheap by today’s standards, and even archaic by 

today’s average video specs. 

“I used DSLR cameras for the most part – a Canon 5D Mark2 and a Sony 

A7s. Most phones shoot better footage these days. Actually, I even used 

phone footage in the film a few times as well. 

“People get so hung up on the tech, like the best films are shot on RED 

or whatever, but at the end of the day, the best cakes aren’t baked in a 

particular oven. It’s story over everything for me. 

“I had a drone at the start, but at one point it was stolen and I lost all of the 

footage along with it. Funnily enough, I’m now stoked we don’t have any 

drone footage in the film. It’s given the scenes a close and personal feeling.” 

Shooting the Road to Patagonia was one thing, but editing it was something 

entirely different. After arriving home in one piece, Matty lived in an old rusty 

caravan, trading work on a nearby farm for free rent so he could afford to 

continue editing the film. 

As it turns out, the difficulties Matty faced on his precarious journey across 

the length of the world paled in compassion to waking up and summoning 

the motivation to sit at a computer for up to ten hours a day… for four years 

straight. 

Hearing this, my heart certainly broke for him. Thankfully, with the help of a 

small team, he eventually figured out how to turn 16 years of footage into a 

one-and-a-half-hour documentary, which Matty said was the gnarliest puzzle. 

All stock must be 

cleared by October 31 

“Editing was tough, but getting funding for post-production was an elating 

milestone, as prior to then, everything had been such a battle. 

“A highlight was discovering the language around animism. That was a big 

breakthrough. Then, Daniel Norgren offered to provide music for the film, 

which was incredible. He’s so talented and evocative. 

“I knew then, seven years in, that we were gonna make a special little film. I’d 

never make it again this way in the future, but ironically, the difficulties of this 

film are also its strengths. The harder it got, the more the film benefitted.” 

1/12 The Terrace, 

Brunswick Heads NSW 

p: 02 6685 1283 


57


Benefitted is an understatement. Actually, despite 

its humble status as an indie film, The Road to 

Patagonia has sold out a majority of its Q&A 

screenings, receiving a myriad of awards along the 

way, including Best Film and Best Documentary at 

the Byron Bay International Film Festival, Audience 

Choice Award at the Florida Surf Film Festival and 

a whole lot more. 

Considering how many people have rallied behind 

the film, I can only imagine the waves it will make 

when it’s finally pushed out internationally and 

digitally later this year. For those interested, the 

doco is screening in select cinemas right now. 

I think I can speak for the entire team when I 

say that we all highly recommend it. Really, only 

good things can come from a grassroots surfing 

production made with the very best intentions 

over a period of 10 years. It’s an incredible thing to 

watch. 

When asked if the overwhelmingly positive reaction 

has stirred up any emotions for him, Matty said he 

couldn’t be more stoked with the feedback they’ve 

received so far. 

“A lot of people have told us it’s really got them 

thinking about their own lives and assessing where 

they want to spend their time on this planet. 

“Some people have said it’s been a catalyst for 

big change, like selling their house and following 

a dream. I’m just really happy that it’s stimulating 

conversations. 

“Despite investigating themes of colonialism and 


58


“A lot of people 

have told us it’s 

really got them 

thinking about 

their own lives and 

assessing where 

they want to spend 

their time on this 

planet.” 

globalisation, the film aims to instil an uplifting 

sense of hope and positivity in the audience. In a 

way, I hope it’s a small antidote to the heaviness of 

the world in recent years.” 

I think that’s why we love these insane little 

surf films. As an indie production, The Road to 

Patagonia is able to benefit from Matty’s vision and 

creativity while tackling subjects that most brands 

wouldn’t even go near, like politics and religion. 

And while the doco shows us the effects of 

capitalism and the corporate domination of our 

natural way of life, it’s also not anti-business. For 

example, the film really shined a light on Heather’s 

business as an urban farmer in British Columbia, 

and her commitment to sustainable, local, and 

healthy food systems. 

Of course, it’s impossible for indie films to get off 

the ground without some kind of support. When 

faced with the need to promote his doco and take 

it on the road, Matty said it felt natural to team up 

with Stone & Wood Brewing Co. as the presenting 

sponsor of the film tour. 

“They’re a big supporter of regenerative farming 

techniques and use those ingredients in their 

beer. Through the Ingrained Foundation, they also 

support a whole range of conservation, activist, and 

regenerative initiatives. 

“Yeti also helped us get on the road for the film 

tour, and anyone that’s picked up one of their 

coolers knows that it’s most likely going to outlive 

themselves, and that says something. 


59



60 

“I think it’s really important to highlight the businesses that are working hard 

to change the landscape, because at the end of the day, we need systemic 

change, and that takes everyone’s participation, from a hippy in a tree to the 

CEO of a multinational.” 

It would be fair to say that Matty carries these attitudes with him wherever 

he goes. Not only does he believe that adventures can reconnect us with 

the earth and each other, but also that immersive documentaries can inspire 

audiences into self-reflection and action. 

Today, in a far cry from his arduous life in the city, Matty is kept busy running 

his documentary production company, Never Never. Most of the films he 

makes are ecologically and culturally focused, meaning he gets to do the work 

he loves (in some of the most stunning, culturally rich places in the world), 

while somehow always finding a way to tie it into surfing. 

Constantly driven by the ancestral values of the people he spoke to on his 

journey, Matty said he is looking forward to making more time for his family, 

the land, his community, and, of course, the waves. 

“I’m currently raising money for my friend Aman Lepon to build a cultural 

longhouse for the children of his village. He has a dedicated space to teach 

them about Arat Sabulungan – the traditional animistic culture of Mentawai. 

I’m aiming to get a GoFundMe happening for that, because people have been 

giving us lots of cash at the screenings because they want to help. 

“Heather and I are also having our second child in June, so after the tour we’ll 

be moving towards a slower time. I’ve got a few interesting film projects lined 

up. We’re hoping to make it to Ireland to introduce our kids to my granny 

for her 90th birthday, and to use our time there to delve deeper into our own 

ancestry. 

“I’m lucky that my work takes me on adventures and gives me space to delve 

into politics, issues, or stories. In our free time, we surf, swim in the crystalclear 

river near our house, or go hiking. Heather’s also teaching me about 

permaculture.” 

If the stunned silence prompted by The Road to Patagonia says anything, 

it’s that the film hits home pretty hard for a majority of us. Clearly, humans 

aren’t made for the repetitive and noisy life that we live. So, when the days get 

tedious, maybe we just need to get out there, amongst the incredible stories 

and people that inspire us, and pick up a bloody surfboard already. 

Matty said that it’s only in very recent history, since the agricultural and 

industrial revolutions and everything else, that we have veered so far from a 

life lived in relation to the biosphere. 

“Since the trip, I have read a lot about the people of Britannia and the various 

diaspora of that region. I learned that my own deep-time ancestors weren’t 

that dissimilar to the Aboriginal people of Australia or the First Nations people 

of the Americas. 

“In a way, that’s the crux of the film. Across the globe every human race and 

culture was once deeply connected to the land and living world. Modern 

humanity is the anomaly, not the norm.”

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interview with Jake Killen 

words: Amber O’Dell 


62

There’s a few people who cross 

into our path that make us go, “Yes, 

that’s Smorgasboarder. That’s the 

grassroots surfing community and 

everything we hope to celebrate in 

this magazine of ours.” 


63

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interview 

Jake Killen is one of those people, and instantly 

drew our attention when some rather insane surfing 

shots from Norway surfaced on our social media. 

After a little digging, we stumbled across more of 

his killer photography, which captures everything 

from board shaping and global surf adventures to 

miscellaneous building projects. 

The more we investigated, the more we realised that 

Jake was a pretty interesting dude. So, when we 

came across a photograph of his colourful collection 

of surfboards, each propped up next to a shed that 

he converted into a shaping bay with his dad, we 

couldn’t help but reach out to him with the need to 

share his story. 

When we were somehow lucky enough to catch up 

with Jake in between his many surfing trips, he told 

us that he grew up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches 

with his cousins. 

“We lived only a street back from Dee Why Point, 

which greatly enabled my froth for the ocean. We 

moved around a lot in my early teens, away from 

the waves, where I almost forgot about surfing 

altogether until my dad moved us to the Sunshine 

Coast when I was 11. 

“I really owe my insatiable love of surfing to my dad, 

Dave. He’s surfed his whole life and still does to this 

day. Even more so now that I’ve started working for 

him as a carpenter. Daily surfs, or site meetings, are 

a ritual.” 

Of course, there are those who surf, and those who 

become a little too captivated by the shape of the 

thing they are surfing on. 

From Jake’s fascination with board design came 

InSync Surfboards – a homegrown shaping business 

where he and his dad create sleek and colourful 

boards while restoring old gems and repairing the 

odd ding. 

Jake said this humble operation began with the 

transformation of an old shed and took off from 

there. 

“I always wanted to make my own surfboards. 

With the number of different ones I was riding, I got 

inspired to shape boards from about 4’8” to 11’. 

“It’s just a personal bay really. My dad runs the 

show in there now – he’s obsessed! He’s also 

become a master glasser, which has helped a lot. 

We’ve got two mid twinnies ready to glass as we 

speak.” 

After giving shaping a whirl, not only did Jake’s 

respect for surfboard design grow, but also his 

enthusiasm for boards of all kinds. 

In true Smorgasboarder fashion, Jake told us that he 

loves wiping out and stacking it on everything – from 

surfboards to skateboards to snowboards. 

“I’m average at best on the last two, but I still do 

them, especially when I am skating around home. 

It’s also a must when I’m up in the snow, because 

I don’t really have the chance to do that a lot. The 

thing is, I feel like I slowly start to become pretty 

good at snowboarding, and then I’m packing my 

bags already! 

“My go-to surfboards and ideal shapes would have 

to be any twin fin from a fun 5’4” fish to a big 7’4”. I 

have a love-hate relationship with logs, but I’m really 

loving them again, besides the fact that they’re a 

pain to travel with. The right board for the right wave 

is always the way to go.” 

From Jake’s fascination with board 

design came InSync Surfboards – a 

homegrown shaping business where 

he and his dad create sleek and 

colourful boards while restoring old 

gems and repairing the odd ding. 


65

One glance at Jake’s social media will tell you that 

he’s quite the globetrotter, sharing experiences 

from Canada to London, Austria, Spain, and Japan. 

However, it was his experiences in the beautifully 

isolated breaks of Norway, each bordered by 

mountains, pebbled beaches, and long stretches of 

green pastures, that had us particularly enthralled. 

The deep fjords and windswept coastlines of 

Scandinavia certainly sound like heavenly places to 

surf, at least for those that vibe with cold water, fires 

on the beach, thick wetsuits, harsh offshores, and 

the serene feeling of being alone with the ocean. 

Jake said he’s always had a weird obsession with 

going to Norway, and cracked up when he told us 

that it’s probably because he watched The Polar 

Express when he was young. 

“As soon as my girlfriend Bayley and I stepped off 

the plane, it was like we were in James Cameron’s 

Avatar. The surf scene over there is just so different, 

but still super respectful and honest. I think they like 

to keep their little paradise close to them. A beer at 

the beach is just not a thing – I paid for that one! 

“I love Ireland too. My dad is Irish, so there’s a family 

connection to the country for me, but I also like the 

people, the landscape, the Guinness, and the surf 

vibe, which is really sick. I’ve made some great 

friends over there now, and I can’t wait to go back. 

“For some downtime during our months away, 

Bayley and I loved Denmark. That place has got 

it all figured out. I heard you can also get waves 

there if you know where to look. If anyone has the 

opportunity, I would highly recommend going over 

to France too. That whole strip all the way across to 

Spain is just wild.” 

Understandably, surfing was always the priority 

for Jake after moving to the Sunshine Coast. 

That is, until he turned 17, caught the travel bug, 

and became increasingly frustrated when his 

underwhelming iPhone photos and desperate 

attempts at describing the picturesque backdrops of 

the waves he caught just didn’t cut it. 

As a result, Jake started shooting film on thrifted 

cameras, which then led to him investing in more 

serious, heavy-duty stuff. 

“I still don’t consider myself as much of a 

photographer, but I do love it. I think I get too surforiented 

to commit to photography, but when the 

waves are flat or I’m surfed out, it does become a 

fun way of capturing perfect moments. 

“I like to shoot all different things. Special moments 

really, and when people are least expecting it. I 

think it’s cool to capture people. I still get all artsy 

and stuff, but there’s always plenty of emotions in a 

photo, and they’re rad to look back on.” 

Of course, Jake is being a little humble here. 

His photos really are extraordinary, and capture 

everything from sick waves to the authentic 

moments that come with living as a nomadic surfer 

(such as carefully slotting a surfboard through a gap 

in a barbed wire fence). 


66 

One glance at Jake’s social media 

will tell you that he’s quite the 

globetrotter, sharing experiences 

from Canada to London, Austria, 

Spain, and Japan.

interview 


67


68 

But his talent doesn’t stop there, because over the last 

few years, in addition to trying to put himself in as many 

exotic swells and captivating landscapes as possible, 

Jake has also managed to build himself a tiny house. 

This is no shoddy surf shack, mind you, but a gorgeous 

three-storey loft that took six months to build, with most 

of that time being spent learning everything from basic 

kitchen installs to sheeting, pantry installation, flooring, 

and more. 

It really does look like the perfect little place to relax after 

a long journey, which is fitting, because no matter how 

insane the waves are in places like Norway and Portugal, 

the swell of the Sunshine Coast always tends to lead 

Jake back home. 

“I love home. We have a little rock shelf that seems to 

work at almost any tide and pick up so much swell, even 

on the small days. I like it down in Tassie too. A few 

breaks down there get me excited every single time. 

It’s pretty great that our readers are constantly 

introducing us to the new places they visit, the waves 

they ride, and the side projects they get carried away 

with, and that’s not just because we are blessed with a 

ridiculously long list of must-try boards, surf spots, and 

hobbies. 

Simply put, we are stoked to be able to share your stories 

– the captivating things that make the grassroots surfing 

community the insanely diverse, inspiring, and strange 

place that it is. So, keep sending in your surf shots and 

raving about what you enjoy, whether that be tinkering, 

surfing, travelling, shaping, or all of the above. 

“I’ve always worked to travel, so I am blessed with a 

lovely girlfriend who allows me to do that, helps me with 

my injuries, and comes along without complaints… well, 

except for the single bed in Norway. 

“I think I need to give a big shout out to The Critical Slide 

Society for slinging us all sorts of clothes and beach 

accessories for both the colder and warmer days. They 

literally saved our freezing butts multiple times. 

“Also Shapers Australia for their countless twin fin 

designs and backing us on our adventures, and Adelio 

wetsuits for keeping me warm all year round. Basically, 

I’m just very grateful to be supported by so many brands 

and close friends.”

KALEI 


70

Agata Dobrzynska 

DOSCOPE 

LIFE AS A PROFESSIONAL 

KITEBOARDER WITH A MEDLEY OF 

PASSIONS, EACH AS THRILLING AND 

COLOURFUL AS THE NEXT, MUST BE 

NOTHING SHORT OF A WILD RIDE. 

WORDS: AMBER O’DELL 

PHOTOS: KATIE LOU MUIR, 

JULIE DEL MAR, HARRY STAMATOV 


71

“I believe even the smallest actions 

can make a world of difference. Every 

bottle cap, every plastic bag, and 

every discarded wrapper removed 

from the beach is a step towards 

preserving the ocean we love.” 


72

INTERVIEW 


Growing up by the Baltic Sea in the beautiful city 

of Gdansk, Poland, Agata Dobrzynska developed 

a profound love of the ocean at a young age. Little 

did she know that this adoration would shape her 

entire life as an Australian kiteboarding champion... 

with more than just a few state titles up her sleeve. 

Before she ever set foot on a kiteboard, however, 

she was carving it up on the slopes, working 

as a snowboard instructor, competing in Polish 

Championships, and even proudly representing the 

University of Gdansk in slalom events. 

Agata said those were the days of excitement and 

fierce competition, where every adrenaline-fueled 

moment laid the groundwork for all of her future 

adventures. 

“After completing university and earning a degree 

in marine biology, something inside me shifted. 

I realised that I couldn’t bear to be far from the 

ocean. And so, my kiteboarding journey began. For 

me, kiteboarding isn’t just about competition and 

travelling – it’s about living life to the fullest. 

“It’s about embracing the freedom of the open 

water and the exhilaration of soaring through the 

air. And hey, if I can inspire others along the way, 

whether through coaching or competing, then that’s 

the cherry on top.” 

Ever since taking a leap into the world of 

kiteboarding ten years ago, Agata has been 

whisked away to some of the most breathtaking 

places on Earth, from her home turf in Gdansk 

through to Africa, the Caribbean islands, Brazil, 

South America, Australia, and you name it. 

Agata told us she has lived and kited on five 

continents, soaking in the beauty, shores, and sun 

of each unique destination. And, as far as we could 

tell from her bubbly, can-do attitude, she still can’t 

get enough. 

“Every year brings new projects, new challenges, 

and new adventures. There’s always something 

exciting on the horizon, beckoning me to push the 

limits and explore new frontiers. It’s a journey of 

self-discovery, exploration, and endless possibility. 

“Travelling is a huge part of my life, and I cannot 

imagine myself living in one place, or maybe not 

just yet. As much as it might be tiring, this is my 

lifestyle, and I cannot imagine it any other way. 

“All of this wouldn’t be possible without the brands 

who support me and believe in me. They give 

me motivation and a reason to work harder while 

always making me aim higher with new projects and 

ideas. I know the best is yet to come.” 

Agata’s association with so many beachy and 

active brands is a result of her radiant social 

media presence. On her Instagram, you’ll find her 

surfing alongside dolphins, advocating for what 

she believes in, sharing motivational anecdotes, 

and even snowboarding on the slopes of an active 

volcano. 

She never stops chasing what excites her, and 

for that reason, she spends her time bouncing in 

between the blue lagoons of Western Australia, 

the beaches of the Sunshine Coast, and the winter 

wonderland that is the Australian Alps. 

“Agata has been 

championing SheKites for 

six years, and emphasises 

that it isn’t just a project 

– it’s a community where 

every woman has the 

potential to soar, both on 

and off the water.” 


73

INTERVIEW 


“At the end of the day, the only opinion that truly 

matters is your own, so hold your head high and let 

your kite soar. There’s no feeling in the world quite 

like flying high above the water, with the salty sea 

spray on your face and the wind in your hair.” 

Echoing a sentiment that we are proud to 

hear time and time again in our interviews, 

Agata said there is no better place to be than 

Australia, especially when it comes to surfing. 

“Living on the Sunny Coast is just a dream 

come true. Noosa, the longboard paradise, 

has my heart and is now my home by choice. 

Gliding through Noosa National Park and seeing 

all of my friends on the water makes every 

morning special. 

“The ocean holds a special place in all our 

hearts – it’s where we find adventure, joy, and 

sometimes even solace. For me, it’s the ultimate 

stress-reliever, and a sanctuary where all my 

worries melt away with the tide. 

“When I am not flying my kite, you can find 

me working on my hang 10 and crosswalk 

somewhere between Boiling Pot and Alexandria 

Bay.” 

Of course, many of us who cherish the ocean 

eventually come to recognise its fragility. We 

all know by now that our marine ecosystems 

are in desperate need of protection, but after 

studying as an oceanographer and marine 

biologist, Agata began to truly understand just 

how crucial our actions are for the continued 

existence of our precious playgrounds. 

“Have you ever heard of ‘Take 3 for the Sea’? 

It’s a simple yet powerful movement that 

encourages beachgoers to pick up three pieces 

of rubbish every time they visit the shoreline. 

I first encountered this inspiring initiative in 

Morocco when I was nestled in one of the surf 

villages there. 

“Since then, I’ve made it a personal 

commitment to not only leave no trace, but to 

also take a little something extra with me when 

I leave. The next time people find themselves 

heading to their favourite surf break or kite 

spot, I urge them to join us in taking those three 

pieces of rubbish with them. 

“I believe even the smallest actions can make 

a world of difference. Every bottle cap, every 

plastic bag, and every discarded wrapper 

removed from the beach is a step towards 

preserving the ocean we love.” 

You see, Agata is an example of someone who 

actually uses their platform for good – not only 

when it comes to environmental awareness, 

but also when it comes to her advocation for 

women in the world of kiteboarding. 

‘Empowered women can empower women’ was 

the mantra that drove her to create SheKites 

– a place for women who share a love of the 

wind, waves, and water, and an organisation 

that provides coaching programs introducing 

kiteboarding basics to beginners while helping 

seasoned riders refine their skills. 

Agata has been championing SheKites for six 

years, and emphasises that it isn’t just a project 

– it’s a community where every woman has the 

potential to soar, both on and off the water. 

“There’s something truly beautiful about coming 

together with a group of like-minded women 

who share the same passion and drive. My 

journey isn’t just about me – it’s about every 

single woman I’ve had the privilege of coaching. 

“Each one of them has inspired me in ways I 

never thought possible. They’ve pushed me to 

be a better athlete, a better coach and a better 

advocate for women in sport, because let’s 

face it – finding your place in a male-dominated 

activity like kiteboarding isn’t easy. 

“We deserve a seat at the table, and we 

shouldn’t let anyone tell us otherwise. My 

journey is a testament to the power of women 

supporting women. It’s about lifting each other 

up, breaking down barriers, and showing the 

world what we’re capable of.” 

Agata vividly recalled to us some memorable 

days at the beach, when the wind and waves 

were thrashing and particularly brutal. 


74

As a littler woman weighing no more than 50 kilograms, she often found herself facing 

judgement from people who thought she didn’t know what she was doing. 

“If people feel the urge to judge or offer unsolicited advice to others, they should take a 

moment to pause and reconsider. If we haven’t asked for your input, then kindly mind 

your own business and let us be. We know our limits, and we know how to push them. 

Showing a little respect and support goes a long way. 

“At the end of the day, the only opinion that truly matters is your own, so hold your head 

high and let your kite soar. There’s no feeling in the world quite like flying high above 

the water, with the salty sea spray on your face and the wind in your hair. No amount of 

judgement or doubt can ever take that away from you.” 

As we mentioned before, Agata used to ski and snowboard when she was younger, 

which is why, when her adventure took her far away from the mountains, she always felt 

there was something missing. That all changed when she discovered the exhilarating 

world of snowkiting, which, as you can probably guess, takes the sport of kiteboarding 

to whole new heights. 

Agata told us that, while living the beach life is undeniably amazing, snowkiting was like 

finding the puzzle piece that completed her adventure-filled life. 

“Picture yourself in a winter wonderland, surrounded by nothing but pristine, untouched 

snow and majestic mountains stretching as far as the eye can see. Now add in the thrill 

of riding pure pow pow, both up and down, all powered by nothing but the wind and 

your trusty kite. Sounds pretty epic, right? 

“But here’s the best part – in the world of snowkiting there are no ski lifts, no crowded 

slopes, and definitely no boundaries. With your kite as your guide, you can explore 

every peak, valley, and hidden gem that the mountains have to offer. It’s pure 

adrenaline, pure freedom, and pure bliss all rolled into one.” 

I think we can all empathise with the need to live a more kaleidoscopic life – to 

experience both summer and winter, homeliness and adventure, work and play. While 

Agata is sure to return to the water soon, this winter, like every other winter, you’ll find 

her on the peaks of Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, where the snow and 

mountains meet the wind. 

“Adventure knows no bounds, and the journey is just beginning. The mountains are 

calling, and I must go.” 


75

art 

In colour 

One of the most inspiring 

things you can do as an 

adult is to see the world 

from a kid’s perspective. 

So, when talented young Jordy reached 

out to Smorgasboarder a bit ago, eager 

to share his art, we were more than 

happy to listen and learn. Actually, he left 

us feeling pretty uplifted, with the unusual 

need to pick up a box of markers and 

rediscover the unbridled joy of creating 

just for the sake of it. 

In addition to exploring the coast with 

his family in Gippsland, Victoria, Jordy 

has spent the last six years doodling fun 

cartoons and sharing them with the world 

through his YouTube channel, Doggo Art. 

When asked what drives his extraordinary 

commitment to art at such a young age, 

Jordy said that he loves how peaceful 

being creative is, as he can just sit there 

for hours thinking about what he’ll draw 

next or what colour he’ll use. 

“I love how there are no limits as to what 

I can draw. I like seeing how creative I am 

and how much better I get at drawing day 

by day. It’s so relaxing. I can just be in my 

own world and draw whatever I want. 

“I would describe my style as cartoony. 

I really like bold, vibrant colours instead 

of grey and white because they stand 

out more. Sometimes I will draw different 

things, like singular characters or word 

art. I am still developing skills at drawing 

realism, so I mainly stick to cartoons.” 

Jordy’s charming signature style is 

inspired by a world-renowned Belgian 

artist, Vexx, who just so happened to 

build an online empire in his teens after 

he started posting his vivid, psychedelic 

drawings on social media. 

If the many collaborations we are 

seeing between big brands and abstract 

doodlers are anything to go by, these 

unique art niches are certainly thriving, 

especially within the skate and surf 

communities. 

Admirably, Jordy said the strangeness of 

his art and how it is perceived by others 

doesn’t matter to him, because he enjoys 

creating it, and that’s what really matters. 

“I remember clicking on Vexx’s channel 

one day and being amazed by all of the 

characters and colours. After watching a 

few more videos, I decided I would give 

it a go. I grabbed a sheet of paper and a 

pencil and just started drawing a bunch 

of things like flowers, sports, and food. 

“Now I realise that it was not the best 

drawing, but at the time I thought it 

was amazing. I used to sit there every 

day and draw until I had to have dinner 

or go somewhere. Over time, with lots 

of practice and hours of doodling, I 

eventually developed my style and have 

stuck with it ever since. 

youtube.com/@DoggoArt10 

pinterest.com.au/DoggoArt/ 


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art 

At the moment, I’m just trying to 

grow my art and share it with 

more and more people. If anyone 

is looking for commissions or 

buying prints, I am more than 

happy to help. 

“I mainly draw traditionally, since that is how I taught myself to draw. I 

sometimes use digital for logos and other random stuff, but 90% of the 

time I draw traditionally. I have no doubt my style will change again. My 

doodles will always be there, but I know my linework and colouring will 

develop over time.” 

While Jordy’s creativity is incredible all on its own, he also runs a pretty 

impressive YouTube channel, where he posts sketchbook tours, realtime 

drawing videos and updates in his personal painting studio. Again, 

it’s this kind of relaxing, creatively-focused content that has taken 

the internet by storm recently, so we have no doubt that Doggo Art is 

going to go far. 

Jordy said he started using YouTube because, at the time, it was the 

platform with the widest art community. 

“I hope to start up an Instagram or TikTok, but at the moment YouTube 

is doing well for me. I think it’s because my videos are bold and filled 

with colour, so they’re pretty hard to miss. I feel like it’s also my style, 

because it’s unique and not something that you would see every day. 

“When I first started creating YouTube videos, I started off not knowing 

how to upload and edit, but I did lots of research and figured out what 

worked and what didn’t. At the moment, I’m just trying to grow my 

art and share it with more and more people. If anyone is looking for 

commissions or buying prints, I am more than happy to help. 

“My number tip for others wanting to share their art online would be to 

find inspiration, figure out a style and then practice, practice, practice. 

Over time, your style and content will just get better and better.” 

Just as significant as his passion for art and brightly coloured cartoons 

is Jordy’s infatuation with the ocean. In fact, he and his family love the 

outdoors and the beach, so they always like to stay near the shore. 

Jordy said that, while he’s been bodyboarding since he can remember, 

he has only been surfing for about a year. 

“I have a longboard soft-top that does the trick for now, but since we 

don’t live in a beach town, it can be tricky to find waves. I would like to 

downsize my board as it’s very long. That will hopefully happen soon. 

“For obvious reasons, my favourite surfer is Jordy Smith, and my 

favourite beaches are Inverloch, Bells Beach, and Smiths Beach at 

Phillip Island. I was actually introduced to Smorgasboarder in a surf 

shop in Eden, New South Wales and took one of them home. 

“I read it over and over again, looking at all of the shapers and surf 

destinations. If I were to add one thing to the magazine it would be 

more art, but other than that it’s perfect.” 

Thank you so much Jordy, and don’t worry, we hear you. After all, 

surfing is an art in itself, so why shouldn’t we further celebrate the 

connection between surfing, creativity, and the sea? 


77

gear 

KNOW YOUR 

BOARD VOLUME 

words: dave swan 


78 

When we first launched Smorgasboarder 

some 15 years ago, we regularly featured 

an opening column to our gear section 

explaining the various principles of 

surfboard design. Along the way, having 

covered a number of these aspects, we 

veered away from the column, thinking we 

had delivered our readers with a relatively 

comprehensive overview of the intricacies 

of surfboard design. 

With my son Sam’s recent uptake of surfing 

and his regular 100 questions about board 

design each time we surf, I identified a 

need to revisit this column. It presented the 

perfect opportunity to rehash some of our 

original content along with some extra bits, 

as my own understanding of surfboards 

has evolved. 

Truth be told, I knew next to nothing about 

surfboard design when we started the mag 

and am still grappling to understand its 

many principles. I am indeed still learning. 

The reality is there are so many aspects 

of surfboard design that can deliver a said 

responsiveness, either solely or collectively, 

by way of so many variables, including rails, 

tails, fin placements, fin configurations, 

deck profiles, bottom contours, rockers, etc 

etc etc. 

Thankfully, across the years I have gained 

a greater understanding through my many 

conversations with literally hundreds of 

surfboard shapers throughout Australia and 

New Zealand. So, hopefully I can impart 

some wisdom here for those new to the 

world of surfing and/or those looking to 

expand their own knowledge on surfboard 

design. So here goes, “Know Your 

Surfboard Mark II.” 

Chatting recently with Lach, my friendly 

local barista who makes my coffee as I 

stumble into work each day, he raised the 

issue of board volume. Lach commented 

that he only rides boards of a certain 

literage, i.e. volume, because that is 

what works for him. It’s an interesting 

observation and one worthy of exploration. 

But first, what is volume? 

The easy answer is that volume is a key 

ingredient (but not the only ingredient) in 

floating you and your surfboard. 

The volume of a surfboard depends 

on three key elements: length, width, 

and thickness. However, the difference 

between calculating the said volume of a 

surfboard as compared to, say, a standard 

box is much more complicated. It is 

unfortunately not as easy as applying the 

traditional method of multiplying length x 

width x height (thickness) as you would a 

standard box. This is because a surfboard 

has differing widths from the nose to the 

tail and different thicknesses too, not to 

mention rail profiles and concaves. In 

short, it’s a complex equation because, 

aside from length, width, and thickness, 

you have to take into consideration surface 

area and displacement volume. So how is it 

measured? 

Volume is the amount of three-dimensional 

space enclosed by a surfboard expressed 

in litres. It is one of the expressed benefits 

of computer aided design (CAD) in the 

surfboard manufacturing process, whereby 

boards can be created with a specific 

volume in litres. However, the calculation 

can be achieved manually by simply 

submerging a surfboard in a barrel or 

bathtub. A 30-litre surfboard will displace 

30 litres of water.

gear 

It is important to remember that volume is but a single variable that 

can indicate how much your board will float relative to your size 

(weight and height) and how easy it will be to paddle onto waves. 

Obviously, the more waves you catch, the more practice you get, 

and the better your surfing will become. However, it is also important 

to remember that paddling isn’t surfing, it is merely the essential 

exercise of getting onto a wave. Once on a wave, surfboard volume 

can be both a blessing and a curse. 

These two factors also play a significant role in determining the 

right board for you. Generally speaking, the more experienced you 

are, the less volume, or we should say ‘bouyancy’ you require. 

Less bouyant boards are more sensitive to the rider’s movements. 

These surfboards require extra effort to generate speed as they sink 

deeper into the wave face, which in turn creates drag and increases 

the chance of ‘bogging’ (basically stalling on the wave as a result of 

the rail digging in). 

The upside is that a more sensitive rail will increase the surfer’s 

control over the surfboard. It’s the same principles that guide 

the steering of a Formula One race car. Elite drivers want greater 

steering sensitivity. The same sensitivity in the hands of mere 

novices will see the slightest reaction have us careering off into the 

side of the road. 

The downside of low volume surfboards is that they’re hard to 

paddle and get onto waves. So, if you’re not catching waves, you’re 

not having fun and you’re not getting enough practice to make your 

surfing better. And if the waves are weak, you will also start to sink 

while riding the waves. 

Higher volume boards, or more specifically, ones that have more 

buoyancy, will be easier to paddle and get onto waves. They also 

provide a stable platform for surfers who are developing, and are 

great for more advanced surfers when the waves are small and 

weak. This is why longboards and fish style boards dominate the 

lineup in smaller conditions because they are generally boards with 

a greater volume and buoyancy than a standard shortboard. 

However, with all that buoyancy, the boards can be harder to turn 

and control, as you can’t bury a rail because it has too much float. 

When the surf gets larger, this further exacerbates the issue. It 

will cause a very buoyant board to deliver the same sensation as 

tackling a steep hill with a tiny Penny skateboard — you will be 

going all over the place with absolutely no control. 

People’s perspectives on relying on volume as a general 

performance indicator for a surfboard vary. Advocates of computer 

aided design, such as my friend Lach, will argue that volume is one 

of the key ingredients in assessing how a surfboard will perform, 

with some even believing it is the first measurement to look at when 

choosing what surfboard size to buy. 

Those who consider any reference to volume as nothing but a mere 

marketing stunt to sell mass-produced surfboards, particularly 

online, will argue it is one aspect amongst so many variables. The 

reason being that trying to keep the deck of your surfboard level 

with the water focuses merely on buoyancy while ignoring so many 

aspects of surfing from stability to planing speed. 

One of the most highly regarded surfboard shapers on the planet, 

Bob McTavish, believes people have become too obsessed with 

volume when so many other variables play a more critical role in 


79

gear 

performance. Bob has been quoted as saying, “A lot of people 

ask me about volume. They think they’ve got to match their body 

weight to a certain volume. 

“The Archimedes’ principle says that you’ve got to have 

something underwater to displace water and create buoyancy. 

Buoyancy is the result of submersing mass. So, if you put extra 

inches on the deck, it’s doing zero. It’s giving you volume, but 

it’s not floating you. It’s got to be submerged to float you.” 

Bob goes on to explain that there are so many other aspects of 

surfboard design that surfers should focus on rather than just 

volume, such as width, rockers, and concaves. 

“You’ve got to have a wider board to float you better than a 

narrow one because you add inches that submerge. 

(because they surf so well on little boards), the surf industry (for 

making it cool to surf on little boards), and the developing surfers 

themselves (for believing the hype around small boards). 

“The biggest misconception in surfboard design is that you can’t 

turn wide boards. One only needs to take a look at guys like Joel 

Tudor and Dave Rastovich to see that myth completely busted. 

The fact is that, for a developing surfer, it is not the width of 

a board that will help them improve their turns, but first and 

foremost, it is their technique. 

“And how do you improve that technique? By catching plenty 

of waves, that’s how. And to catch more waves you are going 

to need something to float you — enter width, length, and 

thickness into the equation. Add to that the fact that surfing 

is first and foremost about fun, and you can’t have any fun let 

alone develop your surfing if you’re scratching around on a 6’ 2’’ 

x 18’’ missing all the waves.” 

Greg goes on to explain that it is thanks to the pro surfing 

movement that everyday surfers are trying to ride small boards 

that are perhaps too small for them. We have to remember that 

just because they can, that doesn’t necessarily mean we mere 

mortals can. 

“Remember, you are not Kelly Slater! This is where surfing differs 

from most other sports. If you go and buy yourself the latest 

and best tennis racquet, golf clubs or fishing reel, the one used 

by all the pros, it is going to help you improve towards that high 

standard. Not with surfing. You need the equipment to suit your 

body size, ability, and experience. Remember, we don’t all wear 

the same size jeans! 

“The 90s and early 2000s made surfing small boards cool, and it 

has left its legacy on a lot of surfers today. Every time I surf, I see 

at least one guy (usually more) that needs a way bigger board 

than what they are riding. Much of the time it boils down to not 

only the misconception that width is bad, but also the image 

side of things. The surf industry directs its surfing equipment at 

hotties, and it sweeps up the majority of average surfers with it, 

although it has been nice to see the manufacturing companies 

starting to make thicker, wider boards again.” 

As Greg explains, the reason that guy at your local break rips so 

much on a small board is not because of the board, but because 

he has a great technique. And, as you get better, you too can 

refine your boards in due course. 


80 

“So, thickness is not necessarily the answer to flotation. The 

most efficient rockers will flow the water under the board and 

bring it back to the surface as you pass through. 

“Double concaves will get you up on top of the water as soon 

as you start moving the board — and that’s when volume 

disappears. 

“Once you’re up and planing (running on the wave), volume is 

not an issue at all. It’s only water in displacement mode paddling 

to catch a wave.” 

What I believe Bob is addressing is one of the possible 

misconceptions of volume, in that it is considered the be-all 

and end-all in relation to bouyancy. It is not just volume that 

determines how much your board floats. 

It’s a sentiment that resonates with Greg Hogan, master 

craftsman, custom shaper, and factory manager at Island 

Surfboards in Phillip Island. In the article he penned way back 

in Edition 2, he refers to the width of a surfboard along with the 

rider’s ability and the types of waves being ridden. 

“Size does matter! Whether you’re a 120kg 50-year-old or a 

50kg 15-year-old, you are going to need width and length in a 

surfboard to help you learn to surf. The width gives buoyancy, 

planing area, and stability. 

“One of the major mistakes developing surfers make is to 

decrease that width to extremes once they have learnt to 

surf. The blame for this can be levelled at professional surfers 

“The most important thing is to be 

completely honest with your shaper 

about your ability. They are the ones 

who should know what is best for 

someone of your size and experience 

(if they don’t, time to get a new 

shaper), it just takes you to swallow 

the ego and admit where you’re at. 

Your surfing will thank you for it!” 

I’m sorry if we didn’t provide a nice, straightforward answer to 

whether volume is important in surfboard design. The harsh 

reality is that, while it is handy to know and a good starting 

point, it is an aspect of design that can form part of your 

decision-making process, but it is far from a guiding principle 

in determining what surfboard is right for you. In our opinion, it 

should never be isolated from other design factors.

gear 

KNOW 

YOUR 

BOARD 

Floatation or ‘volume’ as we refer to it. 

Floatation! It’s kind of important if you intend on surfing. If you’re 

sinking down to Davy Jones’ locker, perhaps you need to turn up 

the volume. 

So, what the hell is volume exactly? It’s a complex question, but 

here are some hot tips on determining the ideal volume you may 

require. 

Surfing style 

‘Power surfers’ who are less ‘light on their feet’ need a board with more 

volume for when they shift their weight on the board. 

FOURTH, TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH? 

Too much volume 

Your board will go real fast but lack control. 

Too little volume 

The rider will be able to sink a rail but lack speed coming out of the turn, 

almost stalling on the wave. 

Plus, the board will be bloody hard to paddle, making it a pain in the arse 

to get out and hard to get on waves. 

FIFTH, WHERE’S BEST TO TURN UP THE VOLUME? 

Going thicker by 1/8 will deliver up to four times more volume than going 

up an inch in length and be almost equivalent to making the board a half 

inch wider. 

Buying a board and getting one just right for you is tricky. That’s why 

it’s important to talk with your local surf store board expert or your local 

shaper. 

FIRST, WHAT IS VOLUME? 

It’s not easily calculated without a comprehensive understanding 

of surfboard design but it relates to length, width, and thickness. 

It also takes into consideration surface area and displacement 

volume. We’ll stop there before it becomes too confusing. If you’re 

keen to know more, read this article in depth. 

In short, it is one of the ingredients that floats you and your board. 

SECOND, WHAT IS LITREAGE? 

Is used to measure the volume of the board. Many shapers now 

use this measurement along with the length, width, and thickness 

of the board. 

Please note: EPS/epoxy boards can have up to 30% more 

floatation but the same volume as a normal PU style board. 

THIRD, CONSIDERATIONS 

Ability level 

If you’re developing as a surfer, the wider and thicker your board, 

generally speaking, the easier it will be to catch waves and provide 

you with a stable platform. 

Size and weight 

Your size (weight and height) is important when determining the 

correct volume board for you. Weight and buoyancy work against 

each other, so a general rule of thumb is that a bigger, heavier 

surfer needs a board with more buoyancy, while a lighter surfer 

needs less volume. 

Types of waves 

On a gutless small wave, most surfers can control a board with 

more volume. For bigger waves, the surfer still needs enough 

volume to get onto the wave, but not so much that it sends the 

rider skidding across the surface of the wave without being able to 

dig in a rail to turn. 

Remember, no one surfboard design will work in all 

kinds of waves for all types of surfers. That’s why you 

need a quiver, so get building it! For some inspiration, 

see our board profiles starting on page 94. 


81

gear 

of time 


82 

words: dave swan

gear 

Whilst chasing a career on the pro junior 

and QS (Qualifying Series) surf circuit, Dan 

McManus came to realise that his true passion 

lay in not just riding surfboards, but making 

them. His then relentless pursuit of a shaping 

career culminated in the formation of Mana 

Surfboards, based on the Central Coast of New 

South Wales. Dan’s focus is acutely honed in 

on crafting contemporary, high-performance 

custom blades, mixed equally with alternate 

performance designs. 

We recently caught up with Dan to discuss his former competitive days and 

how he first got his hands on a planer. Dan picks up the story. 

“I originally set out to be a pro surfer. I was doing the pro juniors for a 

while and then when it came to moving on to the QS level stuff, I came to 

the honest realisation that I was a terrible contest surfer. I just didn’t have 

the right mindset for top level competition. I competed from ’97 through 

to about 2004. So instead of continuing to pursue a career in surfing, I 

reluctantly headed off to university.” 

Dan undertook a degree in physical education. During this time, funnily 

enough, his surfing career underwent a resurgence, albeit in the world of 

free surfing and not in the competitive arena. 

“I ended up travelling a lot more. I got some sponsors and was surfing a 

lot in some amazing places. I was still doing regional boardriders, but the 

contest stuff took a back seat to free surfing.” 

Dan ended up finishing his university degree and starting his own traction 

pad company not long after, but the call of surfboard shaping was everpresent. 

“I was always shaping on and off. In the mid-90s, like a lot of groms, I 

was sweeping the factory floor of my surfboard shaper at the time — my 

sponsor, Karl Hassel at HPS Surfboards. I started there in late 1996, maybe 

‘97. I think I would have been about 13 years old. 

“I was the annoying grom who just wouldn’t leave him alone until he gave 

me a job. One day he just said, ‘Okay, well, here’s a broom.’ The place 

probably hadn’t been swept in about five years. So, I cleaned the entire 

factory forensic-style from top to bottom until I couldn’t clean anymore. 

I guess he thought to himself, ‘Okay, this kid is not going to go away, so 

here’s a whole room of rescue boards that are just absolutely destroyed.’” 

As Dan explained, those boards are big enough that, once you get your 

head around using epoxy, they’re pretty hard to make a mistake with. So, 

he became the ‘rescue board ding guy’ for a while. 

“Once I got through all those, Karl showed me another door with all of 

his ding repairs. The room was full of hundreds of them. I guess that was 

the start of really understanding board building. I had to reconstruct and 

reshape a lot of damaged boards. I saw a lot of curves, foils, and outlines, 

and exposed myself to a world of different shapers and designs.” 

With such a volume of work, Dan honed his skills in surfboard ding repair 

quite rapidly, but he was still chomping at the bit to shape. 

“Karl was a master craftsman, and he was one of the most sought-after 

contract glassers in the late 90s and early 2000s. We were doing a lot of 

boards for guys like Rex Marechal (RMS) and Justice Surfboards from 

Japan, and I just wanted to progress my skills. So, I was always bugging 

Karl to shape, but he insisted I needed to develop all the skills of board 

building first. He was like Mr Miyagi.” 

Dan progressed from dings to inserting leash and fin plugs, filler coats, and 

lamination, which are all part of the surfboard construction process. The 

missing ingredient, however, continued to be his holy grail of mowing foam 

— learning how to shape a surfboard blank. 

“It was really funny. He was always like, ‘No, no, no, I’ve got to get through 

this last bit for you first.’ And, being an impatient kid, I just didn’t want a 

bar of it. I think I had been there for two and a bit years by that stage. 

“I ended up finishing with Karl, but I really appreciated the start that he 

gave me. Anyhow, the work side of things took a back seat for a little bit 

while I focused on competitive surfing.” 


83

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84 

As we mentioned earlier, Dan completed his university degree and 

had a career in physical education, but he still felt that surfboard 

shaping was what he was put on this earth to do. 

As luck would have it, a few years down the track, Dan’s uncle who 

owned a courier company had a shipping container in his yard full 

of surfboard blanks that had been left uncollected for six weeks with 

no contact details. Keen to clear the yard and out of pure frustration 

at not being able to get in contact with anyone, his uncle eventually 

reached out to Dan’s mum to see if her son wanted to do something 

with them. Dan eagerly accepted the offer. 

“I got in touch with Wokka, a family friend, and he’s like, ‘Well, I’ve 

got a shaping bay at my place — come over and we’ll go through it 

all step by step.’ That was in the summer of 1998. So, Wokka and I 

hand shaped a bunch of boards together. He shaped his ones, and I 

shaped my ones. I’ve still got the original one that I made. I finished 

it with the most hideous army green spray ever seen. I think it was 

6’2” x 18” x 2’ 2/16” or something crazy like that. It went really well, 

and then I broke it, but I’ve still got it. 

“That was the start of my shaping. I had always loved woodwork 

at school, and it just gelled with me. I particularly liked sculpting 

wood with a lathe. I kind of just got it, and I think that’s why I took to 

shaping so naturally.” 

Around 2018, Dan was introduced to AkuShaper surfboard design 

software and shaping machines. 

“I love my hand shaping, but I started to get into the Aku program 

and figure out how to design by CAD. I could really visualise and 

see quite easily through the files what would come out after the cut, 

whereas a lot of my good friends, who were hand shapers, found it 

really difficult. 

“I guess that is why I see myself nowadays as a surfboard designer 

more than a shaper. I can hand shape, but I wouldn’t call myself a 

hand shaper by any stretch of the imagination — certainly not like 

some of the surfboard craftsmen out there.” 

Things then came full circle for Dan when the world shut down 

during the pandemic. 

“I contacted The Laminator Limited in Mona Vale owned by 

Mark and Elle Haymes. They were building my Webbers (Webber 

Surfboards) back when I was doing all the pro juniors and the QS 

contest stuff. Anyhow, I explained to them that I now had all this 

time on my hands and how I had put together a bunch of designs 

and cuts. Life is too short you know, and I wanted to throw myself 

into surfboard manufacturing and just do something for myself. 

They welcomed me with open arms and said, ‘We’ve got a shaping 

bay down here for you. We’ve got all the contacts and we’ve got 

everything you need. Come down and spend some time with us.” 

And that was it. 

“Often, I would come down and just talk to Mark for two hours while 

listening to all his stories and everything he’d done in surfing over 

the years. It was such a wonderful introduction to surfboard building. 

Like I’d have a question about fin placement and I’d walk upstairs 

and Mark would be halfway through laminating a board, and he’d 

say, ‘Oh, it’s okay, I’ll come downstairs.’ Whereas most people 

would tell you to go get… They just gave me so much of their time 

and were so open. I couldn’t thank them enough for everything they 

did for me. Dave Howell from Misfit Shapes was in the bay next 

door, and he was so gracious and forthcoming with information too. 

“Anyhow, I was down there for a little over two years, and then they 

reluctantly sold the factory to Onboard. I then bounced around a 

little bit, which wasn’t great, but ended up finding myself ghost 

shaping for Adrian (Aido) Wheeler at Rusty. 

“Aido was a huge, huge influence on me. I think I was there for 

about two years shaping for Rusty, Joel Fitzgerald Surfboards, and 

a couple of others. I guess that saw me progress from what many 

might consider a backyard guy to someone that could walk into any 

real shaping bay and shape at a production level.” 

Dan saw this as a massive step in his development, and it was 

largely thanks to people like Mark and Elle Haymes, Dave at Misfit, 

and particularly Aido Wheeler.

“I guess that is why I see 

myself nowadays as a 

surfboard designer more 

than a shaper. I can hand 

shape, but I wouldn’t call 

myself a hand shaper 

by any stretch of the 

imagination — certainly not 

like some of the surfboard 

craftsmen out there.” 

gear 

“Ado was just such tough love. He was gnarly. My 

ego got smashed over and over and over again, but 

ultimately he was the biggest influence in helping me 

in my shaping career.” 

When the work at Rusty became a little sporadic, 

Dan began to concentrate more on his own stuff. 

When Jay Phillips and Dane Hamilton started their 

business called Spot X Productions up on the Gold 

Coast, they got in touch with Dan, so that’s where all 

of his boards are built today. 

“It’s been a bit of a ride. Those guys have been 

absolutely fantastic though, and it’s been worth every 

cent that I spend on freight. 

“I’ve just gelled so well with the factory manager and 

the owners there. Banjo is the factory manager, and 

then you’ve got Hammo from Hammo Surfboards 

and Jay Phillips. They’re the three big guys there. 

They’ve got a bunch of glassers and sanders who 

work at the factory too. It’s just really light, tight, 

bright, and white. That’s how they run things. 

“They work equally as well with PU (polyurethane) as 

they do with epoxy and carbon. They also tint spray. 

They really cover all the bases, whereas factories in 

the past would maybe be amazing epoxy glassers, 

but they weren’t up to scratch with PU, or they could 

do really nice tints, but they couldn’t do airbrushes. 

“To be honest, it’s a godsend now that I can send 

all my stuff to one factory. I’m one of those super 

annoying shapers — I’m so OCD it’s crazy. Those 

guys are always open to feedback and it’s really 

refreshing. It’s really nice to work with them. 

“So, they are all the guys who have played a part in 

my development. So many important people have 

given me a hand in becoming a surfboard designer.” 

Speaking of design, I asked Dan about the focus of 

his shapes nowadays. 

An excerpt from Dan’s Mana Surfboards website 

provides some insight into his inspiration — “From 

the tiny wedge-filled beach of his home Frazer Park, 

to the heavy water reefs and beach breaks, the 

waves of his local region have formed Dan into a 

well-rounded and versatile surfer from an era that 

prided itself on performing from 2ft to 20ft. Dan has 

placed this background directly into his boards, 

with his model range covering the entire spectrum 

of performance and big wave capabilities.” Dan 

elaborated on this perspective. 

“Given my upbringing, I am very much focused 

on the performance side of things. From the getgo 

I wanted to branch out and market myself as 

a real 50/50 split designer. I wanted to be known 

as someone who can give you the fastest, funnest 

performance twin-fin ever, but can then back 

it up with a hyper refined, balanced, beautiful, 

contemporary shortboard. 

“I see a lot of shapers who go into various camps 

(different surfboard designs — performance, retro, 

funboards) and it sort of doesn’t look all that natural. 

“I just want to focus on what I know I’m good at — 

performance surfboards from everyday shortboards 

to grovellers (performance surfboards with added 

volume when the conditions are poor), step-ups, and 

guns (big wave surfboards). 

“I wanted to always ensure they were on lock, 

and that the numbers, foils, thicknesses, curves, 

concaves, and everything just made sense. From 

there, I based all my alternate equipment on those 

performance surfboards, if that makes sense.” 


85

gear 

“I wanted to be known 

as someone who can give 

you the fastest, funnest 

performance twin-fin 

ever, but can then back it 

up with a hyper refined, 

balanced, beautiful, 

contemporary shortboard.” 


86 

Dan’s designs such as the Ventura, Sabre, 

and Atlas all basically stem from the 

conception of his Foot Soldier and the 

M1 series, which are his two best-known 

shortboards. 

“These things might seem to be the easiest 

things to shape, but they really are the 

hardest boards to design. When you ride 

them, you’re going so fast. They’re such a 

little board, so the tiniest variances in design 

or even your shaping technique can affect 

the performance of the board. 

“My Ventura model has that mid-length 

shape. It’s a beautiful tracker and you’ve got 

a little more room to move, whereas with a 

M1V5 for a high-end surfer, there’s very little 

room for error. So, I really wanted to make 

sure that was on lock first. 

“For me personally, I’m at a point in my 

life now where I’m literally 50/50 with the 

boards I ride. I surf a lot on my Atlas, which 

is our performance twin-fin, and I’ll still grab 

an M1 shortboard. 

“I think there are obviously times and places 

for shortboards. Basically, I just love going 

fast and surfing easy. 

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m moving on 

with age. I turned 40 last October, but I have 

been riding the same curve and dimensions 

basically for nearly 30 years. So, I think 

it’s just that and the curiosity of chasing 

different feelings.” 

Obviously, publishing a magazine titled 

Smorgasboarder, we are all in favour of 

those sentiments. As we say, variety is the 

spice of life. 

“That’s the beauty of designing and shaping 

your own stuff. The feelings you’re pursuing 

are endless — it’s just incredible. 

“The combinations you can put into a 

certain board to gain those feelings are so 

addictive. It’s something I love more than 

anything else. 

“When I look back, I’ve been absolutely 

blessed to work with and get a helping hand 

from a lot of really good people. I’ve learnt a 

lot of hard lessons from a few as well. 

“It’s a gnarly industry. If you love it and 

you are in it because you love it, it is so 

rewarding. 

“It’s the best thing that I’ve ever done. I 

should have kept with it when I was 15, but I 

am certainly making up for lost time now.”

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quiver gear 

A quiver of boards is the surfing equivalent 

to a golfer’s bag of clubs. At times, a 

quiver is referred to as a mere collection 

of three or four boards, but a far healthier 

number required for your own sanity is 20 

plus. Here, we explore the world of surfing 

quivers. 


88 

I don’t think there is anyone in the world who doesn’t like checking 

out another person’s quiver. It’s always interesting to see what 

they like to ride, plus it provides further justification to expand your 

own. But first, in case your better half also reads this article, let’s 

address the elephant in the room — why do you need that many 

boards? The simple analogy I like to draw is between surfing and 

golf. You don’t play a round of golf with only a putter. Different parts 

of the course require different clubs. The same applies to the ocean. 

Conditions vary from day to day and beach to beach. Some days 

are suited to a shortboard, some days to a longboard, others to a 

gun, finless foamie, and so on. Plus, the ocean is free. 

There are no green fees to pay week in and week out, not to mention 

membership fees. So, there you go — a very real and valid reason to 

continue building on your quiver. 

In what is to become a regular feature of Smorgasboarder, we will 

explore a reader’s quiver. So, if you would like to share yours with 

us, make sure to send in some photos and a few words to editorial@ 

smorgasboarder.com.au. 

To kick things off, I thought I would start with my own. For the sake 

of accuracy, and in case my wife is reading this, I must state that I 

surf regularly with my two children. So, this quiver is technically ‘our’ 

quiver — all three of us (including the ones that are constantly in the 

ding repair shop thanks to Sam). 

words: dave swan

2. 

4. 

1. 

3. 

1. Black Apache Mini Simmons 

5’6” x 21 ¼” x 2 5/8” 

Jesse Watson was the master of the mini 

Simmons, and I just had to have one of his, plus 

the resin and glass work were out of this world. 

When the Sunny Coast delivers glassy little 

gutless winter beach breaks, this is the board 

I reach for. It’s a speed machine thanks to its 

rocker profile (it is basically flat) and its pinched 

rails, which mean you can whip it around and 

are not just confined to big, wide, arcing turns. 

2. Takayama Humuhumunukunukuapua’a 

Fish 

5’10” x 20 ¾” x 2 7/10” 

The longest name for a surfboard model I 

have ever come across. Despite the difficulty 

in pronouncing its name, this board is very 

user-friendly and so enjoyable to ride. One of 

my best mates, Angus Brown, gave me this 

board for my 40th. Flat as a dime with a very 

thin blade-like tail and raked fins, it effortlessly 

generates more speed than any fish I have ever 

surfed. It can also handle overhead waves. 

3. Bill Hamilton Missing Link Bonzer 

7’6” x 20 ½” x 2 7/8” 

When a decent swell arrives, this is the board I 

reach for. Plenty of meat in the middle, but with 

very refined rails and heaps of rocker for taking 

a big drop. Any mates who jump on this board 

immediately comment on how it paddles like a 

longboard. I particularly love the rounded pin 

and refined rails, as they allow you to literally 

turn it on a dime. This board has the need 

for speed. Bill shaped this board on a trip to 

Australia some 20 years ago or thereabouts. 

4. Rabbidge Five Finger Splade 

8’6” x 22 ½” x 3 3/8” 

(6’3” minus the fingers) 

This one glides like a dream for those days 

where there is nothing much doing. Get a little 

runner and trim, and this thing takes off. People 

immediately want to know what I am surfing 

and how I can get so much speed on a 1ft wave 

when everyone else is floundering. It’s so much 

fun. Definitely keen to get another of these, 

albeit a shorter version next time. 

(Refer to image overleaf) 

5. Gerry Lopez shortboard 

6’0” x 18” x 2 ½” 

This one is more of a wall hanger these days 

— definitely way too small for me. This board 

dates back to when a mate of mine had the 

Gerry Lopez licence for Australia way back 

around the year 2000. 

6. Rabbidge Pacemaker 

5’0” x 21 ½” x 3 3/8” 

At a time on the road with the mag, I couldn’t 

help myself when I saw this little baby in Mark’s 

workshop. I just had to purchase. El Pinko, as 

I call her, is so much fun on those glassy days 

when the swell has a bit more punch. Given she 

is so small, it needs some punch, and your foot 

placement has to be pinpoint perfect from the 

minute you get up. This board is always a good 

measure of how I am surfing at the time. There 

is no room for error. Get it right, however, and it 

is incredible. 

7. Sunnova Boss 

6’4” x 21” x 2 5/8” (37.2l) 

This is the board I regularly surfed in Bali. Nice, 

light, fast, easy to turn with plenty of volume to 

make the long paddles out not such a quest. 

An absolutely magic board. My preference for 

performance shortboards is most definitely 

quads, as I am more of a front foot surfer and 

need every bit of assistance I can get to shorten 

the rail line for turns and to generate speed on 

the wave face. This is further assisted by the 

flatter rocker profile on this board. 

8. Vampirate Gravedigger 

5’2” x 20” x 2 5/8” 

Don’t be fooled by its size or the fact that it is 

a twin fin. This board can be surfed in small 

through to decent-sized overhead surf. It 

paddles easily onto most waves, given you 

have so much volume under your chest. The 

big glassed-on keel fins mean you have plenty 

of purchase for bottom turns on big waves. It 

is not skatey in the slightest. I am a huge fan of 

the cutoff nose and hence replicated it on The 

Flathead — a hollow wooden surfboard I built. 

Basically, the board paddles longer and surfs 

shorter if that makes sense. 

9. 10’ Channel Islands SUP 

Yes, I must confess, at times I am a street 

sweeper of the sea. I do love getting out on the 

paddleboard in winter when the Sunshine Coast 

swell is near non-existent. When the waves start 

to build, I am more inclined to go back to my 

surfboards, but this is always fun, plus it is good 

to acquire new skills and experience different 

forms of surfing. 

10. Bear Surfboards Fat Arse Wombat 

6’4” x 21” x 2 ¾” 

I have rekindled my love for this surfboard over 

the last few weeks. Years ago, it was my go-to 

board, and then I had a few surfs where it was 

pitching, which it is not suited to because of 

its flat profile, and I went off it for a while. In 

the right conditions however, like the Sunshine 

Coast right now where it is a little fullish, it is 

a dream to surf, particularly when combined 

with a Hanalei Thumb fin. It provides drive and 

direction, thanks to its length, but the scooped 

away base delivers a looseness whereby you 

can really whip this board around. Best name 

for a surfboard by far, and a fitting description 

of its rider. 


89

quiver gear 

9. 

5. 

6. 

2. 

7. 

10. 

29. 

11. 

15. 

8. 

12. 

16. 

13. 

3. 

14. 


90 

11. Stephen Halpin Gun 

7’10” x 19 ½” x 3” 

This is one incredibly stunning board. I have taken it out a few times 

and loved it, but can’t wait to get it out in some decent-sized swell 

and experience it truly unleashed. I imagine the drive and speed will 

be out of this world. Given my penchant for injuring myself, I am 

very wary of steering clear of that big, sharp, wooden nose though. 

If you see me on this board, stay out of the way. 

12. Wayne Lynch Widow Maker 

7’2” x 19 3/8” x 2 ¾” 

A collectable that I am ashamed to admit I have not yet ridden. I 

will one day though. Every board must be ridden, no matter what. I 

can’t count boards in my quiver that I haven’t ridden, so this is the 

minus one. It is an immaculate looking board. Wayne Lynch is one 

hell of a craftsman. This type of board Wayne made and rode in Bali 

circa 1970-73. It was before the introduction of thrusters. 

13. Thomas surfboards Mid-length 

7’0” x 21 ½” x 2 ¾” 

Thomas and Jake made this one for Phoebe many Christmases 

ago. This is a board for nearly everything. It’s super user-friendly in 

a vast array of waves. Flat to vee double concave means plenty of 

speed and easy rail-to-rail transitions. It can be ridden as a single or 

thruster or with side bites for extra control and speed. This board is 

a true all-rounder for smooth surfing with drive and plenty of trim. 

14. Liquid Shredder Ghost 

5’5” x 22” x 2 ¾” 

This is not a learner’s board. It is a fun little ripper for summer 

beachies or if you’re surfing a crowded break. It’s a foamie with a 

difference, with refined rails and a good plan shape. You can wax 

these boards like a fibreglass one thanks to the use of an aircraftgrade 

vinyl skin that is shrink-wrapped to the board, preventing 

delamination, which often occurs as most foamies age. This one is 

going on 10 years old and is still going strong. 

15. The Stumpy Duck Mini-Simmons 

5’6” x 21 ½” x 2 5/8” 

This board needs no introduction. Lovingly crafted by none other 

than myself, it is an ode to my love of mini-Simmons and their 

suitability to the Sunshine Coast. This baby has plenty of volume, 

paddles like a dream, and delivers those super soulful big carves 

that would suit any retro surf enthusiast’s wildest dreams. So 

incredibly well made by me that it recently carved twin fin tracks 

through our Takayama fish, thanks to my son, without suffering a 

scratch. 

16. 7’5” Liquid Shredder Mini Mal 

The perfect board for kids and most adults to progress their 

learning after coming off a longboard foamie. Not too big, not too 

small, paddles well, rocker with noselift to avoid nosedives, which 

are common when learning to surf. The narrower template makes it 

easy to learn. We keep this in the quiver for any friends who take up 

surfing late or their kids.

quiver 

17. McTavish Egg 

7’2” x 21” x 2 ¾” 

Great little mid-length, one of the earlier versions, shaped by 

Bob himself. It excels in a variety of conditions, but I particularly 

love how it handles in fullish, clean waves. My son Sam is so 

addicted to this board that he has earned himself the moniker 

‘The Eggman’. It is pretty much what he surfs 90% of the time. 

This is also partly due to the fact he has consigned the rest of 

our quiver to the ding repair shop, so there aren’t too many left. 

18. Riley Balsa Fish 

6’2” x 21 ½” x 2 7/8” 

This has become my go-to fish, and what a cracker. Super 

buoyant and easy to paddle, it gets you out the back easy as. 

It is quick, nimble, and delivers plenty of drive from the keel 

fins when presented with a clean face. It admittedly took me a 

little while to get used to it because it is so light and floats so 

well, but now that I have, I absolutely love this board. It surfs 

as well as it looks on my wall at home. Unfortunately, after this 

photoshoot took place, it was off for some repairs thanks to 

yours truly. 

19. David Nuuhiwa Noserider 

9’8” x 23” x 3” 

I bought this board way back in 2002 and it still looks near 

brand new, and I have surfed it heaps. It was one of the 

early Surftech models. No matter what people say about this 

technology, this board is proof of its durability. It’s a dream to 

surf, easy to noseride, and catches pretty much everything. I am 

a big fan of the scooped nose for noseriding. 

20. San Juan Performance Longboard 

9’1” x 22” x 2 3/4” 

Broken but not forgotten. This was my all-time favourite 

longboard for many, many years. It travelled with me 

throughout Queensland and Victoria until one fateful 

session at Currumbin. I loved it so much that I couldn’t 

throw it out, so it became a wall hanger. 

(Refer to image overleaf) 

21. Chris Garrett high performance 

quad longboard 

9’2” x 22” x 2 7/8” 

Chris made this for my daughter, Phoebe, but I steal a 

ride every chance I get. This board is lightning fast and 

features a super lightweight EPS blank and quad fin 

setup, which is less common on a longboard. It redefines 

what you can do with a board that is 9ft plus. One of the 

best surfboard shapers going around, who can craft all 

manner of boards, in my opinion. 

22. Munro High Performance Longboard 

9’1” x 22 1/4” x 2 ¾” 

I have previously described this board as a ‘self-help guide to 

finding your inner mojo’. It is a cracker. It is lightweight, skips 

across the water, and surfs like a performance shortboard. I 

have said it before, I am a big fan of a rounded pintail. You can 

really whip this board around. Perfectly suited to cleaner, fuller 

days. 

17. 

18. 

23. Hightide Log 

9’1” x 23” x 3” (nose 19”, tail 16”) 

This board excels on point breaks like Noosa and Moffat when it’s clean. 

Not much rocker to speak of and heavily glassed, so she runs and runs. 

Beautifully balanced, it is a classic noserider with a big 10 inch glassedon 

pivot fin with 50/50 rails. There’s a single concave in the nose through 

to a rolled vee. I love all of the elements of this design, particularly the 

pintail, which together seem to suit my front foot surfing, enabling me to 

turn it even easier. Custom artwork — what’s not to love about it? 

19. 


91

27. 

26. 

quiver gear 

19. 

25. 

26. Stonker Alaia 

7’4” x 15 ¾” x ¾” 

If the conditions were right to surf this board 

every day, I would find it hard to switch it out. 

A slightly fullish, not too pitchy, green, glassy 

runner is where these boards absolutely fly. Once 

you get the hang of it, you start to understand 

why they were reinvigorated by the likes of Tom 

Wegener. Totally addictive. 

27. Grown Fish 

6’4” x 21 ½” x 2 5/8” 

A 40th birthday present from my mates, and 

what a ripper. Shaped by Andrew Wells, it 

nearly gained the inscription “Happy Birthday 

Swampdonkey” instead of “Swandoggy”, which 

would forever have changed my nickname for 

the worse. This board first introduced me to the 

beauty of hollow wooden surfboards and the 

unique feel they deliver. I love surfing this board. 

It is mounted above the desk in my home office 

when not in use. 

29. 

28. 

24. 

28. Wegner Seaglass Albacore 

5’6” Alaia 

I love finless boards and the feeling of drifting 

down a wave face. This one is ideal for those 

smaller summer beachies when you want to 

cool down and have fun in the sun. Unlike the 

traditional wooden Alaia, she is much more 

buoyant and a heap easier to paddle onto waves. 

Given there is no rocker to speak of, you have to 

angle your takeoff when the waves start to pitch, 

which makes the slip sliding more pronounced. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

29. The Flathead 

7’3” x 21 ½” x 2 5/8” 

A hollow wooden surfboard I built with the guys 

from Tree to Sea. I have taken this board out a 

heap of late, given we’ve experienced a number 

of windy days. There’s plenty of volume under 

your chest, so it paddles like a longboard, but 

due to its cut-off nose it surfs considerably 

smaller. The rounded pintail makes it as loose 

as a goose. It holds its line particularly well in 

decent-sized swells when there’s plenty of white 

water to contend with, thanks to its weight. 

When presented with a clean face, it motors. 

20. 


92 

24. King Neptune Alaia 

5’10” x 16 ½” x ½” 

I shaped this one with Dave from Surfing Green 

a number of years back. It was certainly a 

funny few days and such a great experience. I 

employed some design principles from the Geoff 

McCoy and Glencat Collins boards I was riding 

at the time. Don’t know if the design principles 

really carried across to an Alaia. Nonetheless, 

she delivers the glide and drift sensation you 

are after with a finless, but doesn’t quite hold its 

line as well as a traditional Alaia, particularly one 

made by Tom Wegener, surprise, surprise. 

25. Geraghty Rocket Fish 

6’2” x 19 ½” x 2 9/16” 

I must admit, I am not much of a performance 

shortboard surfer. I am more inclined towards 

retro shapes because I think they suit my style 

of surfing more. I don’t generate a whole heap 

of speed when surfing and really enjoy carving 

nice, big, arcing turns. But, when there is some 

swell about, this board is always a fun ride and 

always great to change things up a bit. Features 

an ever so slight single concave to a deep 

double concave and vee through the fins with a 

round tail. 

So, if you would like 

to share yours with us, 

make sure to send in 

some photos and a few 

words to editorial@ 

smorgasboarder.com.au.

quiver 

What’s missing? 

There’s always room for more, and I do admittedly have my eyes 

firmly fixed on a few. 

Outer Island Flextail 

In my opinion, no quiver is complete without a board from the man I 

consider to be one of the all-time greats, Mitchell Rae. And if you’re 

going to get a board from Mitchell, you sure as hell want to get one 

that is devoted to his love of flex. 

Oke Surfboards 

Just beautiful boards of all kinds, and the family behind these 

boards are top shelf. Their boards are quality, but so too are 

Rory, Dan, Choc, and the whole team. When we started doing the 

rounds with Smorgasboarder way back when, we found ourselves 

immediately gravitating towards certain kinds of people. The Okes 

are my kind of people, and I would much rather support people I 

care for than knobs. It’s a pretty simple principle. 

Island Surfboards 

The same goes for the Ryan family — great family, great team, and 

down-to-earth people with incredible craftsmanship and amazing 

boards. I am not sure if I can decide between a Glyndyn Ringrose 

Frotha, a Greg Hogan Cage Fighter, or one of their classic single 

fins. Too hard to decide. 

Roger Hall Hot Curl 

One of the times of my life was riding some of Roger’s Hot Curls, 

and I just have to get one. They are addictive. This man is a 

surfboard artisan. 

Jed Done Finless Flextail 

One of my most memorable surfs ever was riding a finless flextail by 

Jed at Moffs. Managing to get in three 360s on a wave was the stuff 

of dreams. 

Woody’s Surf Megafish 

Akin to a Takayama Scorpion but made by a Sunny Coast local, 

Paul Woodbury, this is probably the best board suited to a variety of 

Sunny Coast conditions that I have ever ridden. 6’6” x 22’ 5/8” x 2’ 

5/8” was a revelation when I tested it way back in Edition 2. Its tail is 

a mere 12 inches. There may be boards of similar plan shapes and 

dimensions, but not to this extreme. It’s easy to paddle, gets onto 

waves, is super responsive, turns on a dime, and can even noseride. 

The Sunshine Coast equivalent of the Swiss Army pocket knife. 

Sheely 12 foot Glider 

Super, super lightweight and because it is crafted by Pete Sheely, 

you know it will be of the utmost quality. I don’t have a 12-footer 

yet, but this is the one I have my eye on. 

Others? 

My list could go on. There really are so many amazing shapers 

throughout Australia and New Zealand. Every single board from 

Jay at Sadhana in Christchurch is nothing short of incredible, just 

like Mickey T’s boards in Raglan (love the mini LB). Rocket Ace 

on the Gold Coast is making some sublime boards too, and then 

there’s Mitch Surman on the Sunshine Coast, Eagle Sword on the 

Gold Coast, Neal Purchase Jnr, Nick McAteer from NMC, Corey 

Graham… 

Every time I go on a road trip, I fall in love with a whole host of new 

boards from different shapers. I could never see any reason to buy 

a cheap overseas pop-out when there is so much quality on offer. I 

also must confess that I have traded out quite a few boards through 

the years when I found out more about their origin or the people that 

shaped them. I am keen to support talented shapers who are also 

good people. 


93

it’s a 

GUT feeling! 

“Since we last ‘talked’ I’ve 

generated a ‘Sunshine Coast Gut 

Slider’ group on Facebook, had 

rashies made by Zee Wetsuits 

with Sunshine Coast Gut Slider’s & 

Ocean Foil printed on them.” 

PETER ‘SLUG’ 

SLATER 

“After the leg issues kicked in, I thought 

surf adrenalin was over for me. Now it’s 

back big time, bless you Robbo for a 

seriously life-changing design.” 

IAN WHITWORTH 

“I have been a mad keen surfer for over 45 years. When 

I was Diagnosed with stage 4 Metatastic Prostate 

Cancer, they found 2 fractures in my spine and 1 

fracture in my pelvis. I found it very painful to get 

to my feet. I thought my surfing days were over 

which was devastating to me. Then one day I was 

checking the surf at one of my local breaks and 

ran into Robbo. We had a chat about his Gut 

Sliders. I decided to get one and have never 

looked back. The board paddles well and I 

caught waves easy. The board held its edge 

on the face without sliding out, cutback and 

floated off the top. Thank you Robbo.” 

GRAEME ‘G BANGER’ 

RIGNOLD 

the orIgINAL GUT SLIDER and stIll the best 

CUSTOM ORDERS AVAILABLE 

OCEANFOIL SURFBOARDS 

Urunga, NSW | M: 0434 211 779 

As the boards remain in high demand, 

Oceanfoil is enlisting the help of the expert 

shapers at Oke Surfboards in Victoria 

M: 03 9587 3553 | E: roryoke@hotmail.com

gear 

Burford 

blanks 

“Located in Currumbin, we have 

been supplying to the surfboard 

industry since 1966, providing 

services Australia-wide and 

exporting internationally. Our 

goal is to get your project on 

the right track with the right 

surfboard blanks and materials 

for your needs. When you shop 

for surfboard blanks with us, 

you can rest assured your needs 

are in the hands of a dedicated 

family-run business. 

Burford Blanks 

provides surfboard 

blanks and 

other surfboard 

materials to help 

you build your 

ultimate surfboard 

including: 

Foam surfboard blanks 

Polyester resin 

Fibreglass 

Fibreglass fins 

@burfordblanks 

Whether you know exactly what 

you need for your surfboard 

requirements or you could 

benefit from some professional 

advice, we’re happy to help.” 

Call us today! 

07 5534 3777 to speak 

to one of our surfboard 

blanks specialists! 

www.burfordblanksaustralia.com.au 


95

gear 

5’10” DARKSIDE 

TWIN FIN FISH 

7’4” X 21 ¾” X 2 7/8” 

50.7l four-channel twinza. 

Old skool cool. 

THE DING KING / 

CLARK SURFBOARDS 

Units 7 & 8, 9 Chapman Road, 

Hackham, SA 

E: leightonclark01@yahoo.com.au 

M: 0422 443 789 

Mark Benson | 0416 199 764 

44 Hill Street, Port Elliot SA 

@mrdamagesurfboards 

Designed to make Middleton fun 

again! Traditional keel fin fish with 

a few key performance upgrades. 

Plenty of foam under the chest. 

Flat deck with refined rails and 

tail. Slightly pulled in swallow and 

dual channels ads bite and hold 

thru turns. Good paddler. 

Fast and loose. Fun! 

JUST 

MINT 

Voodoo child model 

6’4” x 22” x 2 5/8” 

Super responsive and 

an easy paddler. Sure 

to get you on to plenty 

of waves. Great for 

beginners through to 

intermediate. 


96 

Aside from his hollow wooden 

surfboards and Hemp Tech ecofriendly 

range, Stephen also 

crafts a number of traditional 

foam and fibreglass models 

under his Kaizen brand, “Kaizen” 

being a Japanese term meaning 

change for the better or 

continuous improvement. 

WOODENSURFBOARDSSHAPESBYSTEVEO 

SHED 30 / 133 QUANDA ROAD 

COOLUM BEACH QLD 4561 

0421 522 503 | STEVEOSUPERIOR1@GMAIL.COM 

shapesbysteveo.com


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YANN FaTrAS 

hands down our happiest edition 

COLD AS ICE SNOW GOOD 

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B-RAD SKATE 

Top of the tree wayne winchester Bricks & mortals 

BRAD SHAW 

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GREAT BRITAIN 

Wood Boards galore The art of restoration 

best surf shops guide 

BRIGHT SIDE 

BEN ROSS 

ORDER AT 

www.smorgasboarder.com.au


email: outereye@gmail.com | phone: 02 6655 7007

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