My job is to design and shape custom boards for surfers. The majority are repeat clients and I get to know them, their preferences and surfing style. Often Ill get to surf with them.With a new client I spend some timegetting a feel of what they are looking for, their body weight ,fitness level, surfing experience , age etc. I'll often get them to bring along old favourite boards and check those out. I often spend a lot of time discussing options and fine points, getting a clear picture of where we are going with the design. With repeat clients we often build on a 'quiver ' of boards which are tailored to suit various wave sizes and conditions . I set these up with a seamless transition from one to the next, like stepping stones. Surfers are not all the same, having different approaches, styles and needs...I like to build tailored designs for individual people , unique like a finger print.

I’m best known for my fifty-plus year development of flex and concave. What I am proudest of however, is that I have always remained a true custom shaper. At some points in my fifty-year career, I have employed other board builders and hit bigger numbers, but I came to realise, that is not what fulfils me as a craftsman. My reason for being as a shaper is making the best individual surfboard for your surfing - be that a daily driver, or something special for your dream trip. There is an expectation from me that every Outer Island custom that I hand to a surfer is always of the highest quality in every way: The design. The shape. The lamination. The sanding. The fins. My aim is to continue to build incredible custom designs that strike that perfect balance of performance, beauty and durability. I’m proud that I design and build boards that endure both in a design sense and materially. It’s not uncommon for surfers to turn up at my bay with twenty year old Outer Islands that they still love to ride. To me, the most sustainable surfboard is one made locally - to last. I know many Outer Island boards will be handed down in surfing families around the world. I feel that’s a beautiful legacy. To me, there is no greater honour one can have as a shaper than a dedicated surfer entrusting you to make their surfing experience better. That feeling is amplified all the more when I’m crafting a board I have designed for a surfer to ride somewhere there is the promise of epic conditions. Knowing that I am applying my lifetime of acquired knowledge and contributing to them having what could be a peak surfing moment in their life on something I made? That’s the biggest reward of all.