I'm in the market for a 9' ish all rounder, mostly for our local beach break.
Uncrowded but typically not breaking like a sand bottom point.
I've bought lots of surfboards during my many years and have paid the standard market rate without question.
Also been critical of the pop out boards flooding the market.
Then I see this new long board released by Beau Young.
It fits my requirements, its designed by Beau, its well built (dont know the blank, but the glassing spec and finish is good), business owners are Australian, surfboard is made overseas.
I've been warned showing up with one of these is not acceptable.
Probably dont care because I'm surfing alone out front most of the time, but what has this busness done that has offended so many.
Surftech / Tufflight or whatever they market under have engaged many of the best shapers designers in the world and produced a board off shore in epoxy but dont seem to have same predjudice.

The Surfboard Warehouse, I know of other brands currently testing.

I have a surfboardwarehouse board. It is bullet proof and the shape is awesome. It is one of the most versatile boards I have ever owned. I have surfed it at three or four times head high and last weekend I was surfing it in knee to waist high waves. It's a year old and there is not a mark in the deck so the glassing is first rate. The paint job is pretty ugly, but for the price I will take the functionality.

Their after sales service was absolutely top notch as I took the board I bought for a surf and noticed a ding in the rail nose I hadn't seen in the shop while waxing it. Rang them up after the surf - cheeky I know - and they swapped it for a new board after inspection (it was obviously an old one).

Apart from getting crap from brand snobs, if you see a shape you like go for it. I don't think you would be disappointed in the performance. I was looking at a couple of those Beau Youngs too.

Some of their boards that are meant to be high performance do have lighter glass jobs though, so perhaps check that, but I suspect the Beau shapes have double 6oz.

That board actually has made me completely revamp my quiver this year much to m wife's chagrin.

The Surfboardwarehouse? Big fan.

My biggest disappointment is the shipping to WA means I lose a lot of the price advantage.

There will always be a market for bespoke boards but for an off the shelf number I reckon they stack up nicely.

have to agree the Beau shapes looked good , (Burleigh warehouse), and the price real good ,3 stringers,9.6,800 $, it was not knowing the quality that made me hesitant to buy, maybe some one on here can enlighten us on the glass /blanktype quality..?

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dowls said..

I've been warned showing up with one of these is not acceptable.

Really ? I wonder if the people who gave you that warning are all driving Australian manufactured cars and have a home full of Australian based white goods and electronics? Seriously jokes

Nothing wrong in my eyes of getting a board that has been made elsewhere. Go for it. I am well impressed with the quality of build I have gotten from boards manufactured overseas.

Personally I don't mind pop outs, they're easy to replace when you find one you like. I have 2 of the same model & will go a 3rd next year. Also have another board I will replace if I see it on sale again after its condition effects its ride. And I know the machine will pop it out the same for me...that I like...I reckon there will always be a market for customs too. Unfortunately the custom shapers are going to have to do it more for love than money, unless they can get their name hyped up with some great team riders. Some are, some aren't, doesn't mean they are or are not great shapers for you or I, the average punter...but I digress.....

Hi guys, I helped Beau produce these boards and spent many hours in the shaping bay with him perfecting things. As for construction, Beau was adamant that the best materials were used and that the boards were made strong. These boards are also coverd by a manufacturers warranty. Although we have some locally produced models Beau has still opted to ride the imported boards. Drop into any of our stores to check them out and also keep an eye out for our up coming demo days.

We also offer locally made custom Sea Plane models if you wish to make any personal changes. The custom price for these boards starts at $1400

Glass
Deck - 6oz + 6oz + 4oz centre knee patch
Bottom - 4oz + 4oz + 4oz fin patch

Blank- Double stringer PU Excel

2 + 1 fin setup

Hope this has helped.

Tim

Thanks Tim,

You've covered it all, for my needs. See you soon.
Highlighting sadly Australian manufacturing ie. custom available just double the price.

mike

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dowls said..
Thanks Tim,

You've covered it all, for my needs. See you soon.
Highlighting sadly Australian manufacturing ie. custom available just double the price.

mike

thats a pretty stupid comment.....as has been discussed so many times before.....our rent here is way more,our insurand here is,well we have insurance for our workers. our electricity is way more,our cost of living is way more etc etc etc.....

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chrispy said..

dowls said..
Thanks Tim,

You've covered it all, for my needs. See you soon.
Highlighting sadly Australian manufacturing ie. custom available just double the price.

mike

thats a pretty stupid comment.....as has been discussed so many times before.....our rent here is way more,our insurand here is,well we have insurance for our workers. our electricity is way more,our cost of living is way more etc etc etc.....

Chrispy exactly our costs are heaps more and even at twice the price local surfboard builders struggle. So your point is dont support or support.
Seems Tim has all bases covered if you want Australian design from an Australian company make the choice to have it built here or overseas and pay the difference.
In comparison to lots of sporting goods out there 1400 is pretty fair what you get considering the glasser in Australia only earns a tiny sum per board.
My remark is what every Australian manufacturing is up against.
I'm not super wealthy my boards are looked after and kept, my mind isnt made up about going off the shelf or custom.

Dowls I would not support the pop out. I would also not pay 1400 for a shorty,and I most certainly would not pay that from the Tim. Geez if I did it would be a McT where I have some resale value......

I'm like you I get my boards built to last and take care of them. Yet unlike ted and others my gut says don't do it. Not just for the jobs in Australia, knowing how bad the conditions are where these guys work horrifies me. I know someone will say Nah my mob get great conditions blah blah blah.....yet the truth is the conditions are the opposite.

If we as consumers stop supporting these companies their work practises will have to change. We will have nothing in Australia soon enough. This can turn into a even longer spiel on what the government does wrong,what we do wrong etc etc......but i will leave it at I'm proud to support my local.shaper

Well I'm a design engineer and the little work that is around is getting sent to India or Manila to be done at 1/5th the price. We are all fooked not just manufacturing industry.

This argument is always an interesting one when it comes to import VS locally made. If TV's were made in Australia then the average price would be over $5000 for a small TV, T-shirts would be around $100+, and the list goes on. I produce quality boards at exceptional prices and back my product and quality with a warranty. I employ over 35 staff directly and assist a lot more indirectly.

We also now offer custom made boards by a 2 time world champion, master craftsman who is the son of a world champion and a revolutionary master craftsman. Kinda tried to dot my i's and cross my t's here. $1400 for a hand crafted McTavish or well known brand is justified and I would spend that... if they are personally crafting it. If it is a computer pop out that has been smoothed out by a ghost shaper/finisher then I find it pretty hard to swallow considering material prices have dropped significantly in the last 10 years, CNC machines shape the board for a few bucks extra from the blank manufacturer which reduces labour by more than half. 90% of our locally made boards are "popped out" of a CNC machines and then finished off but prices are still climbing. The majority of resins, cloth and chemicals used here are imported from China, Korea and Taiwan and distributed by Aussie companies as their own to Aussie shapers.

We are trying to offer both sides of the spectrum but the main thing is that these boards and shapes are well thought out, tried and tested and bloody well made regardless of their origin. Here is a quick flick of Beau having a bit of fun on his new design. Everyone is more than welcome to come and have a look at the boards in our stores before passing comment. Hope you enjoy.

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TimBurleigh said..
This argument is always an interesting one when it comes to import VS locally made. If TV's were made in Australia then the average price would be over $5000 for a small TV, T-shirts would be around $100+, and the list goes on. I produce quality boards at exceptional prices and back my product and quality with a warranty. I employ over 35 staff directly and assist a lot more indirectly.

We also now offer custom made boards by a 2 time world champion, master craftsman who is the son of a world champion and a revolutionary master craftsman. Kinda tried to dot my i's and cross my t's here. $1400 for a hand crafted McTavish or well known brand is justified and I would spend that... if they are personally crafting it. If it is a computer pop out that has been smoothed out by a ghost shaper/finisher then I find it pretty hard to swallow considering material prices have dropped significantly in the last 10 years, CNC machines shape the board for a few bucks extra from the blank manufacturer which reduces labour by more than half. 90% of our locally made boards are "popped out" of a CNC machines and then finished off but prices are still climbing. The majority of resins, cloth and chemicals used here are imported from China, Korea and Taiwan and distributed by Aussie companies as their own to Aussie shapers.

We are trying to offer both sides of the spectrum but the main thing is that these boards and shapes are well thought out, tried and tested and bloody well made regardless of their origin. Here is a quick flick of Beau having a bit of fun on his new design. Everyone is more than welcome to come and have a look at the boards in our stores before passing comment. Hope you enjoy.

IMO theres nothing wrong with CNC machines,its part of the times.even though i don't think the old shapers like Honno would know one if he fell over one.
regardless how they are made ,i recon all you aussie shapers deserve every cent you make.

My 10'0" is from SBWH and it absolutely rocks. At the time it gave me the opportunity to get something I really wanted at a price I could afford At that time. It gave me the chance to go somewhere with long boarding that otherwise at the time I wouldn't have been able to go. The board is awesome, it's certainly not to the quality of the Aussie made boards that I have, but it's something that was accessible to me at the time. And that my friends is where these boards are valueable. Many people getting something they may otherwise not have got due to price restraints. Then once they get in, therye hooked and next thing theher ordering a custom from a local shaper as they're now ready for the next step from their import.

Since my 10'0" I've ordered three Australian manufactured boards for myself, if it wasn't for the journey that 10'0" started me on there's over 3 grand that wouldn't have gone into the local economy.

in the early 90's I asked Terry Fitzgerald why he was pumping put Boogie boards under HB label at the time, giving him a ribbing. He explained that it got people, not just kids to the beach and in the water and on a wave.....and then some of those would get a board and some of them would get a Hot Butered board. I see affordable equipment doing the same.

affordable equipment has a place and will actually create opportunity for local manufactures in my opinion.

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Cobra said..

TimBurleigh said..
This argument is always an interesting one when it comes to import VS locally made. If TV's were made in Australia then the average price would be over $5000 for a small TV, T-shirts would be around $100+, and the list goes on. I produce quality boards at exceptional prices and back my product and quality with a warranty. I employ over 35 staff directly and assist a lot more indirectly.

We also now offer custom made boards by a 2 time world champion, master craftsman who is the son of a world champion and a revolutionary master craftsman. Kinda tried to dot my i's and cross my t's here. $1400 for a hand crafted McTavish or well known brand is justified and I would spend that... if they are personally crafting it. If it is a computer pop out that has been smoothed out by a ghost shaper/finisher then I find it pretty hard to swallow considering material prices have dropped significantly in the last 10 years, CNC machines shape the board for a few bucks extra from the blank manufacturer which reduces labour by more than half. 90% of our locally made boards are "popped out" of a CNC machines and then finished off but prices are still climbing. The majority of resins, cloth and chemicals used here are imported from China, Korea and Taiwan and distributed by Aussie companies as their own to Aussie shapers.

We are trying to offer both sides of the spectrum but the main thing is that these boards and shapes are well thought out, tried and tested and bloody well made regardless of their origin. Here is a quick flick of Beau having a bit of fun on his new design. Everyone is more than welcome to come and have a look at the boards in our stores before passing comment. Hope you enjoy.

IMO theres nothing wrong with CNC machines,its part of the times.even though i don't think the old shapers like Honno would know one if he fell over one.
regardless how they are made ,i recon all you aussie shapers deserve every cent you make.

Just on the CNC machines,if they weren't being used in the manufacturing process Australian boards would cost another couple of hundred dollars.I spent years in the manufacturing game we called it smart manufaturing we had everything all the latest tools machines and process lines,as smart as one could be but never a chance to match the cheap imports from China so we beat them on quality hands down and played to old buy Australian support Australians which had short term success.Aussies really don't give a rats about where the product is made,its all about the price and how much they can save or screw the retailer at the end of the day.
A few short years later the Chinese upped there game on the quality and I watched our industry die a quick death and don't forget how huge the AU dollar plays in all of this.Some industries lose others gain. Yeah at Mct Bob still shapes the odd board if you want the pay the extra but they are using the smart process of having the blanks machined out sourced but all boards are hand shaped by Benny Mc who in his own right is a master,laminated by the best in the game Billy,using the best raw materials to make a quality board.

Surfer69 great post.

Good points Macaha; the McTavish business model is certainly successful- great website, terrific factory/showroom, good people, boards that are well designed and built.... good luck to them, they are obviously thriving in the face of stiff competition.

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DaveBasher said..
Good points Macaha; the McTavish business model is certainly successful- great website, terrific factory/showroom, good people, boards that are well designed and built.... good luck to them, they are obviously thriving in the face of stiff competition.

Just awaiting arrival of a 9'5" McT involvement. Probably wouldnt be even looking at it if the door wasnt opened by the 10'0" log from SBWH..... Frothing cant wait !!!

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Surf69 said..

DaveBasher said..
Good points Macaha; the McTavish business model is certainly successful- great website, terrific factory/showroom, good people, boards that are well designed and built.... good luck to them, they are obviously thriving in the face of stiff competition.

Just awaiting arrival of a 9'5" McT involvement. Probably wouldnt be even looking at it if the door wasnt opened by the 10'0" log from SBWH..... Frothing cant wait !!!

Do you know where your boards at?if its still in the factory I could get some photos if you like heading there either late tomorrow or Saturday.

Did someone say hijack?

Now about that Beau Young and TSBWH....

Board looks good. Nice vid. Beau rips. I wish we got some little slider waves like that occasionally. I could justify a log then.

The SurfBoard Warehouse are great people to deal with. Presently been speaking with them about another board (666). Very helpful. Great product range. Websites good too.

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thedrip said..
Did someone say hijack?

Now about that Beau Young and TSBWH....

Board looks good. Nice vid. Beau rips. I wish we got some little slider waves like that occasionally. I could justify a log then.

The SurfBoard Warehouse are great people to deal with. Presently been speaking with them about another board (666). Very helpful. Great product range. Websites good too.

Forum police if you read why he is getting a mct it will relate to the topic no hi jack involved

Fair call, your honour, but I would say it was under the duress and provocation of a leading post.

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thedrip said..
Fair call, your honour, but I would say it was under the duress and provocation of a leading post.

Loving this thread. It's good to see a business adapting to the challenging environment they operate in and not complaining about it. Life is about getting on with things and dealing with what's in front of you - not what you wish was happening and can not change. Business strategies that are stuck in the dark ages are destined for failure. Mac is a classic example of someone who saw how the market was changing so he changed his business model to adapt. Just like these guys. There will always be a range of board suppliers. The real issue with surfboard manufacturing is that it's a hard business to scale - costs in Australia are too much to bear for most so the newer breed will take a lot of those older style players out. It's the way the world works.

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Macaha said..

Surf69 said..

DaveBasher said..
Good points Macaha; the McTavish business model is certainly successful- great website, terrific factory/showroom, good people, boards that are well designed and built.... good luck to them, they are obviously thriving in the face of stiff competition.

Just awaiting arrival of a 9'5" McT involvement. Probably wouldnt be even looking at it if the door wasnt opened by the 10'0" log from SBWH..... Frothing cant wait !!!

Do you know where your boards at?if its still in the factory I could get some photos if you like heading there either late tomorrow or Saturday.

Thanks Macha that would have been awesome.It Left the factory on Tuesday 25th Hoping it hits Albany on Tuesday (1st Sept) ? so relying on the Wife sending me Pics when it arrives.

Im not going to see it myself for nearly two months!!! Im away now, until i get back from Indo last week of October! Will post pics when she sends them to me. It's 9'5" Involvement withYellow Pigment deck. You may have seen it in there if you were inthere before the 25th???

Too Right Ted.

Surfboard Warehouse are doing a great Job and have great Products. They are meetoing a demand thatr exists.

Australian Manufactures and custom board builders are also doing the same. I think theres the potential to co-exist, no worrys.