I’ve been called all sorts of shit, and sometimes you may start to believe it, “retro fucker”, “70’s throw back”…. You think it would be easier and i’d get called less names if i’d surf a 6′2″ x 18 1/2″ x 2 1/4″ rounded square shortboard, like all the normal fuckers out there. Wouldn’t it be easier if i didn’t want the boards i ride and the boards i stock done up to the hilt in crazy unbelievable colours, wouldn’t it be easier if all my boards were finished in spray on protec and not polished to within an inch of its life, wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper if i rode and stocked 6′2″ x 18 1/2″ x 2 1/4″ shortboards. Yes it fuckin would my friends, yes it fucking would.
These and other self doubting thoughts dawned on me as i drove between Sydney and Newcastle at 5:30 am on my day off to collect 11 Mandala surfboards from a container that had been at sea for 5 weeks, that it had taken a total of 53 emails to Mani regarding the order, another 16 emails to get them picked up from San Diego and delivered to a waiting container, an amount of paper work that makes the yellow pages look like a kids book, dealings with customs agents and officials that are suspect on anyone with a beard and then this half day jaunt to Newcastle saddled up next to my Venezuelan partner in crime. Yes it would be easier to surf and stock 6′2″ x 18 1/2″ x 2 1/4″ rounded square tail shortboards, but that is not what gets me off, and i knew this as i looked down at my hands that were shaking as i unpacked the first of 11 of the most freakishly amazing surfboards i have ever ever felt. I knew that it was all worth it, i knew that these 11 boards would put smiles on that many faces that it was all worth it and what i did was special.
And as if this one delivery wasn’t enough on the very same day my fibre freak friends i receive like a batch from the heavens above some locally made produce that has kept me awake for 3 straight nights trying to work out which one of the 6 new Mackie stubbs i’m going to extricate for myself. Mick has excelled himself and should in my books be voted in as our next prime minister. The man is a freak.
Below are some group shots of the boards in question and over the coming days I’ll have shots of all the boards to put up here. These boards are not on the racks at Surf Culture yet so if your keen on any of them direct all enquiries through my email ben@sixounceboardstore.com.au or call my mobile 0408 259 783. All the models are listed in the Boards in Stock section and I’ll have full details of dimensions, colours, finishes and prices up in the next couple of days.
ben
