"Surfboards Australia"

I can't believe they still make that label. I've seen boards going back to the late 60's. I Google'd the label, which says Bob McTavish started the brand back in 1961.

I'd say if McTavish were still handshaping these boards, then jump on it.

Honestly, I'd be looking for a board by a local shaper that is familiar with the local conditions.

 

The label was bought like 20 years ago i think. Good chance its a pop out.
Lots of them around here. But it will surf well enough for a newb

 

Looks very similar to an old challenger my brother bought from a shop in VB maybe 10 years ago or so. Seriously.. Same air brush scheme. Ill send a picture tonight if I can. I feel like these two companies are in cahoots... and typically offer come very cheap, ok quality boards.

 

Just found this little tidbit... I believe this may have come up on this here forumne before.


http://forum.surfer.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2529759

 

Surfboards Australia are not, and were never, made in Australia. They were at one time made by the guys at G&S for the Australian market, and were most definitely top quality boards, as were all G&S products... at one time.

The label was bought and the manufacturing was done overseas, and yes... the quality was just no longer there.

Bennett Dion is an Australian blank maker, and has been around for a long time, and makes good blanks. Silmar is the industry standard for poly resin. The board was likely manufactured in China, and by law all boards must be labeled as to their origin. Usually, it's a sticker if it's an overseas product, which has long fallen off by the time it got to you. Many board makers in the US put their label under the glass, to proudly and permanently display "Made in the USA."

Buy what you can afford... and have fun.

 

Enough already. Don't be jewbag - it's a good price so go buy it.

 

^^^ What the...???

 

That is an overseas mass-produced board. GSI has been making boards under that Surfboard Australia label for about 15 years. If the board is for your daughter, is the right size for her, and she's just learning it will be fine. I've done a lot of ding repairs for those boards and they are pretty fragile. Even a lightly used one of these SHOULD be under $300.

Slightly off topic:

Old Surfboards Australia board i had a long time ago.

 

That stick is almost certainly made in asia. Probably P.R.O.C but maybe Taiwan. They import the dion resin, FCS fin system and the Bennett blanks. Fiberglass cloth is good quality also. Shapes were/are hand shapes and not really refined but OK- just copies of other shapers work shaped by folks that never would dream of swimming around in the ocean. Maybe Tom Senna from Rockaway surf shop in NY brought it in? The Canyon, Challenger and several others defunct labels were bought by him and manufactured by an asian glass shop. The board is of good quality and will ride fine but def not a collectors item. They sold full retail pop in shops new from $299 to $399. They have the same look and shape as the Ron Jon boards so maybe the same factory? The FCS fin plugs will fall out eventually (& easily) but is not the fault of the board builder- that fin system is low budget at best and a bad design. I have replaced hundreds of fin plugs on similar asian sticks. Buy it and drive it like a Kia- really hard then throw it away when it is not serviceable anymore.

 

I agree it's a bad design, but I wouldn't discount bad installation on top of that. Every FCS plug I've replaced has been installed improperly. And every board I've ever installed FCS plugs in properly has never blown out. I guess what I'm saying is... if installed properly, it's an OK system. The problem is it's very difficult and time consuming to install properly, so either the cheap labor overseas either can't do it right, or can't be bothered to do it right.

 

Theyre junk but they look fun as hell. Buy it.

 

Plugs are always replacable.

 

Jacking this thread but at least I'm staying relevant.

Perusing CL for boards I came across this older Surfboards Australia board. Seller claims it's from the 70s or 80s. It looks pretty beat up but could be a fun fix up and ride. I'm not fin expert but looks like like a waveset system which would place the board around the 70s, right? Clearly outside the GSI ownership period referenced by Mitchell above.

Any insight on this board?

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/spo/6011115206.html