surfresearch.com.au   shapers index : b

Balin Surfboards ??? 1976 1982 Bean Ken Reimers Mostly known as an accessory company (legropes, wax and board bags), Balin Surfboards were possibly made under licence by an established manufacturer, for example Trigger Brothers of Victoria. Left: "Capsule shape  Balin Surf Sports logo is from a comp. quad fin surfboard by Trigger Bros. for Ken Reimers form about 81/82?" - Snazzy,  Decal images circa 1982 contributed with thanks by Snazzy, December 2010.

Banzai Surfboards 1964 Sydney Australia. Image contributed with thanks by Eric Bayliss, October 2007.

Bare Nature Surfboards 1968  Byron Bay ? Roy Miesell, owner. Bob McTavish, shaper Possibly started circa 1968 by Bob McTavish - Garry Keys - Chris Brock in Byron Bay NSW Image right : Bare Nature Stringerless Tracker (?) approximately + 8 ft with round label and Theresa McTavish, 1968.  Similar models surfed by Keys and Brock in George Greenough 's Innermost Limits of Pure Fun, 1970. Part 1. Photograph : George Greenough Moving Forward : A Greenough Scrapbook 1960 - 1970 Australian Surfer's Journal, Vol 2 Number 2, Autumn 1999, page 102. Apparently short lived as all were involved with Wilderness Surfboards, Byron Bay by 1969. 1975 The brand next noticed circa 1975 using new decal designs - an enhanced BARE NATURE  text  - a black on clear graphic of Broken Head. - two-tone text in a horizontal diamond (image below, left)

1976 Stinger - Hot Lips Designs by Mike Purpus of California by Nigel Perow, c/o Bare Nature Surfboards, Byron Bay. 1978 Bruce Palmer 1979 15 Browning Street,  Byron Bay. Phone : (068) 85 6720. Shaper :Nigel Perrow. Glasser : Mark Plegghorn "Pintail and roundtail wingers. Single fins only."   - Tracks magazine, December 1979, page 44. Image right contributed with thanks by Eric Bayliss, October 2007. 1986 - 15 Browning Street,  Byron Bay Shapers :  Nigel Perrow. (?) and Wayne Riordan Bruce Palmer.  Circa 1990 Moved to Western Australia

Bare Nature decal circa 1980. Image contributed with thanks  by Eric Bayliss, October 2007.

Click decal to link to  Catalogue #30 Bare Nature Mini-mal Thruster,1986.

Email contribution 4 Jan 2003:
At the end of the 60's and probably to '72 there was a Surfboard manufacturer on Taren Point Road,
Taren Point NSW 2229 called Baron Surfboards maybe Frank Latta was one of the shapers.
regards Leigh   - Thanks to Leigh.

In July 2009, Dean at Erina NSW emailed (adjusted):
Hey  rode some kids old single today at the beach with a Baron decal, same as on your site, on the deck. Super plain, no stringer or measurements, but was signed Bob Shot.

Left: Baron Surfboards,  circa 1968 and 1969. Images contributed with thanks  by Archie Ives, October 2007 Baron Surfboards, circa 1973. Taren Point, NSW. Photograph and catalogue notes at Sydney Surf Auction,   Harbord Diggers Club,   22nd September 2007.  Thanks to Mick Mock.

Barry King Surfboards 1976 ? Decal image supplied by George, May 2011.

Barry Taylor Surfboards 1969 Nowra NSW Barry Taylor, Taylor Tubestick; 1973 Al Wilson, Terry Glass. Click decal to link to Catalogue #90.  Barry Taylor Pintail, 1973

Bay Side Surf Centre 1965 Melbourne 923774 Dora Surfboards Californian Style Model There was probably no design or financial negotiatons with Mr.Dora. See Contact Production Boards, 1960s.

Bear Surfboards, Byron Bay NSW circa 1990 Paul Hutchinson, Ronnie Woodward,

Bennett Surfboards Barry Bennett Surfboards. Image right contributed with thanks by Archie Ives, October 2007.  Click the image to access the extended entry for Bennett Surfboards.

Bill Wallace Surfboards Wallace Surfboards Click the image to access the extended entry for Wallace Surfboards.

Bing Surfboards (USA) 1968 – 70 Keith Paull The Foil

BJ Surfboards The majority of the following important details contributed with many thanks, by David Wilson, January 2011. 1969 Pagewood Barry O'Rourke- started making boards at the rear of his parents home. Colin Eagle, shaping (representing Cronulla). Wayne Williams, shaping (an apprentice plumber in Bondi). David Wilson- glasser (also working at G&S Surfboards, Carringbah). Production averaged "15 boards a week in a small garage".

circa 1974
Cleavdon Street, Botany, NSW.
Shapers- Wayne Williams (later at Wilderness Surfboards), Brad Mayes (see Bondi Underground and Brad Mayes Surfboards, below), Richard Futcher.
David Wilson- glasser (1969 to 1979)
Barry O'Rouke sanded, pinlined,sprayed, finish coated, and ran the factory.
Production averaged "25 boards a week and everything was sold by Saturday at 12 o'clock, the boards were top quality and sold for $20 below the average price of the other manufacturers."

Bob Waddell
Bob Hanson,
Richard Evans

1977
Kevin McKell and Rob McLaggan

1980
Richard Evans
"Barry went into real estate in 1980 , and gave the factory and business to Richard Evans."

1982
Kris Puckerage

BJ Correspondence (by email, edited):
azza wrote, January 2004:
"... BJ surfboards they actually started in 1974, ... my dad still has his board in our garage that he got made in 1974."

Paul Guy noted, August 2009:
"Bought my first BJ surfboard, shaped by Brad Mayes, in 1974.
I was 17 at the time and it was bought with the pay from 4 weeks of holiday work."

BJ decal, circa 1976, contributed with thanks by Paul, September 2010.

Robert Hook reported in September 2010:
"As I understand it BJ boards was actually started by one Barry O'Rourke out of his parents garage in Pagewood.
I forget the street but am sure I could supply if required.
Richard Evans, thankfully I never could get that guy to make me a board the way I asked him to.
One of the most underrated designer/builders ever born."

David Wilson contributed the above comments in italics, January 2011, and:
"Barry O'Rourke was the owner and a fantastic character ... this guy was unreal, nothing was an obstacle.
Brad, Wayne and myself all agreed, Barry was the best manufacturer we ever worked for.
Barry died of cancer in 2009."

- many thanks to David Wilson, Robert Hook, Paul Guy and azza.

Blaxell Surfboards, Scarborough Beach Road, Osbourne Park WA circa 1971 Tom Blaxell 1973 Chris Young 1976 Rohan Aird; Alex Korwin 1979 and Darryl Wilkes, Alan Bean and Darb Dirosso;  In November 2007, Gary McCormick noted (the entry subsequently adjusted): "Tom Blaxel started manufacturing surfboards in the early 1970's in Scarborough Beach Road, Osborne Park.  Prior to 1973 Tom was doing most of the shaping and glassing himself.  He employed Chris Young (Nat's younger brother) in mid 1973 to shape many boards including one for myself for a surfing tour from WA to Qld in January 1974. I have entered a decal shot including photos of Chris's signature and the board. Board size was 7'4" x 18" with a single fin , complete with leg rope hole. Regards Gary McCormick State Longboard Representative Surfing WA Inc / Mullaloo Longboard Club Perth" Thanks to Garry for his contributions.

Blaxell decal, circa 1978. Image by George S., June 2007.

Bluebird Surfboards, 1972 – 1977 PO Box 47 Byron Bay NSW Bob McTavish There are some cases where the Bluebird decals also turn up on other manufacturer's boards: Barry Bennett Surfboards, circa 1972  Sky Surfboards, circa 1977. East Cape Surfboards, circa 1977 (credited Mac Tavish) Also a Bluebird model is currently (2010) available in McTavish's foam and Surftech epoxy range. Click decal to link to Catalogue #215 : Blue Bird Pintail,1986.

Blue Spirit Surfboards, 1973 ? Decal image right, contributed by Eric Bayliss,  May 2008.

Bob Brown Surfboards, 1976 Foster NSW Bob Brown; 1977 and Graham Gantley and Rod Rose; 1979 and Rico Rose and Nev Hines;  #90

Bombora by Nock and Kirby's 1962 - 1965 See Contact Production Boards, 1960s.

Bondi Underground (Surfboards) 1976 Bondi- Manfactured by Emerald Surfboards, Carringbah. Brad Mayes  Decal image contributed with thanks by Thomas, Maroubra, August 2009.

Brad Mayes Design (Surfboards) 1975 Bondi Brad Mayes  Decal images contributed with thanks by Thomas, Maroubra, August 2009.

Bronzed Aussie Surfboards Manufactured by Gordon and Smith Surfboards Captain Cook Drive Caringbah NSW 1978-1982 Models by team members: Peter Townend, Ian Cairns, Mark Warren, Cheyne Horan (shaped by Terry Bishop), and Jim Banks.

Click decal to link to Catalogue #84 Bronzed Aussies/Cheyne Horan Double Flyer,1978.

Brothers Neilson Surfboards, Burleigh Heads Qld 1970 Paul Neilson Rick Neilson Mermaid Beach Qld 1975 Paul Neilson, Rick Neilson; 1976  Darryl Bulger and Richard Harvey; 1977 and Nev Hyman; 1979 Tony Etherington, Paul and Rick Neilson, Mark Loveridge and KKK; 1980 Gunther Rohn; 1982 Mark Loveridge 1986 Phil Grace  Bros. Neilsen decals, circa 1974 and 1976.. Images contributed with thanks by Archie Ives, October 2007, February 2008.

circa 1962 ? Grange, South Australia. Grange S.A. Triangle Decal contributed with thanks by  Dick 'Olly' Olesinski c/- South Port Surf Club. January 2006.

c 1969
Glenelg, South Australia.
Wayne Dale

By the early 1970's he had relocated the factory to Queensland's Gold Coast. 1977  Currumbin Valley Qld Neil Purchase and Richard Wood; 1979 Michael Peterson and Neil Purchase; In the 1980's Burford began large scale blank production. Images lower right:  Burford Surfboards decals circa 1972, 1975 and Challenger 1978. Image contributed with thanks by Eric Bayliss, December 2007.

Mike Brown (South Australia) added the following (edited) notes to a Burford surfboard he offered on ebay.com.au:
"Don Burford Sufrboards were sold by longtime friend, Ron Moir's  Challenger Surfshop in central Adelaide.
When Burford Surfboards were relocated to Currumbin Valley, Queensland, in the early 1970s, the Adelaide Challenger shop continued to retail their boards, including some Michael Peterson designs.
The Hang-gliding decal (above), produced for boards destined for the Challenger shop, was recognition of Ron Moir's role in the introduction of hang-gliding to South Australia.
The decal was later replaced by a simpler, and less obscure, Challenger Surfboards script."
Many thanks to Mike.

Byrne Surfboards, 1977 Wollongong NSW Laurie Byrne Clinker (twin),  Phil Byrne, Tom Carroll Model,  Dave Byrne, Chris Byrne; 1979 and Terry Cooper; 1979 Shaun Thomson, Instinct Twin Fin model shaped by Phil Byrne. Click decal to link to Catalogue #39 Byrne Twin Fin,1978.

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