$55,000 in 50 minutes!...that’s what Len Dibben, WA based shaper and surf retailer, made from selling his personal collection of vintage boards at auction in Perth last year.

Len exhibited his boards at Surf’n’Turf 2013, a few months before the big auction. Given we had nearly 1,000 people there I’d like to think we did pretty well marketing his wares! Surf’n’Turf 2014 is on again soon, with the SurfMart continuing as a key element. We'll be exhibiting vintage boards and sell second-hand boards from all eras.

There isn’t anywhere in Western Australia where you can go to see a vintage and retro board exhibition, or buy one from a quality range; so from a market making perspective it’s a Blue Ocean Strategy. In Hawaii and the East Coast of Australia, there have been regular surf auctions for more than ten years, and now there are online businesses servicing the growing demand too.

In terms of pricing, Jack McCoy, an ex-pat Hawaiian and celebrated surf filmmaker, who has been documenting the cutting edge of the surfing world for more than 30 years, sets the scene: “It’s all about provenance; being able to prove where that board came from, its unique design context or why it has such an important place in surf contest history."

McCoy’s friend, Randy Rarrick, a founder of the international surfing contest circuit and of www.hawaiiansurfauction.com, runs auctions to suit demand; with boards being sold for USD$50,000+. If you’re thinking what type of boards fetch USD$50,000 – think ones from the 1890’s!

Or if you want an idea of something you can remember, how about USD$40,000 for the Lighting Bolt, big wave pin-tail, Gerry Lopez shaped and rode at Sunset Beach in Big Wednesday.

...and here’s where it gets interesting. There are a handful of Australian private collectors, including surf industry leaders, quietly building their collections. They don’t want to be known, nor do they want the prices paid disclosed either. I can tell you this, they’re paying $1,000’s for boards that fit their collections, with cumulative values sitting at $250,000 +/-.

The other thing is this, dealers are saying most of the 'quality' boards from the longboard era have been collected and restored. The upside is there’s a rising market in 70s equipment. Initially because it’s the era these collectors started surfing, so there’s familiarly through use, and desire out of nostalgia. There’s also the fact that some of these designs have stood the test of time, are highly functional and consequently being re-made as 'retro-shapes' by modern shapers. Which immediately increases the value of an 'original' that you can mount on your wall, or ride when conditions suit.

The fascination with the ‘70s, including its surfboards, is a hipster trend that’s likely to continue. Filmmaker Alby Falzon has just released 'Spirit of Akasha', which pays homage to his surf cult classic 'The Morning Of The Earth'. The whole vibe of the film and its focus is a search for moments that reflect the explosion of uncomplicated freedom, budget travel and innovation that was surfing in the ‘70s.

It’s a view shared by Seb Barbarino, who’s been running Soul Surf in Sydney, a retail and on-line vintage and retro surfboard business, for over 8 years. “A 1970s Hot Buttered board, shaped by Terry Fitzgerald with a Martyn Worthington airbrushed mural, will fetch $1,500 - $3,500, depending on its condition. Why? Coz you’re buying a work of art, as well as a surfboard!”

“There’s a huge demand for the Lazor Zap model too, especially if it has the original winged-keel fin. One of these, shaped by Geoff McCoy with “for Cheyne” written in pencil along the stringer, is worth at least $3,000.” Cheyne Horan, in his prime, was the perennial bridesmaid to four times-ASP world champion, Mark Richards. The winged-keel fin was designed by WA’s Ben Lexcen, who famously invented it for the yacht, Australia II, used in the 1982 America’s Cup.

Seb’s opinion is validated by Alfonso Von Weirdo, of Queensland, who runs online retailer, Von Weirdos. And no, I’m not making that name up. This site is currently offering an unrestored Lazor Zap for $1,500, no reference to Horan being the previous owner of this one – do the maths!

Von Weirdo, who categorises his stock into Pre-1968, Post 1968, and Replicas, recently sold an unused replica balsa fish for $1,900! About two times the retail price of a new, modern shortboard. What price then for an original?

“When you look at prices achieved in Australian markets, one thing that’s obvious is Australian’s don’t recognise the value they’re sitting on. We have a very proud surfing history, not just our surfers – we have been pioneers in both design and technology”, said Mick Mock, another well-known Sydney-based market maker, who runs his business without modern technology.

“I don’t use the internet or email, it’s a form of social cancer. People who want my sourcing and valuation skills find me, the same way you did.”

Jack McCoy agrees: “Show me a Bob McTavish shaped Keyo model from 1964 and I’ll show you some real international pricing”. Seb Barbarino adds to the story, “It’s the freight from Australia that kills our pricing for international buyers. The answer is they have to come to Australia and take the board home in their luggage – and some do. I’ve had a situation where an American buyer did the whole deal via the internet. He’s then flown to Queensland to surf the points then met me in transit at Sydney airport for a board inspection. The only other thing I bought was my EFTPOS machine – done deal!”

A great example of Mock’s viewpoint is Australian shaper and former pro surfer Simon Anderson, who unleashed the Thruster at the 1981 Bells Beach Classic, winning the event and many years later a raft of design awards. Who knows what that first Thruster would be worth? Seb has previously sold a Simon for $2,500, and provides an interesting context: “The ironic thing about Simon’s boards is they’re so good, they’re always well-ridden; so getting an early one in mint condition is almost impossible. So they sell on average for about $1,000. The one I sold for $2,500 was a limited edition replica of the board he rode in his 1981 Pipeline Masters win. It was on my website for one day, I’d love to get hold of another.”

Mock observes, “That’s the current market for sure, but it will prove to be a pretty cheap buy in the long-term, if you ask me. His performances in 1980/81 validated his unique 3-fin concept, which still powers many of today’s modern designs. Prices are yet to reflect that."

So what boards will be on exhibit and sale at this year’s Surf’n’Turf?

Who knows? I never know until the day!

All of the exhibitors from last year are coming again, which is an encouraging sign. One of them, surfer-shaper Benton Moran, is going to run our first craft workshop: How to shape a board and make it really fly! A shaped board will be auctioned at the end of the session.

Also for the first time, this year we have the support of Surfing WA, so communication about the event should get to the who’s who of surfing in WA. In anticipation I’ve have taken over an extra park with loads of shade, and I'll provide volunteers to load and re-load all of the exhibitor’s boards as well as security. I build and I hope you will come!

A 20% sale commission payable on sold boards goes direct to SurfAid. It’s a simple and effective way of saying thanks to the Indonesians for sharing their waves. //DAMON HURST

EVENT DETAILS:

Event: Surf ‘n’ Turf - a mini-festival of music and surf culture for the benefit of SurfAid.
When: Saturday 8 March, 3pm – midnight.
Where: North Fremantle Bowling Club,
40 Stirling Highway, North Fremantle
(Park in Thompson Street, walk from North Fremantle Train Station)
Cost: $15 entry, kids under 16 free.
Music: The Floors, Timothy Nelson & The Infidels, The Morning Night, Fremantle Ukulele Collective, Jill Birt & Alsy MacDonald (Ex-Triffids) & friends, Morgan Bain, Jeff Harald Jazz Combo, Sub Marine, Ebony & Claudia, Penny Lanes Rock School.
Features: SurfMart, vintage surfboard exhibition and second hand boards, and wetsuits and shaping exhibition; Indonesian satay; wood-fired pizza; sausage sizzle; cheap drinks; auctions; mega-raffle; free bowling and supervised bouncy castle.
Website: www.alljnd.com
Facebook: ALL JND

About Surf ‘n’ Turf:
Damon Hurst, Event Co-ordinator, 0413 615 563, [email protected]

About SurfAid:
SurfAid is a non-profit humanitarian organisation whose aim is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing.
Since being founded in 2000, SurfAid’s programs in Indonesia have been saving thousands of lives in isolated communities in the Mentawai, Banyak, Telo and Nias islands off Sumatra. Programs include malaria prevention, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, and emergency preparedness to respond to events such as the 2010 tsunami.