Spider Surfboards UK

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A Wake-Up Call
When I retired from professional surfing, I thought I had earned a head start. Surely, I thought, there would be a natural next step? Surely there would be a door waiting to open?

There wasn’t.
I always thought it was going to be Instinct, the company I had built, but I got into a dispute with my partners and I sold my shares.
I had spent fourteen years on the world tour. I had won events in Hawaii and across the globe, won a world title, helped build the professional circuit, built a global brand, and traveled the world doing what I loved. I had a university degree. I had business experience. I had relationships across the industry.

The center of the surf business world was California and that is where I had to be. I remember flying in from South Africa and walking into the headquarters of some of the biggest surf companies in the world. These were brands I had helped shape through competition and culture. I wasn’t asking to be CEO. I was simply asking for an opportunity to contribute.

One by one, the answer was no.

As an athlete, you live in a world where you think your name carries some weight. You walk into a contest, and people know who you are. You have paid your dues and there is respect. Then one day, it can feel like it’s gone. The scoreboard resets to zero.

And that was when I learned that there is no golden pathway waiting for you just because you were great at something once. Your reputation does not guarantee you a future…

I had to start again. I had to knock on doors. I had to learn anew. I went back to university and graduated with a Master of Science in Leadership. I had to accept that the skills that made me successful in the water did not automatically translate to success in business. Eventually, one door did open through Ian Yolles and Yvon Chouinard at Patagonia. They gave me a chance, and I have never forgotten that outstretched hand. I gotta say it was exciting and daunting to start again.

It was a wake-up call - we all have to be ready and willing to paddle back out like a beginner.

Exactly what I am doing right now with the re-ignition of Instinct in the USA.

PS: Thanks to everyone for the truly kind and warm comments after this post - really took me by surprise! Got me stoked. And many have asked where they can get Instinct: www.instinctsurf.com

Photo: Gustavo Malheiros

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A wee bit of Troggs surfing nostalgia. Here’s Rob in the shop today celebrating this shot I took of him exactly 20years ago today at East Strand. January 6th 2006 on his Safari longboard shaped by the legendary Spider Murphy. There quite a few historical surf shots popping up in my instagram and facebook memories feeds so I think I’m gonna keep sharing them. Rob is the nicest guy you could surf with here on the North Coast a true local legend and a key figure within the surfing heritage of the North Coast. Always has time for me,a close and personal friend and always full of great advice to share….. he’s great fun to surf with too!!

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Banzai Pipeline

Lots of incredible action going on at Pipeline these past few days. 120 guys all tussling for that perfect tube - each and every one of them a superb surfer.

I laid my brick in that wall so many years ago - this was shot 50 years ago in 1975 by legendary photographer Jeff Divine. Never published in the mags.

I am on the 7'10" pink banana shaped by the hands of God, Spider Murphy. A board that had so much rocker it could only be ridden backside.

Pipeline is a true test of courage and commitment and an even greater test is to stand tall and proud in that exploding tube.

Hands free under the hammer is naked surrender to the inner rhythm.

.surf .za World Surf League

New custom ordered 6ft2 Spider Slash for Evan. Our latest delivery of boards arrived in the UK 4 days ago. Glassed with basalt cloth. For orders contact us. Basalt fibers are produced from basalt rocks by melting them and converting the melt into fibers. Super strong, and looks incredible.

with his 6ft2 Spider Missile Bomb.

New spider boards on the way from South Africa.

Spider first shaped a board in 1963 at the tender age of 16 and founded War Surfboards before joining Graham Hynes at Safari Surfboards as their main Shaper in 1972.

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