Smorgasboarder
31 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago -The Smorgasboarder podcast with Dave Swan is for people who love surfing, surfboards - everyday surfers and surf lovers! This is all about extending the experience of the interviews from our print magazine from just your eyes, to bringing them in full unedited glory to your ears as well. Listen in on our conversations with the most interesting people and personalities – from surfboard shapers, to surfers, surfing-related entrepeneurs, artists and musicians to simply people who just love surfing – as we discuss, question, unearth and try to solve all the world’s problems on the way.
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Episodes
Shaun and Jai Levings - Dream boat trips for surf holidays in the Maldives
March 20, 2020 02:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBWhat’s the next dream surf destination on your bucket list? Once all the current Coronavirus / Covid-19 / zombie apocalypse craziness is over, where will you go? Well, you can listen up to the Smorgasboarder podcast for plenty of inspiration. We talk with none other than Shaun Levings, the former founder and owner of World Surfaris, along with his son Jai who have just launched a bespoke surf charter - Island Hop Maldives Experience - cruising through the Maldivian Atolls. Details and lin...
Grant Newby - leader of a unique splinter group
March 03, 2020 03:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBWooden surfboard enthusiast, board builder and Alley Fish Fry founder - we talk with Grant about his passions and what motivates him to lead rather than follow. Links and details on smorgasboarder.com.au
Grant Newby - leader of a unique splinter group
March 03, 2020 03:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBWooden surfboard enthusiast, board builder and Alley Fish Fry founder - we talk with Grant about his passions and what motivates him to lead rather than follow. Links and details on smorgasboarder.com.au
Dave Verrall - Variety is the spice of life
February 11, 2020 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20.1 MBThey say 'variety is the spice of life" and we wholeheartedly agree. That’s the reason why, years ago, we were immediately drawn to the work of a bloke called Dave Verrall - the man behind Diverse Surfboards. We chat to Dave about diversity amongst other things.
Clearwater Surfboards' Steve Del Rosso
December 11, 2019 00:00 - 1 hour - 42.9 MBHe shapes all manner of custom surfboards but all with a performance orientation in mind. Recently Steve Del Rosso cut the power to his planer for just a little while to shed some light on the focus of his designs. Not too long ago, Steve opened a Clearwater Surfboards retail shop at 46 Currumbin Creek Road. Part of the reason was to have some stock boards on display so crew could view and get a feel for his boards. The main reason however was to enable him to dial into his designs even mo...
Ash, the Friendly Pirate
September 05, 2019 01:00 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MBAsh Keillah just oozes positivity. It’s infectious and inspiring, because positivity is fundamental when life throws a spanner in the works. More commonly known as ‘The Friendly Pirate’, Ash is a surfer who rips, was a contestant on My Kitchen Rules (MKR), is a soon-to-be father, and someone that has overcome an incredible ordeal that risked to ruin his competitive surfing career. We recently sat down with the Friendly Pirate to find out more about his story and how we can be as happy as him...
Ghost Racks with Shane Atkins
July 25, 2019 03:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBBIG GHOST FANS Talking to Shane Atkins, we find out what Mark Richards, Gary Elkerton, Rob Machado and Hawaiian big wave charger Jamie O’Brien have in common. More on smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast Also, new Smorgasboarder t-shirts and hoodies are available! Check them out at smorgasboarder.com.au/shop/
Nick Muntz - WA young gun from Pistol Surf
June 13, 2019 05:00 - 24 minutes - 11.2 MBNick Muntz from Pistol Surf Co talks about what its like to be a part of today's surf industry and gives us an insight into their latest range of deck grips, traction pads and gear. We also discuss the Pistol Surf Crew’s recent epic trip to the North West Coast of Australia which resulted in a ripping film called Desert Blue. Links and show notes: smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast Photo: Jack O'Grady
Jessica Gardner - health for your body means health for your mind
June 07, 2019 01:00 - 38 minutes - 17.7 MBGUT FEELING You’ve heard the saying, well now gain a little more understanding of what it means. Alex Benaud talks with Jess Gardner, a qualified naturopath who is furthering her studies into human nutrition about how our diet - and certain foods we eat - can not only affect us physically but also emotionally. Jess also discusses how our environmental footprint can be linked all the way back to how we think and feel. Links and show notes on smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast
Neal Cameron and Mark Rabbidge - Hipsters, hard-edge rail hangups and the stagnation of modern-day surfboard design
May 17, 2019 03:00 - 1 hour - 29.9 MBDave talks with legendary surfboard shaper Mark Rabbidge and fibreglass maestro Neal Cameron about all manner of stuff from the evolution of surfboard industry through to the emergence of the modern day longboard, the merits of surfer shapers, the guise of protech finishes and what’s maintaining their surf stoke nowadays.
Craig Levers - NZ surf photography and surf publishing legend
May 09, 2019 01:00 - 1 hour - 49 MBInternationally acclaimed and award-winning photographer and former editor of New Zealand Surfing Magazine, Craig Levers, gives us his perspective how the surf media landscape has irreversibly changed over the past decade. In turn we talk about Craig’s favourite Kiwi surf breaks, what freaks him out, the white shark named KZ7, his photography and his equipment along with his series of coffee table books, which are simply out of this world. Links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au
Peter Sheely - surfboards and guitars in Newcastle
April 26, 2019 20:00 - 43 minutes - 20.1 MBPeter Sheely Custom Fit Newcastle’s master shaper has been making surfboards for close to 50 years. Today he specialises in nothing but custom designs, all made in house by himself, by hand, from start to finish. Pete also makes some pretty sweet looking acoustic and electric guitars. We talk with him about his beloved crafts and what rocks his world.
Jeff "Jiff" Morris - semi-retirement in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
April 17, 2019 06:00 - 1 hour - 36.4 MBTHERE IN A JIFFY Smorgasboarder's New Zealand correspondent Jeff “Jiff” Morris talks about growing up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, delivering t-shirts in a Rolls Royce, his love for Boomerang Beach and what prompted his move to semi-retire in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Curl, aka Darren Marks - on life as a cartoonist and living with Aloha Barry
April 11, 2019 14:00 - 55 minutes - 25.4 MBSit back and enjoy our chat with resident Smorgasboarder artist and creator of the Aloha Barry cartoon, Darren Marks, aka Curl, about the inspiration behind his work and why to this day he remains such a crap surfer. Please be warned this podcast has a fair dose of swearing along with references to alcohol consumption, drugs, vegans and a questionable dolphin named Kevin.
Mark Ranucci - Swimming against the mainstream
April 04, 2019 14:00 - 46 minutes - 21.2 MBToday we talk surf business and entrepreneurship with Mark Ranucci... About what it means to be a part of a collective, the Surf Collective specifically. In the space of two short years this united front for independent surf businesses has been able to attract the likes of some 70-80 grassroots exponents of Aussie surf culture spanning some 38 different categories from surf apparel to accessories, photography, art and even surf workshops. Links on the Smorgasboarder website.
Generations - Jye Gudenswager of Gen4 Surfboards
March 14, 2019 14:00 - 28 minutes - 13 MBJye Gudenswager is the fourth generation of his family to be a pioneer in surfboard design - hence the business name Gen4 Surfboards. The tradition began with Jye’s great grandfather Frank Adler who built some of the first plywood surfboards know as ‘toothpicks’ during the 1940s. Frank was followed into the surfing world by his son-in-law Ken, who owned a string of well-known surf stores throughout the East Coast of Australia such as Adler Surf Centre and Ken Custom Surfboards, before owni...
Rooster Brand's Gregg Weber on the stoke of surfing and building surfboards
March 06, 2019 14:00 - 44 minutes - 20.5 MBHERE COME THE ROOSTER! A self-described Hillbilly from Tennessee, The Rooster has worked with legends of the surf industry, surfed against the likes of CJ and Damien Hobgood on the NSSA, partied with Jay Adams in Hawaii and even learned to screen print from none other than Lords of DogTown legend Skip Engblom. This man has experienced life to the full and this is one cracking interview. Meet Gregg Weber of Rooster Brand Surfboards. Notes and links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/ep15-roo...
Thomas Surfboards - Take 2
February 27, 2019 14:00 - 20 minutes - 9.57 MBThese boys are the epitome of the Smorgasboarder spirit Given the popularity of our interview with Thomas Bexon and Jake Bowrey of Thomas Surfboards just prior to Christmas, we thought we would bring your more of our interview with the boys. In part two of our interview we talk about the evolution of Thomas Surfboards from days and nights at the old shed right through to the types of boards they now shape, including who has jumped on board as team riders. Notes and links at https://smorgas...
Jed Done - no longer the bush rat but still surfing
February 21, 2019 14:00 - 22 minutes - 10.3 MBFar from DONE. Jed once had dreads, went by the name Bushrat and was obsessed with flex. Recently he cut his hair, rebranded his surfboard label and begun crafting all manner of shapes. We find out why. Links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/ep13-jed-done/
Fight for the Bight - Peter Owen talks about the dangers of oil
February 13, 2019 14:00 - 53 minutes - 24.5 MBIn the Great Australian Bight, permission has been granted for seismic testing for oil, prior to offshore drilling - all in one of our most pristine marine environments. Smorgasboarder South Australian correspondent Jimmy Ellis talks with Peter Owen from the Wilderness Society - who also happens to be a Victor Harbour resident and concerned South Australian. What’s he concerned about? The pure lunacy of oil in the Bight. If something was to go wrong, the scale of disaster would make Dee...
Thomas Surfboards - Passion for the craft
December 20, 2018 05:00 - 32 minutes - 14.9 MBThe Biggest Surfboard Label to have ever come out of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast… It’s quite a statement. Well, we said it and believe it to be true. In this episode of the Smorgasboarder podcast we talk with the boys behind the globally renowned Thomas Surfboards in Noosa – Thomas Bexon and Jake Bowrey. They share with us their passion for the board building craft along with an insight into their new state-of-the-art, super hip surfboard factory / retail premises / fitness centre / barber...
Mitchell Rae – Spirituality and enlightenment in foam, fibreglass and everyday life
December 14, 2018 06:00 - 49 minutes - 22.7 MBWith the soul of a philosopher, the hands of an artist, the knowledge of a walking encyclopaedia, and the brain of an inventor and engineer fused into one, Mitchell Rae of Outer Island Surfboards is a creator of the highest order. While he wouldn’t take credit for it himself, spending time with this well-respected shaper and artist is often like a visit an enlightened spiritual figure (clad in boardies instead of a flowing robe, of course) – you’ll leave feeling like you’ve had some deep, my...
Zak Koniaris - amputation-dodger and surfboard builder
December 07, 2018 03:00 - 1 hour - 32.1 MBOne of our favourite blokes, from one of our absolute top surf shops - Zak Surfboards in Thornbury, Melbourne - and the Surfboard Studio in Preston, Zak Koniaris talks about the scary outcome of falling off things and breaking bones, shaping surfboards, and the state of the surf industry in Victoria. Links and notes at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/ep9-zak-koniaris-amputation-dodger-and-surfboard-builder/
Motorised Surfboards - Chris Preston of Powerboards
November 29, 2018 07:00 - 40 minutes - 18.7 MBChris Preston from Powerboards reasons why it is okay to 'cheat' out in the surf. The topic is somewhat divisive but like or not, motorised surfboards are here to stay and when it comes to powered watercraft, this guy has managed to make them work for a prolonged course of time when numerous others have come and gone with regular occurrence. We find out how, along with why a little artificial enhancement is not such a bad thing. Notes and links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/ep8-chris-pr...
Eco Surfboards - are they a load of crap?
November 23, 2018 07:00 - 24 minutes - 11.2 MBCan a surfboard be called environmentally-friendly if they fall apart in 12 months? We talk with Robbie Marshall of Soul Arch Surfboards about his new board building approach and his endeavour to achieve SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LONGEVITY. Notes and links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/ep7-robbie-marshall/
Matt Williams - from Tom Wegener's apprentice to the Factory
November 15, 2018 14:00 - 23 minutes - 10.9 MBYoung gun shaper/surfer Matt Williams celebrates 25 years of Factory Surfboards in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. In this episode of our Smorgasboarder podcast we talk with Matt about everything from the apprenticeship he served under the man considered to be one of the world’s best surfboard shapers - Mr Tom Wegener - right through to what the focus of his surfboards designs has been since taking over Factory Surfboards from original owner Paul Carson. Notes and links at https://smorgasb...
Kent Ladkin - the state of surf retail business
November 09, 2018 04:00 - 21 minutes - 10.1 MBBefore Shark Tank, before Dragon's Den there was a whole lot of driving and door knocking to pitch and launch a successful business idea. Surf entrepreneur, surf brand pioneer and retailer extraordinaire Kent Ladkin talks about surf shops, the current state of play, what he believes the future holds and the 'age of the Waterman'. In this Smorgasboarder podcast we look at a different aspect of the surf industry through the eyes of a guy who has lived and breathed it for over 40 years. Kent ...
Mark Rabbidge - on hotrods, retro longboards and being a constant creator
November 01, 2018 14:00 - 21 minutes - 10 MBHappy things and hot Rods: in this episode of the Smorgasboarder Podcast we talk with legendary surfboard shaper and former champion surfer Mark Rabbidge about nothing to do with surfboards… well a little maybe, but mainly his passion for doing up old cars and making them go fast. We also find out why tackling auto electronics when your colour blind can be hazardous. Links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/a-chat-with-mark-rabbidge/
Mark Riley - Balsa Surfboards master
October 25, 2018 14:00 - 24 minutes - 11.4 MBWe talk with the man behind Riley Balsa Wood Surfboards - some of the most stunning balsa surfboards you ever have ever seen - and find out why there’s more to these boards and their performance than meets the eye. We also learn a little about Mark and how he got into the board building game. Links at https://smorgasboarder.com.au/mark-riley-the-balsa-surfboard-master/
Neal Cameron: how the surf industry turned to sh*t
October 18, 2018 14:00 - 1 hour - 30.3 MBMad scientist, creator of all things weird and wonderful in foam and fibreglass and possibly one of the funniest blokes we’ve ever met - the man from Maroubra Neal Cameron. We’re sure you will have a laugh and thoroughly enjoy this interview that Dave describes as one of the most intriguing he has done since Smorgasboarder began. Links: https://smorgasboarder.com.au/neal-cameron-how-the-surf-industry-turned-to-sht/
Big Wave Surfer Sandy Ryan - recovering after meeting a dry reef
October 11, 2018 14:00 - 30 minutes - 13.9 MBIn our first ever podcast we chat to one of Australian surfing's nicest and most down-to-earth people ever - Island Surfboards' Sandy Ryan - about his recent run-in with a reef while surfing killer waves in South Australia, and we find out a bit more about life at home for the Phillip Island local legend and dad of three. Links: https://smorgasboarder.com.au/big-wave-surfer-sandy-ryan-recovering-after-meeting-a-dry-reef/