Sea Surfboards Empire Ave

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SEA SURFBOARDS

MARCH 30, 2009

17

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Driving around
the Byron Bay
industrial
estate, looking
for the Sea
Surfboards
headquarters, I
was expecting
to find some
grubby little
ramshackle
shaping bay
with a hippie
out the front,
smoking a
twisty. Instead
I found The Sea Cell; a brilliant white showroom, which kind of looks like an art gallery that
youd find on Brunswick St in Melbourne.
I was greeted by Dain Thomas, the craftsman behind the retro shapes that Sea have become
renowned for. He has shoulder length hair and a semi-hipster stubble beard; the kind I wish I
could grow. Smiling he shows me around his domain. I love it. Theres art on shelves to the
right and boards that you could drool over lining the walls. The thing that initially drew me to
wanting to connect with Sea Surfboards were these craft. Theyre incredible, unique resin
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tints that would make Jackson Pollock drop a load, and shapes that would make the most
conformed short-boarder want to trade his 62 thruster for a twin fin. The Sea Cell is the
alternative surfers Nirvana.
Sea began from humble beginnings in 1999 after Dain and his mate Matt Yeates dreamt up the
idea for a surfboard label. Dain (who was already a noted longboarder), was shaping Sea
Surfboards at night, out of the McTavish factory, where he was working as a production
shaper during the day. A few years later Dain met Paul McNeil, an accomplished artist who
provided the catalyst which evolved Sea, from a twilight operation into a fully fledged art
versus surfing collective.
I sat down with Dain and Paul on a comfortable coach in the Sea Cell, and they explained how
it all came about. Paul began, Id been doing graphic design all my life and Bob (McTavish)
asked me to do a bunch of designs for him, when I met Dain who was working there. We kind
of clicked; more about what we were into and what was going on. We sort of worked out that
something was going to happen. I pretty much talked him into leaving his job. We were just
into it. It was as simple as that. There wasnt any real big plan. Id always wanted to try and get
art on boards and bring that back, like the great Martin Worthington days. Just colourful
boards, and it all seemed to be all right here with Dain; doing the same aesthetic. We were on
the same page, you know, musically and artistically and could drink as much as each other
(laughs). So we were just like: Lets do something, lets get it happening!
Sea had been bubbling away as a small surfboard label, and a clothing label. Dain explained
further. It was really cottage, very much a side project for everyone involved. But still it was
taken seriously. It was about 6 years old at that stage, you know, it was just me shaping boards
at night out of McTavish. Then it started to kick along, Six Ounce Boardstore in Bondi was
really supportive and moving plenty of boards. It was just good word of mouth at that point;
with the surf industry and the general punter becoming aware of these boards. Thomas
Campbells films and Kidmans films had a lot to do with that. So we were like; we need a home
for this thing, we need a little showroom and shaping bay, gallery and clubhouse.

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We took a drive one afternoon from McTavish and it was just like: Where can we set up?
Here? It was so sort of stupidly spontaneous, it was almost unbelievable. We were driving
around and Paul was going: You should really open a shop you know, and I was like: Ah a
shop? How does that work? Sort of thing; not really believing in it. We got about twenty
meters down the road and Paul was like: What about that place? That place would be perfect.
He pointed to here and I thought, fuck yeah, thats a great spot, and it was empty. So we pulled
up to have a look and peered through the window. At that point the walls were brick, the floor
was concrete, there was an engineer in here last; it was filthy really. The owners have got the
shop next door, so we said to them whats going on with this building? Is it for rent? And
they were like: Oh, so sorry, we just leased it yesterday, bummer. We told them if it comes up
heres my number. Two days later she called and said, the people who we were leasing it to
fell through, would you like it? So we put our heads together with Matt and figured out a half
baked plan to make it happen.
Even though the space had
been offered to them, the
owner had her reservations
about letting Sea Surfboards
move in. She was terrified
it was going to be a
surfboard factory and was
thinking stinky fibreglass.
Paul said.
And you know, no-one
wants that anywhere. Dain
chimes in, like an extension
of Paul. She said, sorry we cant do resin, weve just gotten rid of an engineer! We had to
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convince her that it was just a shaping bay, so Paul mocked up this 3D picture of a space that
was pretty much like this, like it is now.
But with a shaping bay with a window. Dain continues. I think Paul put a desk there or
whatever with boards up here and that was it. He printed it up and gave it to her and she
went: Oh that looks nice! We were like: Ok, were in business!
For the next three months it was all hands on deck. With the help of Dains father Lee, Matt
and Dain built the shaping bay and fitted the place out.
With a new epicentre of production, Sea Surfboards had hit its straps. Things progressed
organically from there. Not only were Dain and Paul churning out these unique boards, but
the clothing was ticking along and they began to branch out into art shows. This is where
Pauls influence flowed into The Sea.
I moved to Byron five years ago and the only thing I wanted to do in Byron was introduce
new art. At that point it was all dolphins and rainbows up here; I was like, my god, theres
some young people up here and they need to see some new art! Dain and I had endless
conversations about that. I mean surfboards are the main thing, but were just as passionate
about the art and music as anything.
The Sea Cell has hosted many art shows since then. They have slowly grown from small
gatherings to major happenings in Byron; to the point where even art dealers around
Australia are taking notice.
It got to a good point now, Paul smiles. The first shows we had here, people didnt quite get
what we were doing. It was like this strange thing. Theyd rocked up and go: What are you
showing this for? Its not like the city where people go to art shows. Up here its like; is this a
shop? Is it a surfboard shop? Why is all the art on the walls? Youve got free beer? Whats
going on? You know, it was quite strange, but over the last couple of years its built up. The
last big show we had it all clicked and theyre real happenings. Girls dress up, guys are on
their best behaviour, and everyones digging the art on some level. Its a great thing I think, a
very giving thing to do to just put some culture out there for no reason. We dont expect to
make big sales or anything. Its passion. Were very passionate about it straight up.

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Dains eyes light up with the mention of the art shows. Yeah! The response it getting bigger
and bigger every show! More people are showing up, people are making the journey from
Noosa, The Gold Coast, Melbourne; everyone, from straight up surfers, to art buyers and
lovers. Its always a nice cross section of people and its such a wonderful process; germinating
the idea and then working with the artists. The artists come up the week before, we hang the
show and hang out, we go surfing and get the booze organised. Its just the simple stuff thats
quite menial. We normally repaint the walls, and all the team riders and friends and hangers
on kind of chip in and help out. We give the shaping bay a spit polish and show films against
the wall, put a few boards in there that people can look at, so they can see some boards as well
as some art.

The Sea Men have come up with some great concepts when it comes to art shows; such as
making art accessible for everyone.

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The last show we had which was a huge group show, with like 40 artists. Everything was a
hundred dollars; it was great. We got a lot of pieces and a lot of big names. We wanted to do it
on a level that suits the Sea Cell and suits the artists, and give the people something they can
afford to buy. Its a town full of young people that dont earn a lot of money; they cant be
buying $5000 paintings or even $1000 paintings in just unreachable for most people here. So
we just try to make it affordable and fun. Paul says.
Part of our ethos behind that show was to give or provide affordable art for the locals, people
who have come to our shows and drooled over a $5000 Jeff Reglus piece or Alex Kopps and
then all of a sudden everythings a hundred bucks! I think its a really good kick of point for
people to start collecting art. Someone can go I want to buy a piece of art and then its on
their wall. Its very accessible. We tried to do all things right so we gave some of the profit to
charity and the gallery got enough to run the place. We have a great new beer sponsor, Stone
and Wood, who are across the road. We dragged them onboard. We said we have big events
and were looking for someone to pay for the beer, and they went fantastic! Well do that!
Dain laughs Its been a huge draw card for every show. Its good when someone else is paying
for the beer!
While the shows are a major driving passion for Dain and Paul, most of their time is still taken
up producing their amazing surf-craft.
We can talk about a board for weeks before it even gets shaped, Paul says candidly. Im sure
the design process in Dains head is endlessly going on and moving forward. Theyre all very
much one offs, so theres no mass production of boards. I notice Dains boards are never
standing still, you know, the models that you have Dains always changing them and moving
forward with them. Its a very thought out process of complete boards. There are over eight
stages when shaping each board; its a very laborious process. Unfortunately they only come
back here for a couple of hours once theyve been finished and theyre gone, people are so
desperate to get them. We dont get to look at them very long, which is a bit sad, well its very
sad. But its very exciting. I would hope that these are very collectable boards in the future
just for the sake that the amount of effort that Dain and I and everyone involved puts into
them. We hope that people go: Well this is a board that would be worth collecting in 30 or 40
years time from this era of Sea Surfboards, perhaps that sounds big headed, but a lot of love
goes into them. Its time versus output really. Its a big job, because Dain and I dont really
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profit on these boards but were passionate about it enough to spend hours on a single board.
Any one else in the surf industry would say Im not going to spend two hours extra on a board,
because Im just going to lose money, its a waste of time. Im just into how good they look, just
like as long as it looks insane I dont care how long it takes or how long it costs.
As much as we whinge about it, we dont mind because its such a tired old complaint, Dain
adds. We dont have to make boards, no-ones putting a gun to our head; we just love the
results. Its worth it and it provides a great backbone to everything else that we do, like the
clothing, the art shows, this space. So its worth the hassle.
We dont care if youre not into them, thats totally cool. Paul says seriously. But the people
who are into them just love them and want to hang them on their walls and dont want to ride
them. Then when they do ride them, theyre like: thats the best board Ive ever ridden, Dains
crazy! Its such a great feeling.
I asked Dain if Sea Surfboards have to go well in the surf as well as look good. His response was
an impassioned one.

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Without a doubt! Straight up! No ifs or buts about that. Its kind of pointless otherwise. I try
to make every board with performance on some level, its paramount. Otherwise it wouldnt
be worth it. It might look good, but the point is boards are made to be ridden.
While Paul and Dain are the voices of the company today, there are many other contributors
to the success of Sea.
What we should also make clear is the Sea thing, its very much a family affair, Dain tells me.
Our buddy Brent Wayling does an incredible job of designing and producing the clothing, as
well as helping out with art shows and everything else. Of course theres also Matty, who runs
the shop and is the unofficial team manager slash photographer. Its not so planned out, but
there are the boards and the art and the clothes and all the people involved in each part of
that.

It totally revolves around Dain and his boards and his vision. Paul continues. But also
anyone that comes into it, riders like Johnny Abegg, Mick Hughes, Jimmy Newitt a great artist
from England. Weve just noticed that, even our friend Aaron that has a record company, that
somehow by ozmosis becomes a Sea Person because of the connections. And artists who have
shown here like Robert Moore and Jeff Raglus, all the Americans, Kopps, Alex Knost and so
forth, everyone feels quite comfortable here. Its kind of a natural home for them because they
are sort of outsiders in the art and surf and stuff that they are into. Its like a collective group
of Harley Davidson riders or bikies or something. Theyve just become Sea People. Its a great
thing, like punk rock used to be or Indy music. Youre not joined to a record company, you
dont have backing or support, so everyone helps each other out. Its amazing how many
people want to spread the word about Sea because they love the boards and culture and have
an affinity with what were doing. Its the same with music I think, that idea where you can
turn up in another country and sleep on peoples couches. I think we have that. People believe
in it and its a great thing, its like; shes one of us, or hes our people. Its great to have good
people involved, because we dont want to work with people we dont like, just people we do
like. Luckily there are plenty of people that get it.
Well I get it. I guess now Im a Sea Person as well, because I would cut off my left nut to get one
of Dain shapes under my feet or on my wall. Theyve sucked me in; with the lure of their
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chilled out, who gives a fuck life-style. Both Paul and Dain insist its not something they
calculated.
We didnt plan anything really, we still dont. Its not creating a lifestyle. We just throw it out
there, you know what I mean? We dont even think too much about it. Its just a cool thing to
do, it comes our way and wed do more if we could. It would be great if we had the funds to
just do rad shit all the time. We pretty much create the clothes that we want to wear, make
the surfboards that we want to ride, share the art we want to see and play good music to
people that we think they should listen to. It outside the mundane side of life, were not
snobby enough to know better and push a lifestyle on people.

Luckily I am snobby enough to push this life on people. Like some kind of demented Mormon,
Im going to go from door to door with my Sea Bible in hand and quad fin in tow. So hook into
it now, order a Sea Board, buy some Sea art and don your Sea threads.
In the end all Paul, Dain, Brent and Matt want to do is have fun and help others join in. Paul
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said it best when he tells me anyone can do whatever they want.

Im a great believer in do it yourself, which came out of the punk era. Have an art show in
your bedroom if you want to, just draw some pictures and stick them up and invite some
people; thats an art show! It doesnt have to make the Sydney Morning Herald art guide or
anything like that. You can you anything you want. I think people are getting more involved
in art, its got to happen.

So thats it! Go and do it: Live the dream. Not their dream or my dream; live yours. Do you
know what it is yet?

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18 THOUGHTS ON SEA SURFBOARDS

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Pingback: Empire Ave | Sea Surfboards Feature Post

bk
March 31, 2009 at 4:46 pm

i wiss i kood reed

Gerrard Needham
March 31, 2009 at 5:03 pm

As the great Peter Saville once quoted

No, this is not a brothel there are no prostitutes here.
Kelly K
March 31, 2009 at 7:10 pm

Bought a tear of joy to my eyeremember the slogan from PPs

party
dont give a shit! Well done to you both! Go for it!!! Much Love K
scott
March 31, 2009 at 7:21 pm

touch of class,gerrarde needjambonyou are seak

Jock
March 31, 2009 at 8:41 pm

Enjoyed the article very much even for a landlubber like me. Keep
up the sublime work.
plastered person
March 31, 2009 at 9:30 pm

a non-corporate surf shop doing things driven by creativity rather

than commercialismare you guys crazy or what?
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stephen
April 1, 2009 at 4:29 am

hey paul, good on ya buddy, loved the article, i better get one (beer
?, surfboard ?, t-shirt ?) next time im over. What you guys are doing
is sublime.
love from the Eiffel Tower
stubbs
stephen
April 1, 2009 at 4:32 am

if i had known your comment is awaiting moderation,

i would have talked really dirty like those french fuckers do
Grant Newby
April 1, 2009 at 5:30 am

These guys are very talented and have a great balance of art, design
,craft and business. Something that is sadly lacking or long
overlooked in the surf industry. Follow your passion. It works when
comes from the heart.
They make bloody good boards to.
Amac
April 1, 2009 at 9:38 am

whew, im feeling all wet, and I like it!

Hot Nik
April 2, 2009 at 12:33 pm

I have been waiting for a custom board now for almost two years
these guys are really busy! They need to outsource to Thailand or
somewhere!

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The guy with all the air mats...

April 4, 2009 at 10:57 am

Stoked to meet you guys a couple weeks ago. Thanks for the offer to
use the sander, Ill be back to take you up on it sooner or later.
Towns a bit crowded with Easter and the Festy, so see you in a
couple weeks.
Ally Al
April 5, 2009 at 11:13 pm

I Sea what they mean..

Rock on +
Neil
July 13, 2009 at 9:55 am

is that your real hair or do you use wax? great work dudes,RESPECT
Steve
August 20, 2009 at 11:56 pm

Just picked up a 6 QUAD , quality finish, fliiieeesss down the line.

Great for UK waves.
Pingback: Empire Ave | Wax On: Surf Art and Puberty Blues
Michaelandroma
April 16, 2012 at 7:22 pm

Hi, I have a board that i have had for years, cant remember where i
bought it. it is a sea board, 6ft
red deck yellow all over with a shaped by Robbie Helmorr signature.
single fin very quick board and i would love to find out its history.
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