Beau Young Sea Plane

I'm in the market for a 9' ish all rounder, mostly for our local beach break.
Uncrowded but typically not breaking like a sand bottom point.
I've bought lots of surfboards during my many years and have paid the standard market rate without question.
Also been critical of the pop out boards flooding the market.
Then I see this new long board released by Beau Young.
It fits my requirements, its designed by Beau, its well built (dont know the blank, but the glassing spec and finish is good), business owners are Australian, surfboard is made overseas.
I've been warned showing up with one of these is not acceptable.
Probably dont care because I'm surfing alone out front most of the time, but what has this busness done that has offended so many.
Surftech / Tufflight or whatever they market under have engaged many of the best shapers designers in the world and produced a board off shore in epoxy but dont seem to have same predjudice.

I have a surfboardwarehouse board. It is bullet proof and the shape is awesome. It is one of the most versatile boards I have ever owned. I have surfed it at three or four times head high and last weekend I was surfing it in knee to waist high waves. It's a year old and there is not a mark in the deck so the glassing is first rate. The paint job is pretty ugly, but for the price I will take the functionality.

Their after sales service was absolutely top notch as I took the board I bought for a surf and noticed a ding in the rail nose I hadn't seen in the shop while waxing it. Rang them up after the surf - cheeky I know - and they swapped it for a new board after inspection (it was obviously an old one).

Apart from getting crap from brand snobs, if you see a shape you like go for it. I don't think you would be disappointed in the performance. I was looking at a couple of those Beau Youngs too.

Some of their boards that are meant to be high performance do have lighter glass jobs though, so perhaps check that, but I suspect the Beau shapes have double 6oz.

That board actually has made me completely revamp my quiver this year much to m wife's chagrin.

The Surfboardwarehouse? Big fan.

My biggest disappointment is the shipping to WA means I lose a lot of the price advantage.

There will always be a market for bespoke boards but for an off the shelf number I reckon they stack up nicely.

Hi guys, I helped Beau produce these boards and spent many hours in the shaping bay with him perfecting things. As for construction, Beau was adamant that the best materials were used and that the boards were made strong. These boards are also coverd by a manufacturers warranty. Although we have some locally produced models Beau has still opted to ride the imported boards. Drop into any of our stores to check them out and also keep an eye out for our up coming demo days.

We also offer locally made custom Sea Plane models if you wish to make any personal changes. The custom price for these boards starts at $1400

Glass
Deck - 6oz + 6oz + 4oz centre knee patch
Bottom - 4oz + 4oz + 4oz fin patch

Blank- Double stringer PU Excel

2 + 1 fin setup

Hope this has helped.

Tim

Dowls I would not support the pop out. I would also not pay 1400 for a shorty,and I most certainly would not pay that from the Tim. Geez if I did it would be a McT where I have some resale value......

I'm like you I get my boards built to last and take care of them. Yet unlike ted and others my gut says don't do it. Not just for the jobs in Australia, knowing how bad the conditions are where these guys work horrifies me. I know someone will say Nah my mob get great conditions blah blah blah.....yet the truth is the conditions are the opposite.

If we as consumers stop supporting these companies their work practises will have to change. We will have nothing in Australia soon enough. This can turn into a even longer spiel on what the government does wrong,what we do wrong etc etc......but i will leave it at I'm proud to support my local.shaper

This argument is always an interesting one when it comes to import VS locally made. If TV's were made in Australia then the average price would be over $5000 for a small TV, T-shirts would be around $100+, and the list goes on. I produce quality boards at exceptional prices and back my product and quality with a warranty. I employ over 35 staff directly and assist a lot more indirectly.

We also now offer custom made boards by a 2 time world champion, master craftsman who is the son of a world champion and a revolutionary master craftsman. Kinda tried to dot my i's and cross my t's here. $1400 for a hand crafted McTavish or well known brand is justified and I would spend that... if they are personally crafting it. If it is a computer pop out that has been smoothed out by a ghost shaper/finisher then I find it pretty hard to swallow considering material prices have dropped significantly in the last 10 years, CNC machines shape the board for a few bucks extra from the blank manufacturer which reduces labour by more than half. 90% of our locally made boards are "popped out" of a CNC machines and then finished off but prices are still climbing. The majority of resins, cloth and chemicals used here are imported from China, Korea and Taiwan and distributed by Aussie companies as their own to Aussie shapers.

We are trying to offer both sides of the spectrum but the main thing is that these boards and shapes are well thought out, tried and tested and bloody well made regardless of their origin. Here is a quick flick of Beau having a bit of fun on his new design. Everyone is more than welcome to come and have a look at the boards in our stores before passing comment. Hope you enjoy.

My 10'0" is from SBWH and it absolutely rocks. At the time it gave me the opportunity to get something I really wanted at a price I could afford At that time. It gave me the chance to go somewhere with long boarding that otherwise at the time I wouldn't have been able to go. The board is awesome, it's certainly not to the quality of the Aussie made boards that I have, but it's something that was accessible to me at the time. And that my friends is where these boards are valueable. Many people getting something they may otherwise not have got due to price restraints. Then once they get in, therye hooked and next thing theher ordering a custom from a local shaper as they're now ready for the next step from their import.

Since my 10'0" I've ordered three Australian manufactured boards for myself, if it wasn't for the journey that 10'0" started me on there's over 3 grand that wouldn't have gone into the local economy.

in the early 90's I asked Terry Fitzgerald why he was pumping put Boogie boards under HB label at the time, giving him a ribbing. He explained that it got people, not just kids to the beach and in the water and on a wave.....and then some of those would get a board and some of them would get a Hot Butered board. I see affordable equipment doing the same.

affordable equipment has a place and will actually create opportunity for local manufactures in my opinion.

Good points Macaha; the McTavish business model is certainly successful- great website, terrific factory/showroom, good people, boards that are well designed and built.... good luck to them, they are obviously thriving in the face of stiff competition.