A BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT ME AND HOW I GOT HOOKED ON SURFING AND SHAPING BOARDS 

                                  NAME : DUNCAN COLE

                                  BIRTH :  1976  – DURBAN – SOUTH AFRICA

                           HOMETOWN : BANANA BEACH – SOUTH AFRICA

                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        I grew up on the east coast of   South Africa, a place rich in wave choice and quality. I was fortunate to live close to the beach which made it easy for me to surf often, almost every weekend and sometimes before or after school during the week … Life was on the beach … I hung out with a local crew, and we surfed everything and anything … always getting stoked!

Surfing for me can be a healthy balanced lifestyle, which is dictated around weather conditions and tides. I try maintaining plenty time in the water especially when the surf is cranking. My family also have a strong passion for surfing being involved in the competitive surfing scene for many years in the 80’s and 90’s when surfing was judged on the whole wave ridden. We saw many local surfers flourish from this era and shine internationally. This was a huge influence on me growing up …. I was awarded junior national colors for judging in 1993 , for placing first on a panel of judges at the South Africa Surfing championships held at Supertubes Jeffreys Bay … 

 

I moved to Durban in my early twenties shortly after meeting my now wife, Danette. Here I met up with surf legend Angus Foster >( Local south coast ripper in the70’s and 80’s, also a pioneer with developing the 4 fin drive short board in collaboration with Wedge surfboards designer Peter Maisch.) < and he introduced me to the thriving surfboard industry. I had the good fortune of working at Safari Surfboards under the legendary Spider Murphy> (Master shaper and designer since 1963. , designing a perfect rocker pink banana surfboard to ride pipeline and backdoor in Hawaii for world champion Shaun Thomson in the late 70’s.) < Spider became a close friend and mentor and had a major influence on my career. I worked at Safari/Spider surfboards for 10 years, between 2010 and 2020 with the last 5 years as a full-time shaper, mainly focusing on the export market.

In 2007 I started a surfboard label “RETRO” surfboards where I hand shaped retro style designs and fun boards. In 2010  I then created “ColeSurfboards” giving my label more identity, designing and shaping for more progressive surfers, and getting valuable feedback. This led me extending the “ColeSurfboards” design range, whilst adding a personal flavor to each design. Seeing a customer stoked on a ColeSurfboard design served as a huge motivator for me… 

In 2020 I set up my own factory doing hands on surfboard production, focusing on every step so as to provide exceptional quality and performance. It’s important for me to maintain ColeSurfboards’ reputation for good quality and strength…

In 2022 I extended my digital presence to showcase some of my designs but due to a domain conflict, I decided to rebrand to “ColeBoardriders”.In 2023 with the new  brand  we packed up house in South Africa and immigrated across the ocean to New Zealand to begin a new chapter in our lives and also where the coleboardriders brand is available . I am really excited with the chance to consolidate and market my brand in New Zealand under “ColeBoardriders.com”

 

Life philosophy – talk truthfully

Surf philosophy – share the stoke

Work philosophy – focus with passion