the new Bennett shaper

Had a great catch up with my new shaper at Bennett Surfboards. He's Matt Wilkerson from Hawaii and has heaps of knowledge and ideas. He has just shaped an amazing high performance board for me to ride this year.

Also had a chat with Barry Bennett - he has loads of experience and insight. He knows all our favourite surf spots on the Central Coast.
Also caught up with Claire Norman. She;s always stoked about everything - my new board, her new board, her trip to Maldives...
Thanks Greg, Matt and Andrew at Bennett Surfboards for the new board.

Steve O'Donnell

Bennett Surfboards linked me up with Steve O'Donnell in 2010 and since then he's been shaping my longboards. He thoughtfully crafts his boards and they are amazing to ride. In 2012 Steve will be shaping under his own label and Bennett Surfboards is introducing me to a new Bennett shaper. I really respect Steve's board shaping skills but also appreciate the many hours he's been willing to spend talking about boards and surfing and the encouragement he's given whenever we've been competing at the same events. I'm stoked about meeting my new shaper and keen to learn different things board design but will be looking out for Steve to catch up at future comps.


free surfing on a Steve O'Donnell shaped high performance Bennett eight footer

The Snowy

A while ago i stayed down in Manly for my first year competing in the Snowy McAlister. We caught up with Greg Bennett and Steve O'Donnell from Bennett Surfboards. The surf was fairly average with messy onshore winds. I had decided to enter the U/18's, Open 8ft's and the open fish. The fish that i had brought with me was disqualified due to the tail being a swallow tail instead of a fish tail. Luckily for me Sage Joske was there with a van full of fish (the surfboard) and lent me an amazing little Valla board.

It was a very fun weekend and I ended up coming 4th in the open 8's and 5th in the under 18 9's on my very reliable Bennett surfboards.

Arrawarra

Travelled up to Arrawarra with the fam and the Bennett O'Donnell log.

Great break. Top fun.

the log

Visiting one of my fav places. Great boards to dream about.

Steve brings out the insane log he's been shaping for me.

It's the sickest board in the world

It's my Christmas gift. Thanks Dad, Mum, Greg, Andrew and Steve.

more visiting the shaper

More of visiting Steve O'Donnell from Bennett surfboards

The downside of travelling into and around Sydney is the traffic and all the crowds of people

But sometimes there's interesting sights (people).

Best of all is arriving at Bennetts and checking out the boards.

Critical Cyclonic Conditions

Noosa this year was great - keen to ride the new Steve O’Donnell shaped Bennett high performance longboard at 2011 Noosa Festival

(photos thanks to Tess at Surf Industries)

central coast open

The central coast open ran over a weekend one day at Avoca and one at Copa. It was fun to be surfing against mostly locals and it was finally an event on my home ground. I ended up coming second with my friend Kai Ellice-Flint coming first. Winner of the opens was Hayden Emery from Umina. I was in the open 8's as well and just missed out on the finals. It was also the first time I had ridden my new Bennett boards in a comp and they worked very well.

Testing the new Eight Footer

The new 8ft rides really well with it's quad fin set up. Its really noticable the difference a hand shaped board makes.

old mags

I've been chilling and reading surfing magazines at the moment. In particular two magazines from the 60's. Pretty fun read. Thanks Greg at Bennett Surfboards for the mags.

Eight Foot

Received an Eight foot Steve O'Donnell hand crafted Bennett board for Birthday! Thanks Mum, Dad, Greg, Andrew and Steve!

Seal Rocks

These last holidays I went with my family up the coast to seal rocks.


The surf was small and mostly offshore so I got a good chance to use a Bennett log.

Took the Alaia for some shore break, bit of old skool fun

Board Froth

As a team rider for Bennett I've just recieved a newly shaped, newly sprayed performance longboard. Hand shaped and custom made by Steve O'donnell it rides really good.
Thank's Greg, Andrew and Steve from Bennett surfboards

Yellow Eight Footer

Had a go of Steve O'Donnell's Yellow Eight Footer.




Great speed and turning ability!

Can't wait for my new one..

day tripping to visit the shaper

It’s always cool going for a trip to visit Bennett Surfboards. Part of it is the journey and the stuff you see on the way - here’s a new way travelling oldies to describe their lifestyles: “recycled teenages”. But all roads eventually lead to Brookvale and Bennett Surfboards

Talking with Steve O’Donnell you get the chance to see and think about your surfing and the boards you ride in a different way. He knows his boards and can make subtle suggestions that just tweek ideas and shapes so that they might suit the performance to the individual rider and their different styles. He rides in comps and knows all about the range of conditions you face and what can make the perfect board.

I’m currently trying out a log shaped by Steve – really smooth, very stable