Bourton Retro Reproductions
RETRO DESIGNS
 A lot has been said and written about the emerging popularity of boards that were made back in the 60’s and 70’s that are commonly called Retro’s. There is in my opinion some confusion of what some people are calling retro designs; it seems that anything that is wider in the nose and has anything but a squash tail is a retro. It amazes me that few commentators actually dra w on true history, or is it that I am that ancient myself and having lived through the surfboard evolution find it easy to place a period for most surfboards.
Since I have been shaping from the early seventies and have some history myself I will be presenting what I consider "Iconic" designs during my 35 years in the bay.
There are no doubt many periods that should be left in the past so it will only be those I feel have relevance in today’s market that I will re-create. The single fin era through the mid and late 70’s has some relevance due to their short thick nature and obvious benefits in small surf. The twin fin era will also be featured due to the looseness of the design and probably a feeling many punters have never experienced. The early thruster will be featured heavily because they too were short and user friendly in small surf.
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The main reason some guys get into retros beside the fact they dare to be different is that they are mostly flat rockered, wide and thick making them easy to paddle for a short board. It seems the retro market is a short board market due to the fun element involved, I think most guys who are seriously chasing big waves are relying on the very latest designs to bring them home unscathed. The retro market are not interested in the competitive side of surfing in fact they are a throwback reaction to the over commercialization of the pro tour and all its trappings. Many surfers believe that they have no hope in hell to be able to surf like Mickor Parko so they see no sense in mimicking the boards they ride and some tend to make a point of riding the opposite in order to press home their point. Another catalyst is the growing status of the Rastas and Donavon’s who give the direction instant cred.
The shapes will be as close as possible to the period piece chosen and so too the glass work which will incorporate pigments, yuck out swirls finish coats and mirror polishes.
The idea of retro means exactly that so everything will be done as it was back then. The labour intensity of these boards will reflect a higher price but again I believe the nature of the market will sustain the cost since the product is real.
THE 80’S CHANNEL THRUSTER
 Brooko found this old Pipedream at the Tugun dump whilst dropping off some rubbish, unbeknown to me he had it cleaned up and then showed it to me. I was well familiar with the period; it was not long after the thruster plague had gotten hold and we in QLD had been strong on channel single fins for the barrels of Kirra and Burleigh so when converting to thrusters we took the channels with us. I say us because it was basically Alan Byrne and myself pushing the clinkers anyway, to cut a long story short, the board sat in his garage for 6 months until out of boredom Brooko and Luke Munro took the old dunger for a spin out at a 4 ft and clean Currumbin Alley. To understand the context this board was 5'8 long and 19" wide but was a brick in thickness with massive block rails and a rocker akin to an ironing board compared with the refined stuff they were used to and the fact that they even took it for a spin was a testament to their shear boredom. Directly after that session they were both on the phone to me babbling how well the dunger went and god forbid would even consider surfing it in a heat. The penny dropped having heard that! Consequently I measured it up and now it is one of my Retro models. The shortness is compensated by its thickness and flatness and will be a great alternative for a fish.
This design has a very flat deck with a massive shouldered rail. The rocker is straight by today’s standards but is serviced by a deep rolled vee running from nose to tail which helps this little brick on rail. The plan is a double flyer swallow tail with 4 clinker channels running deep out the flyers. The fins are small and narrow in the tip quite small by current sizes.
This model comes in 4 sizes:
- 5'8 x 19' ¼ x 2' 7/16
- 5'10 x 19' ½ x 2' 7/16
- 6'0 x 19' ¾ x 2' 7/16
- 6'2 x 20 x 2' 7/16
To View to Bourton Shapes Retro Gallery Click here
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By Murray Bourton