Peter Ashley, Torquay’s master glasser retires

Surfboard shapers have always been regarded by their customers as alchemists, wizards who can produce the perfect board to allow them to surf the perfect wave. Master shaper Peter Ashely with his son Stephen in the shaping room. Image by Alison Aprhys.

One such master shaper and glasser, Peter Ashley, has decided to retire so he can spend more time catching waves.

Based in the Australian surf capital of Torquay, Peter has been crafting boards for over half a century. Now hundreds of beautiful surf boards later, he has decided to spend more time catching waves.

Peter started out shaping plywood hollow boards when he was 14. A few years later he was respected as a world-class glasser at Fred Pyke Surfboards, which was then Torquay's first surf factory.

Considered a highly talented and gutsy surfer in the 1960s, Peter can recall paddling into big Bells Beach waves all winter, long before leg ropes and wetsuits were the go. Evidence in the form of a famous Barrie Sutherland image of Peter surfing a leviathan wave at Bells has been on display at Peter’s shop for over 40 years. A modest man, Peter lets his boards do the talking. The result is that many of his customers kept coming back for more. His son Stephen, also a respected surfer who has been shaping with him for many years, will continue to work as a freelancer.

Now an era is coming to a close. For many years, longboards, mals and shortboards bearing Peter’s distinctive yellow hibiscus logo, have been a a popular choice along the Victorian surf coast. And for locals, there will no doubt be a rush to pick up an Ashley surfboard before the end of the month.

We will miss his shaping and glassing, but will look forward to seeing him enjoy more wave time.

Disclaimer - Alison Aprhys bought her very first surfboard, a gorgeous 8’4” mal, from Peter Ashley over 13 years ago.

Keeping the momentum over winter

This post is for those of us needing a bit of inspiration! In Torquay the waves are darned cold at the moment and when the winds blow, you can tell that snow is falling somewhere! Winter can mean you settle into a comfort zone. Whether it's 3 ft a-frames or always surfing your mal on 5 ft point breaks and nothing else, you can find yourself surfing the same beaches and the same waves all the time - and then you wonder why your surfing doesn't improve or maybe even begins to slip a bit.

Once you discover your passion for surfing, it can be a weird mixture of fun and frustration, excitement and exasperation as you struggle to master your surfboard. One friend decided to abandon learnign from mates and take classes. She said that it was heaps more fun than falling off on her own. “Group lessons offered a safety buffer, we would all laugh and choke on water together and it made the surf seem less intimidating”, she recalls. Another decided to make a committment to meet a friend every morning for a surf check as an antidote to staying in bed.
“Having someone to encourage you really helps you persevere, especially through the times when you want to improve and you’d just get too frustrated on your own”.

Another solution is finding a coach to help you improve and have fun out there. Selecting one with the right personality is as important as choosing your surfboard – get the wrong type and you’ll be floundering and miserable. Find one whom you gell with and lessons can become a highlight of your week. Coaches are also good to return to on a regular basis to ensure you don’t lose your momentum.

Alsion's Winter Rules
Surf at least 3-4 times a week - arthritus allowing!
Yoga helps flexibility
Weight training and push-ups assist strength
Watch surfing videos & DVDs for motivation / inspiration
Read 'The Surfer’s Mind' by Richard Bennett
Remember, it's all about having fun!