Watch: Lachie Rombouts And His 12-Foot Gun

You might not remember Lachie’s name, but if you’re somewhat surf media engaged, you wouldn’t have forgotten his Avalon efforts a few years ago.

A 10-foot plus day on a 12-foot gun that’s better suited to Waimea than a Sydney beachie. Lachie’s efforts reverberated around the social airways, and in the peak of a swell most average surfers avoided or flocked to novelties, Lachie took on the brunt of it.  

But, like anyone and everyone, he has a backstory beyond surfing, and Australia isn’t the only location the relatively unknown has turned heads and dropped jaws with his seemingly fearless approach.  

At 18 years of age, while on a trip to Chile, Lachie asked to borrow the board of a “good local surfer” during a decent swell. This “good local surfer” was in fact, Ramon Navarro; and the board he was borrowing was a gun shaped for solid Chilean swells, but that’s exactly what Lachie had in mind. 

Lachie’s humble and never talks himself up, even when he’s achieved feats worthy of public accolade. Other than those with him to witness, no one knew of what Lachie got up to in Chile, only to find out when they checked Surfline to see images of an “unknown surfer” rifling down the face of 20-foot-plus Punta Lobos on a borrowed board.  

Yes, he made it.

Photography

Matt Hipsley

Lachie’s interests were firmly grounded in surf, but like many emerging from teen- into adulthood, he somewhat succumbed to the party scene of the city. An enjoyable environment whilst your immersed, but often one which eventually conflicts with your other, often more benevolent interests; in Lachie’s case, clashing with his passion for surfing, which led to bouts of depression and mental health problems. 

“In the end, it was finding a connection with giant surfboards and even bigger waves that reinvigorated Lachie’s love for the sea and helped him identify what sort of man he wanted to be,” Vaughan Blakey, the series director, said about Lach. 

Today, he’s shifted his city-centric view back towards the ocean. But you can watch all that above. 

This clip is the second in O’Neill’s O’RIGINALS series and takes a short look at Lachie’s story; his coastal change, affinity for 12-foot-guns, all rounded up by footage of Lach swinging and wrangling his oversized sled into waves most would reach for the rope.