The Stab in the Dark Shaper Series: Simon Anderson

Welcome back to Stab in the Dark. By now you’ve seen what Julian Wilson did with our collection of cleanskin boards form the world’s best shapers. You also know that Darren Handley (DHD) won. But, now it’s time to meet the gentry behind the other crafts that made for such compelling viewing in our mini-documentary. Simon Anderson is the man you can thank for inventing the Thruster. The 60-year-old has been shaping for 44 years, most recently out of Narrabeen. He personally shaped 350 boards in the last year, including #00 for Stab in the Dark, into which he poured all his knowledge and work with team riders. “Will it be the best board in the world?” Simon asks. “It will for someone.” “It looked better on the footage than it felt under my feet, which happens quite a bit,” said Julian of #00. “The waves were junky but this board had a little something special that made me want to keep riding it. It felt really nice in the pocket.” Step into Mr Anderson’s bay above.