stab in the dark starring ethan ewing
Ferrari Boyz
(SITD EE release dates, all in PST)April 7. Ep 1 (watch here)April 21. Ep 2May 5. Ep 3May 19. Ep 4May 27. Final “I think it played out beautifully for Ethan, not doing too many comps when he was younger,” says Bede Durbidge. “I was quite the opposite. Different era. I was coached from a young age, went to all the contests, and personally, I think it probably held back some of the creative side of things. Your youth is so formative to your creativity on a wave. And I can clearly remember him as a kid at Main being the biggest frother, trying to pop airs, different grabs, different cutties, catching a million waves, and just having a hell time. “The thing is: no one remembers how many comps you won U16 in the end. None are that significant. So he played that beautifully. Jack Robbo too. I think it’s super important for young surfers coming through to look at what Ethan did. He went to school every day, finished Year 12 over at Cleveland, catching the water taxi both ways, and still managed to squeeze in two surfs. “There is no special recipe, but I think he’s a pretty good case study in not over-coaching, over-competing, and just having fun with it. I have my own kids, and it’s just human nature to get hooked on trying to win. I think the next generation of great surfers are the ones who are comfortable accepting losses and able to see the bigger picture. “When I was coaching John John, he was like that. He wasn’t a great competitor, so he just wanted some help with strategy so he could play the game. He was ready to win. That’s just the theory side of surfing. When you’re out in the water, that’s practical. And that fucking takes years and years and years, and you have to be relentless with your whole life. Whereas the competitive side? Give us six months, you could learn that.” In the following episode, Ethan rides the remaining four boards from William Riedel, Hayden Cox, Jason Stevenson, and Matt Biolos. Two World Title-winning shapers versus two wildcards yet to win at the most elite level of CT surfing. You can find the board specs below. As a reminder, our star stands six feet tall and weighs 190 pounds or 86 kilos. Stretch Shaper: StretchLocation: Santa Cruz, CADims: 6’1” x 19.1” x 2.58”Volume: 31.5 litersModel: “Prototype”Tail: SquashMaterials/Tech: PU/EpoxyConcave: Single to recessed doubleRocker: Nose: 4.62” Tail: 2.43”Rails: SphericalGlassing: 4s + 4oz ¾” / 4sWho they thought Mystery Surfer was: Barron Mamiya was the first thought but then again it was just a simple google of surfer’s weights. Jordy, Kolohe, Barron all kind of fit the criteriaWhat conditions it would suit: Waves with a little size and powerAny history with Ethan: Been a big fan of his surfing from a far for years. Apparently, they do still make a couple like they used to. For all younger surfers, pick your influences wisely because Ethan is a perfect example of building a foundation from surfers with timeless speed, power and flow. That foundation will never go out of style.Miscellaneous: Stoked and honored to be included with so many masters of the craft we all put our lifes work into. Only gripe would be for a contest being judged on shape, design and experience at the expense of someone’s credibility, I really wish I had more than a 72-hour window from invite to deadline. The average viewer sees the SITD project as shapers providing their “best work” to go into the ring for battle. The reality is such a small deadline to deliver, the majority of your mental energy has to go towards a fast production and dedicating the little time you have to you ensuring you have no hiccups in each stage of routing, laminating, hot coat, sanding and coordinating delivery. They say slow is smooth, I say smooth is fast. Hats off to all the guys behind the scenes in surfboard production. The ones covered in resin and sanding dust, the ones who are in the industry for the same reasons most of us get involved. It’s a lifestyle. Not a pretty one and definitely not a lucrative one but these are the backbone of the industry and are always undervalued when it comes to any finished. Looking back, I would have pulled in the tail a bit more now knowing the surfer was Ethan and how much power he can put into his turns. He is such a special talent, Im sure he can make any board look good, stoked to be a part of the project and throw shit at the wall to see if it sticks haha Haydenshapes Shaper: Hayden Cox – HaydenshapesLocation: Mona Vale, AustraliaDims: 6’1 x 19.12″ x 2.6″Volume: 31.4LModel: DarkNoizTail: Rounded PinMaterials/Tech: PU (Surfblanks – Midget Farrelly Blank) / Polyester LaminationConcave: Rolled vee entry to single concave front foot, to double concave through fins and vee double out the backRocker: 5.03″ Nose 2.31″ TailRails: Apex at 27% and Thickness at 75% of board – just below neutral railGlassing: Deck – Single 4oz with inegra/glass heel toe patch from Colan, Bottom – Single 4oz with tail patch to stiffen up the flex response in the tailWho they thought Mystery Surfer was: ParkoWhat conditions it would suit: Beach and Reef breaks up to 10ft faces.Any history with Ethan: making boards/notable experiences: None, but he is one of my favourite surfers on the world tour.Miscellaneous: The shape for SITD this year is a blend of the rounded pin tail shortboard I make for Craig, blended with the rockerline of a shortboard I shaped for a lot of Aussie WQS and WCT surfers from 2007-2011. It has a rockerline with the bottom of the rocker 3″ back from center which gives a really nice flow of water under the front foot, and creates a really drivey straighter section of the rocker behind the front foot and
Jun 22, 2026
Ferrari Boyz
(SITD EE release dates, all in PST)April 7. Ep 1 (watch here)April 21. Ep 2May 5. Ep 3May 19. Ep 4May 27. Final “I think it played out beautifully for Ethan, not doing too many comps when he was younger,” says Bede Durbidge. “I was quite the opposite. Different era. I was coached from a young age, went to all the contests, and personally, I think it probably held back some of the creative side of things. Your youth is so formative to your creativity on a wave. And I can clearly remember him as a kid at Main being the biggest frother, trying to pop airs, different grabs, different cutties, catching a million waves, and just having a hell time. “The thing is: no one remembers how many comps you won U16 in the end. None are that significant. So he played that beautifully. Jack Robbo too. I think it’s super important for young surfers coming through to look at what Ethan did. He went to school every day, finished Year 12 over at Cleveland, catching the water taxi both ways, and still managed to squeeze in two surfs. “There is no special recipe, but I think he’s a pretty good case study in not over-coaching, over-competing, and just having fun with it. I have my own kids, and it’s just human nature to get hooked on trying to win. I think the next generation of great surfers are the ones who are comfortable accepting losses and able to see the bigger picture. “When I was coaching John John, he was like that. He wasn’t a great competitor, so he just wanted some help with strategy so he could play the game. He was ready to win. That’s just the theory side of surfing. When you’re out in the water, that’s practical. And that fucking takes years and years and years, and you have to be relentless with your whole life. Whereas the competitive side? Give us six months, you could learn that.” In the following episode, Ethan rides the remaining four boards from William Riedel, Hayden Cox, Jason Stevenson, and Matt Biolos. Two World Title-winning shapers versus two wildcards yet to win at the most elite level of CT surfing. You can find the board specs below. As a reminder, our star stands six feet tall and weighs 190 pounds or 86 kilos. Stretch Shaper: StretchLocation: Santa Cruz, CADims: 6’1” x 19.1” x 2.58”Volume: 31.5 litersModel: “Prototype”Tail: SquashMaterials/Tech: PU/EpoxyConcave: Single to recessed doubleRocker: Nose: 4.62” Tail: 2.43”Rails: SphericalGlassing: 4s + 4oz ¾” / 4sWho they thought Mystery Surfer was: Barron Mamiya was the first thought but then again it was just a simple google of surfer’s weights. Jordy, Kolohe, Barron all kind of fit the criteriaWhat conditions it would suit: Waves with a little size and powerAny history with Ethan: Been a big fan of his surfing from a far for years. Apparently, they do still make a couple like they used to. For all younger surfers, pick your influences wisely because Ethan is a perfect example of building a foundation from surfers with timeless speed, power and flow. That foundation will never go out of style.Miscellaneous: Stoked and honored to be included with so many masters of the craft we all put our lifes work into. Only gripe would be for a contest being judged on shape, design and experience at the expense of someone’s credibility, I really wish I had more than a 72-hour window from invite to deadline. The average viewer sees the SITD project as shapers providing their “best work” to go into the ring for battle. The reality is such a small deadline to deliver, the majority of your mental energy has to go towards a fast production and dedicating the little time you have to you ensuring you have no hiccups in each stage of routing, laminating, hot coat, sanding and coordinating delivery. They say slow is smooth, I say smooth is fast. Hats off to all the guys behind the scenes in surfboard production. The ones covered in resin and sanding dust, the ones who are in the industry for the same reasons most of us get involved. It’s a lifestyle. Not a pretty one and definitely not a lucrative one but these are the backbone of the industry and are always undervalued when it comes to any finished. Looking back, I would have pulled in the tail a bit more now knowing the surfer was Ethan and how much power he can put into his turns. He is such a special talent, Im sure he can make any board look good, stoked to be a part of the project and throw shit at the wall to see if it sticks haha Haydenshapes Shaper: Hayden Cox – HaydenshapesLocation: Mona Vale, AustraliaDims: 6’1 x 19.12″ x 2.6″Volume: 31.4LModel: DarkNoizTail: Rounded PinMaterials/Tech: PU (Surfblanks – Midget Farrelly Blank) / Polyester LaminationConcave: Rolled vee entry to single concave front foot, to double concave through fins and vee double out the backRocker: 5.03″ Nose 2.31″ TailRails: Apex at 27% and Thickness at 75% of board – just below neutral railGlassing: Deck – Single 4oz with inegra/glass heel toe patch from Colan, Bottom – Single 4oz with tail patch to stiffen up the flex response in the tailWho they thought Mystery Surfer was: ParkoWhat conditions it would suit: Beach and Reef breaks up to 10ft faces.Any history with Ethan: making boards/notable experiences: None, but he is one of my favourite surfers on the world tour.Miscellaneous: The shape for SITD this year is a blend of the rounded pin tail shortboard I make for Craig, blended with the rockerline of a shortboard I shaped for a lot of Aussie WQS and WCT surfers from 2007-2011. It has a rockerline with the bottom of the rocker 3″ back from center which gives a really nice flow of water under the front foot, and creates a really drivey straighter section of the rocker behind the front foot and
Jun 22, 2026
01:03:39
Ethan Ewing & Dane Reynolds Discuss The Best Surfboard On The Planet | StabMic Ep. 17
“I’d still rather watch Occy or Bobby surf J-Bay than some of the tour surfers.”
Jun 7, 2026
