A Paipo Interview with Ian Anderson

A surfer happy to surf whatever what was available

May 2025

Copmanhurst NSW Australia

E-mail questions by Bob Green, audio responses typed by Jodie Johnson

Photos courtesy of Ian Anderson

More influenced by scientific concepts than trends or marketing, for Ian the experience of riding a wave is more important than the surfcraft used. Rather than the famed waves of the Yamba area he preferred the solitude of less crowded locations, identifying as a "bush surfer", a label given by a friend.

1. What were your first surfing experiences? When and where was this??

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Photo courtesy of Ian Anderson

2. Were you exposed to bellyboards as a youth? If so, when was this and what did you ride?

3. When did you get your first surfboard?

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5'2" Shanka Kneeboard by the late Brian ' Brock' Skennar
who made surfboards under his parents house in Grafton.

1972 or 1973. "The kneeboard was an easy way to get into surfing
but I had a standup board within 12 months, kneeling was not enough".

Photos courtesy of Ian Anderson.

1974.

Camping.

Photos by Ian Anderson.

4. What have you taken away from your cousin Peter Killen's fin and board design research?

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6" 7" & 8" NACA 664-021 section fins.

Tempest fin sanding set-up.

Photos byIan Anderson.

5. I've heard you say a few times that Geoff McCoy's nugget would make a good bellyboard? What do you like about the McCoy boards?

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Shane Horan's 1984 Terry Fitzgerald surfboard.

Photo by Aaron Chang.

The Axiom. Another potential BB. The culmination
of an intriguing 40 yr hx of random playing around.

Photo by Aaron Chang. 1984

6. Did you continue body surfing or riding bellyboards while riding surfboards? If not when did you return to riding bellyboards? What prompted this??

On edge.

Nambucca trimming.

Photos by Ian Anderson.

Bush left.

Yamba right..

Photos by Ian Anderson.

7. Tell me about the bellyboards that you have been riding in recent years. I'm interested in your thoughts on drag and different construction methods?

From left: 40 x22 paulownia paipo
24 x 14 pocket paipo.

Eggard plypo vaqcuum bagged
self-shaped BB.

Photos by Ian Anderson.

Garrett 53 3/4 x 20 x 1 5/8".

Plypo bottom.

Photos by Ian Anderson.

Obyjuan. Red cedar and silver ash.

Plypo.

Photos by Ian Anderson.

Paul Joske has been a friend of yours for many years. What do you like about his boards? What do you know about him riding a coolite?

Joske Valla Pig, 1984.

Paul Joske coolite, 2024.

Photos courtesy of Ian Anderson.

Notes

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Notes


Obyjuan bagged.

Plypo bagged.

Photos by Ian Anderson.

Azif skif prototype

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Photos by Ian Anderson.

NO EDITING BELOW THIS POINT!!!

*** DRAFT***NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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