"Always Offshore"

An exploration of wooden surfboards by
Jim Banks, Gary Bennett & David Paris

  “Always offshore” is Jahroc’s latest collaborative project where Gary Bennett, David Paris and Australian surfing and shaping legend Jim Banks have decided to pool their extensive skills to create a collection of fine wooden surfboards. By combining Jim’s 30+ years of surfboard design and shaping skills with Gary and Dave’s 30+ years of designing and creating furniture masterpieces crafted from fine Australian timbers, the trio believe they can create some of the finest wooden surfboards the world has seen. Some will be artistic wall pieces made from solid timber and others will be artistic wall pieces that can also be surfed on using the age old torsion box construction techniques that have been used in aircraft, surfboards, boats and furniture for centuries.

    Wooden surfboards are really where it all began and there are certainly lots of replica’s being made these days. Jim and Gary wanted to do things a little differently and apply the contemporary lines of Jim’s surfboard designs to create some collectable art pieces made from some of our beautiful locally grown timbers in Australia.
Jim still takes a very hands on approach to his shaping and is constantly testing and improving his designs in waves all over the world. From Indo perfection to the raw power of Margaret River Jim is constantly putting his designs to the test. Gary and Dave are excited by the opportunity to use their skills and contemporary techniques of fine timber construction and apply to making surfboards.
Surf boards are such beautiful objects. All three artists are passionate surfers so the idea of sculpting a masterpiece that can be taken down from the wall, waxed up, then taken down to the beach for a surf and still be durable enough to be hung back up on the wall is immensely appealing.
Why “Always Offshore”? Well when it’s offshore at the beach the boys can go for a surf and get that buzz that surfers get. When the surf’s not on they can go to their workshop and get that buzz that woodworkers get when creating, so you see for these 3 it really is "always offshore"!!

The collection, when complete, will  feature some hollow torsion box versions that will be surfable. All going well the boys should have a collection ready to exhibit in late January 2010. Keep an eye on this page to check the progress on this upcoming exhibition.

David Paris selecting the timber
12x6inch Jarrah salvaged from the York/Greenhills rail bridge

Gary Bennett and Harry Banker glueing the blank





Jim Banks shaping the board

Jim Banks carves the rocker the slow hard way

Jim Banks perfecting the shape into a 9ft Gun

Gary Bennett sanding in preparation for the oil finish






The beauty of the timber showing through
"Red King Brown" 9ft Gun





"Red King Brown" oiled and sanded to 2000 grit





Detail of the sheoak fins


Images of the finished "Red King Brown" will be uploaded as soon as it is completed
The board will be available to purchase and on display in our gallery when completed

If you are interested in a preview before it goes on show please contact us.


Find out more about JIM BANKS and visit his website





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