Jack Robinson Takes on the World’s First Beer-Filled Surfboard
Jack Robinson takes the Gage Roads Beerboard surfing: a fully rideable surfboard built by Chris Garrett to hold and pour 10 litres of beer.
Ten litres of beer. One transparent, fully surfable board. And Jack Robinson and Brenden “Margo” Margieson tasked with finding out whether it would actually work. Meet the Gage Roads Beerboard.
Surfboard design has spent decades chasing lighter constructions, refined rails and increasingly sophisticated materials.
Nobody, apparently, said a board couldn't also contain 10 litres of beer.
Independent Australian brewery Gage Roads Brew Co teamed up with surfboard shaper Chris Garrett of Phantom Surfboards to create the Beerboard: a fully surfable single-fin designed to hold 10 litres of Gage Roads Single Fin beer and pour it after the session.
And this wasn't destined to become a novelty board hanging on a brewery wall.
To find out whether it could actually surf, Gage Roads handed it over to Olympic surfer Jack Robinson and Australian freesurfing icon Brenden “Margo” Margieson.
The transparent construction meant the surfers could see the ocean through the board beneath their feet, while 10 litres of beer moved around inside it. And when the session was finished, they could pour a beer directly from the board.
Somehow, it worked.
We caught up with Chris Garrett to find out how you actually build a beer-filled surfboard, and Jack Robinson to hear what happens when you paddle one out.
Chris Garrett: Building the Beerboard
How did the idea for the Beerboard first come about?
This wasn't my idea to start with. I was approached by Gage Roads with a wacky idea of putting their popular Single Fin beer inside a single fin surfboard. I was just the guy to make it work and realise the dream.
What were the biggest technical challenges in designing a surfboard that holds and pours liquid?
Once I had the basic concept and game plans sorted, it was pretty a straightforward build. Every bit of the process was ploughing new ground which was all parts challenging, exciting and “I don't know how we are going to fix this but here we go!”
Just paddle in, take-off and see how far this one goes.
Did you run into any unexpected problems during the build or testing process?
We had a couple of minor failures along the way. Nothing structural, just the board was leaking beer when it was pressurised. That sorted itself out pretty easily with minimum fuss.
How did the board perform in the water compared to what you expected?
I was pleasantly surprised as to how well it went. It was such a buzz watching Brenden Margieson and Jack Robinson's different approaches to riding the Beerboard as they got their froth on whilst attempting to be the first to get kegged.
What part of the process did you enjoy the most while creating the Beerboard?
I really enjoyed the design process. I like making all sorts of unconventional craft and the Beerboard was just another concept waiting to be tapped...
Jack Robinson: Riding 10 Litres of Beer
What was your first reaction when you saw the Beerboard?
I was blown away, honestly. When Gage Roads first told me about creating a surfboard filled with our Single Fin beer that you can ride and then pour a pint out of, I wasn’t sure how that could be possible, but had no doubt they’d do it. Chris Garrett really pulled it off!
What surprised you most when you took it into the water? How did it feel compared to a standard performance surfboard?
It was definitely a different feeling to a standard performance board. You could feel the extra weight and the 10 litres of Single Fin moving around inside it, especially while paddling, but once I was up and riding it felt surprisingly smooth and fun.
What’s one moment from the session that stood out most?
One of the coolest moments was looking down through the board and seeing the bottom of the ocean beneath me while I was surfing. It was such a unique feeling and made the whole experience even more memorable.
Sharing the session with Margo and having a Single Fin together straight from the board afterwards was pretty hard to beat too.
Do you think surfing needs more playful and experimental projects like this, and what do they bring to surf culture?
Yeah I do! The thing I love about the Gage Roads Beerboard is it really captures the Aussie coastal lifestyle of being by the beach, surfing, having fun with good mates, and not taking things too seriously.
I think everyone can use a bit more of that.
