Jacko Surfboards since 1960

Jacko Surfboards

John Jakovich started making his boards as a seventeen-year-old in the backyard shed of his parent’s house in South Perth. As blanks were unavailable, John had to make his own by using hand wound, hydraulic concrete moulds as part of the process. The skills improved and as a result, so did the Jacko Surfboard business over the next six years. A six-week waiting list for a custom, $80 Jacko Surfboard was the norm in 1966.

The local council didn’t take kindly to a booming backyard business and John was forced to relocate to a commercial building on the corner of Canning Highway and Berwick Street in South Perth in the early 70s. Unfortunately, the factory in this prime location, burnt down and Jacko Surfboards shifted to an industrial block in Rivervale where a new factory was built in the mid-70s. The popularity of Jacko Surfboards, and the fact that there was a surfboard manufacture located so far from the beach, had a significant impact on enticing kids from the south-eastern suburbs of Perth to try their hand at surfing.

It was at this factory that, through ‘Thermal Industries’ and ‘Fairway Plastics’, the famous “Foamie Surfboard” was developed and patented. Foamies were supplied to all Surf Life Saving Clubs and retail outlets in Western Australia for ten years from the factory.

The Jakovich family moved south to Cowaramup Bay in 1985 where John resumed his shaping career in his garage. Later a nearby property was purchased and a new factory established.

Jakovich Family

The Jackovich family is one of Gracetown’s oldest and most prominent surfing families. From John’s pioneering boards of the sixties to sons Rick and Jake’s crafted innovative foam blanks in the nineties, the family have earned their place in the annals of WA surfing not only for their multi-generational surfing skills but for their joint surfboard craftsmanship.

John ‘Jacko’ Jakovich was part of the furniture at Lefthanders for many years. You could see him surfing everyday then jump into his trusty surf mobile dripping wet for the drive back home.

Whilst not getting the same amount of water these days, he still attends the odd contest site proudly supporting his boys Rick and Jake. Powerful, strong surfers, brothers Rick and Jake have between them won a suite of state and national titles whilst other brother Shane is more focused on free surfing. For the brothers, the talent does not stop at surfing. The family tradition of producing innovative boards continues. The multi-talented Rick is credited with designing Alloy Joy Surfboards the world’s first surfboard with an aluminium stringer to avoid broken boards. He is also a world class water cinematographer, working alongside film making giants like Jack McCoy.

For the Jakovich family, growing up in the Bay at Gracetown was like living the surfing dream. the numerous breaks right on their doorstep was the idyllic environment to thrive on and to this day all are still surfing and innovating with youthful enthusiasm. (Extract Surfing WA Celebrating 50 years book published by Margaret River Press in 2014).

Photo Album

Jacko Surfboards sponsored State Champions Ian Cairns, Arty Sherburn and Tony Hardy when he first come to WA from Tasmania in the late 60s and Roger Garland & Max Hickson in the early 70s.

*1967 Jacko Surf Team *Cottesloe WA*. Jacko, Ian Cairns & Arty Sherburn. Photo Rod Taylor.*

John Jakovich played league football in the WAFL against WA surfing pioneer Kevin Merifield. John played 22 games and kicked 36 goals for the Perth Football Club 1964-65.

*1965 John Jakovich & Kevin Merifield compete as Perth battle Subiaco in the WAFL*. Image courtesy The West Australian.

*1969 Cottesloe surfer Barry Middleton with his 5ft 10in Jacko surfboard. Photo Barry Middleton.*

*1971 Jacko Surfboards Berwick St South Perth advt in Country Surf magazine. Photos Tom Collins.*

*1975 Jacko Surfboards factory Rivervale. Photo Tom Collins*

*1975 John & family behind counter in Jacko Surfboards showroom Rivervale. Photo Tom Collins*

*1975 Jacko Surfboards display showroom Rivervale. Photo Tom Collins*

*1970s Jacko Surfboards kneeboard from Rivervale factory. Photo Tom Collins.*

*1970s Jacko Surfboards Rivervale advt. Photo Tom Collins.*

1970s Jacko Surfboards logo from Rivervale surf factory.

*1970s Jacko Surfboards proto-type Foamie surfboard. Photos Tom Collins.*

In 1975 Jacko Surfboards team rider Roger Garland did the first trials of Jacko Foamies at Scarborough Beach and on the Canning River (Shelley Point) behind a speed boat.

*1970s Roger Garland testing Jacko Foamie at Scarborough. Photo Tom Collins.*

*1980 John featured in Jacko Surfboards Rivervale Advt in West Coast Surfer magazine. Photo Ric Chan*

*1991 Jacko Surfboards ute. Image courtesy of Mick Burnside. Source Surfing WA Celebrating 50 years book.*

*1993 West Mag cover shot of the Jakovich family at Gracetown John with Shane, Jake & Rick. Photo Rod Taylor.*

1990s Rick Jakovich’s Alloy Joy Surfboards with aluminium stringer. Photo Bill Gibson.

John Jakovich (and other WA pioneer surfboard manufacturers) were awarded the Len Dibben Award for Service to Surfing at the 4th Annual Western Australian Surfers of the Year Awards held at the Mojos Club on Saturday April 22nd, 2005.