The late Brian Cole was a surfboard craftsman with wood and foam. He shaped the first foam surfboard in WA in the early 60s and with his partner Barry ‘Joe’ King started WA’s first foam surfboard business King & Cole Surfboards (1962) in Wembley.
Brian ‘Coley’ Cole. “ I went to Sydney NSW in 1959 to see what was going on. I had a shaping job organised with Barry Bennett, but my mate Bob Pike (Big wave legend) had a milk run offered to him, so we swapped jobs and I took Bob’s job so I could work at night and surf during the day.
Barry Bennett was the first one to make foam boards and I had the number six foam board in Australia from him.
I then bought foam blanks from Barry back to Perth and shaped the first foam surfboard in WA. When all the WA guys started getting them sent over from over east and after I worked a summer at Caves House Yallingup, I thought, “I’ll start getting blanks from Barry Bennett and start making my own boards.” And that’s how I started in 1962, myself and Barry ‘Joe’ King.
Joe’s father was a builder with a large shed on the corner of Salvado and Station Roads in Wembley. We repaired boats there and made surfboards.
When I packed up to move over east in 1964, we sold all our gear off and Len Dibben bought some for his surfboard business.” (Extract Surfing Down South book 2014).
1962 King & Cole Surfboards factory Wembley. Artie Shaw & Brian Cole. Photo courtesy the Cole family.1962 King & Cole Surfboards sign designed by sign writer/surfer Ray Geary. Photo courtesy Cole family.1958 Barry (Joe) King with homemade epoxy surfboard at Yallingup. Joe King was Brian Cole’s partner in King & Cole Surfboards (1962). Photo John Budge.
King & Cole surfboards used Bennett blanks and most of their early boards were finished in white pigment to hide discoloured blanks.
1962 Howard ‘Ghost’ Kent surfing Gallows on King & Cole surfboard. Photographer unknown.
Alex ‘Zac’ Kochanowitsch rode a King & Cole surfboard to victory in the inaugural State Titles held at Yallingup in 1964. The event was sponsored by Ampol and Zac won the State Open Mens division.
1962 Zac Kochanowitsch with his first board a King & Cole Malibu in Cottesloe. Photo the late Ernie Potter.1965 Bill Cosson with King & Cole board & Mini Minor at Dawesville. Photo Bill Cosson2012 Jim King & Brian Cole in Yallingup car park reading 2006 Surfing WA 40th Anniversary Offshore and Pumping booklet.Photo Bruce King.
Jim King. “In 2014 Brian made me a replica King & Cole surfboard out of timber off-cuts and added an original King & Cole decal.“
2014 Jim King in Dunsboroughwith replica surfboard by Brian Cole. Kath King pic.2014 Replica board with parquetry fin & tail block.Photo Jim King.2014 Replica surfboard with original King & Cole decal. Photo Jim King.2016 Caves House Yallingup. Kevin Merifield Brian Cole and Jim ‘Lik’ Mackenzie. Photo Bruce King.2015 Brian Cole surfing the Cove at Yalls on homemade surfboard (see below). Photo Bruce King.2017 Brian in Dunsborough with a 1964 Brian Cole Surfboard made in his backyard at Scarborough. Photo Jim King.This Malibu board is on display at The WA Surf Gallery, Aravina Estate Yallingup.2022 Brian’s son Brett with a H2O mini mal surfboard glassed by Brian in Dunsborough. Photo Jim King.
In later years Brian and his wife Rhonda spent their winter getaways at Crescent Heads NSW caravan park. Brian presented an annual award at a Crescent Heads longboard event.
Just another day at Crescent Heads NSW artwork. Image courtesy Cole family.
Brian ‘Coley’ Cole (age 81) passed away Friday 28 May 2021.
The late Brian Cole was a surfboard craftsman with wood and foam. He shaped the first foam surfboard in WA in the early 60s and with his partner Barry ‘Joe’ King started WA’s first foam surfboard business King & Cole Surfboards (1962) in Wembley.
Brian ‘Coley’ Cole. “ I went to Sydney NSW in 1959 to see what was going on. I had a shaping job organised with Barry Bennett, but my mate Bob Pike (Big wave legend) had a milk run offered to him, so we swapped jobs and I took Bob’s job so I could work at night and surf during the day.
Barry Bennett was the first one to make foam boards and I had the number six foam board in Australia from him.
I then bought foam blanks from Barry back to Perth and shaped the first foam surfboard in WA. When all the WA guys started getting them sent over from over east and after I worked a summer at Caves House Yallingup, I thought, “I’ll start getting blanks from Barry Bennett and start making my own boards.” And that’s how I started in 1962, myself and Barry ‘Joe’ King.
Joe’s father was a builder with a large shed on the corner of Salvado and Station Roads in Wembley. We repaired boats there and made surfboards.
When I packed up to move over east in 1964, we sold all our gear off and Len Dibben bought some for his surfboard business.” (Extract Surfing Down South book 2014).
King & Cole surfboards used Bennett blanks and most of their early boards were finished in white pigment to hide discoloured blanks.
Alex ‘Zac’ Kochanowitsch rode a King & Cole surfboard to victory in the inaugural State Titles held at Yallingup in 1964. The event was sponsored by Ampol and Zac won the State Open Mens division.
Jim King. “In 2014 Brian made me a replica King & Cole surfboard out of timber off-cuts and added an original King & Cole decal.“
In later years Brian and his wife Rhonda spent their winter getaways at Crescent Heads NSW caravan park. Brian presented an annual award at a Crescent Heads longboard event.
Brian ‘Coley’ Cole (age 81) passed away Friday 28 May 2021.
Rest in Peace Brian.
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Brian Cole’s Malibu surfboards since 1957 posted 20 May 2020
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