2000s 70s photographs

Al Bean surfer/surfboard designer

Former Greirson Surfboards shaper Al Bean moved down south in 1975. Al Bean (age 20) managed Surfside Store and the Yallingup Beach Caravan Park from 1977 to 79. Al learnt to cook and employed local girls to help at Surfside. He also did a bit of grass slashing at the Caravan Park, but not much else. He did do a lot of surfing 😁.

Al Bean went on to shape for Blaxell, Star and Yahoo Surfboards before setting up his own business. He has over three decades surfboard shaping experience in the Southwest.

He now lives with his family on the South Coast and still designs custom surfboards available from Southwest outlets.

1974 Al at South Point with Gary Greirson surfboard. Photo Ric Chan.

1975 Al surfing Rotto. Photo Ric Chan.

1975 Rotto lunch break. L-R Gary Greirson, Al Bean, Chris Fullston, Paul Flipper Gallagher. Photo Ric Chan

1980 Al Bean Surf Design advertisement produced by Ric Chan in the SW and used in WA Surf Mags. Image courtesy Ric Chan

1986 Al surfing Injidup. Photo Peter Matulich.

2010 Shaper Al Bean with 5’10 big wave tow board. Al Bean Surfboards Dunsborough. Photo courtesy Al Bean.

2013 Foamlust Festival Marg River. Al Bean with Paul ‘Antman’ Paterson and his AB design Sunset Beach winning board. Photo Loz Smith.

2015 Al surfing the Maldives. Photo courtesy Dara Atoll Adventures.

2015 SW surfers Al Bean and Barry Young at Pasta Point in the Maldives. Photo courtesy Barry Young.

2016 Al working in surf factory at Dunsborough. Photo Ric Chan.

Contacts

Al Bean Surf Design email albeansurfdesign@bigpond.com

Al Bean Surfboards Paradiso Surf

Al Bean Surfboards Board Store

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