World Tour high performance maestros Josh Kerr and Sebastian “Seabass” Zietz have enlisted the services of Gold Coast craftsman Jason Rodd of JR Surfboards to bolster their respective Oakley Pro campaigns in Bali.
We caught up with Jas who is currently poolside at Keramas nursing a busted leg and a cold Bintang to find out what heat the boys are packing in their quivers.
Josh Kerr. Pic ASP
G’day Roddy, I see you’re hard at work mate?
Yeah, it’s a pretty good tough gig coming to Bali for work hahaha. I’ve actually injured my leg so haven’t been able to surf, so I’ve just been shaping some boards over here and taking it easy.
What did you do to your leg?
My little brother kicked the crap out of the back of my leg and it swelled right up, but it’s just coming good and I should be back in the water in a few days, so just been watching the comp and doing a bit of light shaping work and enjoying being in Bali and at the event really.
Kerrzy’s Keramas arsenal
Tell us a little about what Kerrzy and Seabass have had you working on?
I shaped a bunch of boards for Kerrzy and a couple for Seabass for the event. Josh just threw in a last minute order from Fiji; I think he really feels comfortable on my shapes for small to medium high performance waves, which is exactly Keramas down to a T.
What’s he packing over there?
I whipped him up two at 5’10” x 18” 1/4 x 2” 1/4 – a new model that I have worked on mainly with Thomas [Woods], it’s called the Grinder. It’s actually Thomas Woods’ signature model, and pretty much your modern super high performance shorty.
I also made him one 5’9” 1/2 x 18” 3/8 x 2” 1/4 Double Hook.
He also asked for something magic, so I went back to a board I was doing for him years ago and re-worked it a little. It’s a 5’9” x 18” ½ x 2” 1/4 Punt Rocka model round tail with the tri quad fin option.
Kerrzy tunneling. Pic Hennings
Do you have to alter much to these boards for Bali?
Shaping boards for Keramas, I don’t really need to change much at all. In fact I don’t, these models are pretty well suited to this wave as it’s not too dissimilar to say, Snapper on a good day.
How long have you been working with Kerrzy and Seabass?
It’s probably no big secret that Josh and I have been working together for a while, but I have shaped a lot of boards for this guy, so my files on him are pretty deep and I know what he likes.
Shaping for Seabass is a whole different story. I have never met the guy until now in Bali and we had no contact personally. Apparently he doesn’t have an email, isn’t on Facebook and had lost his phone in Fiji, so it was a massive stab in the dark.
I made him boards going off his weight and height and some input from Beau Emerton of Oakley.
Seabass hack. Pic Hakenvisual
What’d you go with?
I just threw two of the Grinder models at him; a 6’0” x 18” 5/8 x 2” 3/8 and a
5’11” x 18” 5/8 x 2” 5/16. I know this model works well in the kind of conditions Bali offers. I was really just trying to start the relationship and get some feedback with Sebastian as I had never made boards for him before.
How do you approach making boards for World Tour surfers like these guys?
When I shape for guys on the tour I like to be in the right frame of mind. I generally just lock myself away and just pump them out – bang, bang, bang – all in a row, I think it’s best to do it that way in bigger batches and get into a rhythm. It’s probably the thing I enjoy most about my job is shaping boards for guys like this, it gives me a real stoke, especially when they ride them and do well.
What’s your role now in Bali?
Mate my role here in Bali is pretty much done before I come, however I am shaping boards for stores here. My main objective is to enjoy the contest, hang out, network with the surfers and industry crew, and hopefully watch one of these guys win the event on a JR shape.
Did either of the boys request anything special?
No special requests, but I did throw some nice neon colour tints on the boards to make them stand out.
Has either of them earmarked a particular magic carpet?
Magic carpets? What do ya mean, all my boards are magic carpets hahaha.
Pic Hennings
So you’ve obviously got your money on a Kerrzy or Seabass win then?
Yeah Kerr and Seabass are definitely in with a big chance to take this out, I’m on the fence with those two guys, but man, there are so many other guys that could take this event, I could probably rattle off ten guys!
It is just such an amazing wave to showcase to the world what the WT guys are capable of, man did you see John johns alleyoop!!! Holy crap.
How important is feedback from your team?
Team riders to me are invaluable; it is what progresses and evolves my shaping skills. What I learn from shaping boards for the best of the best only provides better feedback to what your average guy needs and wants, it gives me the skills to develop and better my boards and brand all round.
JR’s Seabass duo.
Well it sounds like team JR has been keeping you busy mate.
Yeah, this month has been hectic; I have been hit left, right and centre with team stuff from Seabass and Kerr and all my team, even young Eli Steele went to the world’s at the start of this month, and Woodsy and Wade [Carmichael] are in Mexico, so yep, I’m feeling a little fried, but I love it!
Give us the low down on what you’ve got in the pipeline?
Everyone’s coming up with new models all the time, but I also put a lot of emphasis on developing new construction and flex patterns. We have our own carbon-inlayed epoxy boards called Tri-Flex, which we have had in the market now for some time. I have been playing around with this concept with different materials and different stringer placements to create and make the board flex more in certain places rather than others adding spring and drive, I’ve just mucking around really, if you don’t experiment you will just sit stagnant I believe.
*Josh Kerr and Sebatian Zietz will appear in round three of the Oakley Pro Bali once competition resumes http://www.oakleyprobali.com.
For more on JR Surfboards checkout http://www.jrsurfboards.com.au/
