Teamrider Nick Farago road-testing. Photo: Ian Borland
Mick Carabine, Wollongong, 1964. Photo: Dave Milnes
Current Carabine honcho Shane Hornby.
Terry Bishop has been shaping at Carabine since 1969. (right) Mick out front of the factory in 2011.
Teamrider Aidan Cashin. Photo: Georgia Matts
25 November 20
After 51 years straight of building surfboards of all sorts in Wollongong, the Carabine label runs deep in the DNA of South Coast surfing. Family based and community focused, it was kicked-off in 1969 by glasser Mick “The Pom” Carabine, a standout Australian surfer of the ’60s longboard era.
Terry “Snake” Bishop was the original shaper, and along with innovative boards for PT, Occy, Cairns, Horan, Banks and others, he’s crafted countless shapes for everyday surfers over the decades - and he’s still hands-on at Carabine today.
In 2011 Mick sold the business to Shane Hornby, a hot local who’d grown up surfing Carabines and hanging around the factory, who was determined to keep the integrity of the label intact. “We’ve got some of the best locals on longboards and short, and while these guys are unreal to watch I really get off on anyone being stoked on our boards - good surfer, ordinary surfer, doesn’t matter. Life’s too short to surf shit boards!”
“The Shakey is a modern log and well-balanced in every sense. Wide point in the centre, 50/50 rails with subtle concave in the nose to a gentle soft roll in the middle to a rolled vee out the tail. The rocker is quite flat up front and a generous kick in the tail gives plenty of control on the tip and it’s easy to turn when you need it - classic lines, hard arcs and easy noserides.”
Custom from 9’0” to 9’10”– and some *PLB subscriber will own a Shakey by next issue! *Australian residents only
Check out the Carabine range here
NEW PLB ISSUE > NO 105 is at the printer now, will be in the mail to all international and Australian subscribers early next week.
Will be on-sale nationally in Aus. Newsagents from Dec. 14
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Australia | US / Rest of the World(Changing your region, will clear your cart)