The Enduring Evolution of Maurice Cole
Maurice Cole, a name synonymous with innovation in surfboard design, is currently revisiting both his past work and his own personal history. A complex figure who has navigated decades of success and hardship, Cole’s journey is one of constant motion and reinvention. As he spends time in Wollongong, Australia, preparing boards at the Glass Hut, a pattern emerges: a willingness to reflect, to experiment, and to confront a legacy built on pushing boundaries.
Cole’s life, as described by those who know him, is an “epic” spanning continents and marked by both triumph and despair. He’s a man who, by his own admission, has never quite felt like he belonged, moving from Warrnambool and Torquay in Victoria, to a three-year stint in Pentridge Prison in 1976 following a minor hash bust, then on to France, Margaret River, and back again. Despite attempts to settle in places like Byron Bay and Sydney, he consistently finds himself drawn back to his Victorian roots.
This sense of displacement seems to have fueled a relentless drive for progression in his work. Cole describes his approach to shaping as always looking forward, discarding current projects in pursuit of the next idea. “My best board was always going to be my next one,” he explains, a philosophy that served him well during his time in France, where he became a highly sought-after shaper for a decade.
However, that forward momentum is now tempered with a willingness to revisit the past. This isn’t merely a retrospective in design, but a personal reckoning. Cole’s recent work demonstrates a surprising return to features from earlier eras, specifically the incorporation of fluted flyers – a design element popular in the 1970s – into his modern boards.
The re-emergence of the flyer stems from a connection with Hawaiian surfer Reno Abellira, whom Cole met while filming Paul Witzig’s Rolling Home in 1973. During a period spent surfing at Cactus and Hawaii, Cole admired the refined planshapes of Abellira, including the use of fluted wings. While initially appreciated for their aesthetic appeal, Cole is now exploring the functional potential of these features, integrating them into his designs in a new way.
This exploration led to the development of a design that builds upon his earlier breakthrough, the Reverse Vee. Introduced in the early 1990s while shaping for Tom Curren in France, the Reverse Vee revolutionized surfboard design by challenging the conventional view of the board’s underside as a single plane. It established Cole as a leading designer and powered Curren to his third World Title. Cole describes this period as “the making of me as a shaper,” solidifying his reputation as a designer, not just a shaper.
The current iteration of Cole’s designs combines the Reverse Vee with the reintroduced flyer, creating a unique rocker curve near the board’s pivot point. This isn’t simply a nostalgic nod to the past. it’s a functional innovation that alters how the board turns, utilizing the curve of the rail and flyer to initiate maneuvers.
Cole’s journey hasn’t been without its shadows. He acknowledges a history of volatility and acknowledges having “terrified a lot of people.” He now attributes much of this behavior to insecurity and a tendency towards self-criticism. He reflects on a past marked by violence, admitting, “I was so tough on myself and that made me tough on other people.”
A turning point came with a return to faith, after decades away from the church. While he remains critical of certain groups, particularly “white evangelists,” he expresses a newfound sense of acceptance and compassion. This shift in perspective extends to his approach to life and his work.
Despite his global reach – shaping tours in the US, Europe, and Japan – Cole’s strongest market remains outside of Australia, specifically his home state of Victoria. This paradox is perhaps a reflection of his complex relationship with his past and his ongoing search for belonging.
Cole’s driving force remains a commitment to quality. “I don’t care what people get from me, if it’s not the best board of your life, it’s a failure,” he insists. This unwavering dedication to improvement, combined with a willingness to learn from the past and embrace new ideas, continues to define his legacy as an icon of surfboard design.
// STU NETTLE
