Steve O Donnell History
In circles that
know Australian surfing history Steve is a living Icon.
1967 Began apprenticeship as shaper to Les Paterson and
John Otton at Dale Surfboards Brookvale Sydney.
Made old style Malibus , V Bottom boards and the later
“shorter” longboards under Bob McTavish at Dale
in 1968-69.
1970`s Brookvale,Sydney -Barry Bennet(BennetBlanks),
Peter Clark and Brian McGrigor (Famous Early Australian
Shapers)
1973 Noosa Heads shaping - Kevin Platt
1974 California,San Diego - Gordon and Smith
1975 Hawaii, Kauai –Joe Beaugues - Here surfed a lot
with Billy Hamilton and Joey Calbel
1979 Returned to Australia freelanced in Sydney. This was
the re-emergence of the longboard boom.
1980 Brookvale Sydney-Hot Buttered (For Terry
Fitzgerald)many of Sydney`s best Longboarder shapes.
1987 Shaped for Stuart Entwistle World longboard Champion.
1980-90 World longboard Tour –Aust, USA, Europe.
1990-06 Shapes for many of Sydney's pro surfers making high
performance, classic and retro boards.
Photo: First
Dale Surfboards add circa 1967
Photo: Steve
O`Donnell receiving a trophy from Greg (Da Bull) Noll Noosa
Longboard competition circa 1970.
Photo:(Above)
The O'Donnell Shaping Bay
Photo:(Below)The O`Donnell Portfolio.
Steve Shapes and
Surfs.
When we asked him for a profile on his team he pointed out
some pages he had taped to the wall of his shaping bay .
"There`s my portfolio mate, the surfers who know good
boards come to me, that keeps me busy enough".