Murray Bourton rst picked up a planer back in 1970 and has not turned it off since. He has seen the evolution of surfboard design from almost the beginning and his knowledge in hydrodynamics through trial and error over the last 35 years is second to none. Many well known top shapers like Darren Handley (DHD), Jason Stephenson (JS) and his son Skye Bourton (On Fire), owe their starts to Murray Bourton.

Murray Bourton started Pipedream surfboards in 1976, and his shapes are well known and represented not only on the Gold Coast, but all around the world. The famous Coolangatta Pipedream store has always bbeen a favourite hang out for local and visiting surfers, where Murray Bourton is often seen in store sharing his many years of design experience. Now 30 years later Murray Bourton has released Bourton Shapes, as a re-invention of Pipedream. Bourton Shapes are top end, high performance surfboards while Pipedream surfboards are still available, they will remain an entry-level and more affordable surfboard brand. There are also a great range of Pipedream Retro boards on offer, that are exact replicas of models that Murray Bourton used to shape back in the 70’s and 80’s.

His versatility from Indo guns to tow boards ridden by Tony Ray and Ross Clarke Jones and his cutting edge cutting edge contest boards ridden by the hot young guns Troy Brooks, Luke Munro, Ry Craike and Lee Wilson, leave no questions asked of Murray Bourton’s commitment to modern shortboard design. A point worth mentioning is Murray’s current success with Cooly’s latest 16 year old whiz kid Jack Freestone, who is 42 years younger illustrating that when it comes to keeping pace with each new generation, Murray’s design language transcends the gap.

In recent years due to Murray’s embracement of the computer shaping programs his passionto innovate has soared, drawing from past and present, his new hybrid designs have inspiredmamany who have lost patience with the thruster’s status quo. Due to their paddle friendly natureMurray, even at his age, will test ride most of these designs to be sure they are on track.

Perhaps Bourton’s strongest asset is his custom communicative skills, having worked in hisown shops the last 35 years he is under no illusion what a real surfer wants and needs. Thisasset has been bolstered of late with his mastering of the internet custom ordering process.Many customers who make enquires about his models are surprised when all of a sudden theyare online talking technical with 40 years of hydrodynamics. Murray treats on line the sameas he das he does a customer on the oor of our hardware shops. So if you are a distance away andwant to be serviced- we dare you to send him an email.

2010 Range

Off the back of the success of the Brooko round tail quad Muzz has come up

with a little more quirky model for those who want a more sh like version

or simply want to enjoy the sensation with a few paddling advantages

thrown in; enter the hull! The noses are narrower and the tail is round making

the board more vertical and responsive than the Bats and swallows. This is

Muzza’s zippiest sh yet. The Brooko roundtail quad has taught me that with

a a roundtail you can move the rear ns back a little further and sit them up a

lot more vertical as you have excess looseness to lose in exchange for a little

more drive. Remembering that the Brooko was introduced in order to

improve the quads vertical capabilities and this is why the fat bullet also

incorporates a narrower nose (in the last 18 inches at least) that encourages

the board more vertically. At the other end the ball and socket of the round

tail also makes this tighter rotation off the bottom more possible thus

enabling a moenabling a more vertical climb up the face. There will not be many shes out

there if any, that will be as capable in this department, as this little chub.

The Skinny bullet is basically the Fat Bullet on a diet. All the same design but for

a shorter tail vee and the board made narrower and thinner. The relevance of

this is for this design to be available for those who are lighter or want the design

for bigger waves which requires more length and less width. The bottom shape

is slightly different in the tail area but still retains the centre concave and nose

hull. The Fat Bullet has a longer deeper vee in the tail that falls into a concave

oover 2 feet up from the tail. Being so wide and having a deep concave forward

the Fat Bullet needs a longer vee to control the excess width. The Skinny Bullet

has the concave running further back between the front ns and the vee pops

up suddenly in the last 6 inches, simply because the board is narrower and a

longer vee is not needed. This puts a lot more rail line curve into the last foot of

the rail rocker, giving the board a little more twitch for those wanting instant

response and a shorter arc very handy when you are tight in the pocket and

ffeeling your way around. I think the Skinny is a great alternative for those that

chase solid long hollow reef waves like Indo etc. The Skinny planes into solid

waves so much earlier due to the low nose entry, hull and increased area under

the chest. The narrower back half of the board and two ns on the rail do the

rest to give them even better rail cling and twice as much speed. This all adds

up to survival particularly for those who lose a lot of bark. The Skinny is still

wider than the normal guns and consequently do not need to be as long

eeven in the bigger stuff.

TROY BROOKS ROUND TAIL QUAD TROY BROOKS ROUND TAIL QUADMACH II

2010 Range

Troy had tried a Bat tail quad with moderate

success but when he rode the round tail he

was blown away, not only did it have the

accepted extra speed common to quads it

also had the vertical capacity of a thruster

but with more speed creating more potential

tto punt higher. He handed it around to all his

mates in Quickie and they all came up with

the same opinion... I want one!

One of Muzza's most successful performance

models of 2009. With a 4x4 diagonal glass job,

with carbon patches and a 4ply stringer, the

Brooko RTQ is a light, strong and fast

pperformer.

Since Brooko has been off the tour his input to my designs has increased in leaps and bounds. Having been

around the traps for so long and understanding the pressures on the guys on tour to have the best

equipment 100% of the time, I know this demand sties any creative experimentation. The fear of losing

forces them into conformity. The day he retired he said, “right now Muzz hit me with em”, referring to all the

stuff I was playing with while he was on tour, but had not asked him to ride due to the above. This is how the

Brooko Roundtail Quad design was born. Perhaps the only one on tour who is not a victim of conformity –

KKelly Slater began as the world knows, playing with very small round tail snub nosed quads of which he

gave a few to Troy. Troy asked me to do my own version only not as short as Kelly’s but shorter and wider

than his current round tail quad. I basically squashed his 6.0 down to 5.8 added extra width and shifted

his widest point forward widening the nose and narrowing the tail proportionally. The con vee stayed the

same but I bulked up the rail a bit more due to the board’s shortness. The break from my norm with this

design is the n placement. I was inuenced a little by Kelly’s n sets which were less toed in than normal

quads and I guquads and I gured his reasoning was that because his boards were extremely short he could afford to

place them a little more parallel to give the board more run, coz I am sure at 5.2, it was bloody loose enough.

The feedback from Brooko even on the rst one was that if he had this board on tour he would be still on

tour. Big call for Chopes and Pipe but nevertheless he reckons there is no place on the wave where he cannot

put it. I have also put these boards under many other feet and the feedback is compelling so it is time to

release it. The market for this model is typically the way above average

surfer who wants a sh that will allow him to do what he does in

ppower; in no power.

“So the Mach 2 round tail quad is something that me and Muzza have been working on. The one I'm riding is a 5'8".

It has slightly more thickness and width than the original Brooko RTQ but is way more manoeuvrable. It is perfect

from 0-4ft. It seems to get to the section half a beat faster allowing you more time to turn off the top. As it is shorter

you can really rip it around and turn in the steep part of the wave without nose diving. My last few surfs on it have

been out at 6ft Straddie. This is stretching its limits. Still ne in the barrel but I'd rather the 5'11" Brooko RTQ as the

eextra couple of inches helps in really putting it on rail. Nevertheless if I was back on tour for Japan, Brazil and Europe

this little pocket rocket would be a keeper. Mach 2 is perfect for 90% of my surfs 0-4ft. Onshore or offshore. If you’re

surng bigger waves than that, most of the time let me know, I'll come join ya.” Brooko

2010 Range

HPL - 4x4 Diagonal - 4Ply - Carbon Patches - Light & StrongThe HPL also features a unique glass job, designed by Murray Bourton.

This glass job is now featured in a number of models across the BASE

brands and is used by a number of our team-riders. The HPL are the

rst polyester boards of their kind, in the world and would boast to

be one of the strongest and lightest of any commercial polyester

stock board. The 4x4 diagonal weave, combined with a 4 ply stringer

and and carbon aps over the tail rails. Makes for a pro-lite product that

will serve the test of time.

Basically these designs have hips and deeper concaves, they are

squash tails with small boxy rails and slightly veed decks. The

boxy rail allows the thickness in the centre to be kept to a

minimum, so if they seem thin numerically they are certainly

not in the rail. I have drawn the line at 6'6 coz I reckon the

concept gets lost any longer than that. Customs in this

mmodel are welcome as I have only covered the common

dimension for a common customer weight.

The Round tail is very similar to the standard hip in context of rockers

concaves and deck rolls. The choice of a round tail would be for the

surfer who wants to appear controlled and smooth through his turns.

The round shape of the tail ball and sockets through turns and is

particularly easy off the top and can be more vertical off the bottom.

As a rule round tails can weather less tail lift giving them some extra

dridrive off a straighter rocker. This makes up from the loss of pod area

(rounded square C/F with round tail) where a little thrust is lost. All

in all a great design for those who want a board that reaches and

turns easy.

2010 Range

The Indo gun 2009 has evolved considerably. The bottom shape is now

a concave under the chest running into a 3 ml vee through the ns and

out the tail giving the board more speed and more control than the

reverse vee of old. The rounded pin is the plan shape of choice and the

rocker is leaning toward low entry and more extreme tail curve. Diagonal

glass procedures are standard with this model particularly due to the type

of of waves they are meant to excel in. I have been surng Indo regularly for

35 years now, so I am pretty sure this is what you need if you really want

to tackle what’s on offer.

The reef swallow is something that is dear to Muzza’s past experiences

in Indo over the last 35 years. This design is a reaction to the dominance

of the rounded pin as the rst choice for bigger reef waves. The narrowed

swallow tail is the best tail for driving bottom turns and also for sitting

deep in Indo barrels. The superior tail bight allows one to be more

forthright with the front foot for driving down the line in order to make

the nthe never ending walls. The performance concave which runs right

through to the tail gives this design the speed it needs to sit high and

run. Thirty ve years of R+D cannot be discounted by shear fashion.

2010 Range

If it is width and curvy lines you prefer over sheer chunk in

your shes, then this little oozy may be for you. With a

planshape so kind on the eye Muz has gone to great lengths

to tart up this sh to the point that any self proclaimed retro

sh head will be walking out the store with this baby under

arm and a gun in his pants. Oh yeah! This model is red hot in

the the water too.

Bourton 09 Range

Bourton 09 Range

The Big Bat Quad design is another one of my many four n applications

aimed at those that need a paddler and a performer. The inclusion of the

diamond bat tail is a breakthrough in short arc and central control design.

The diamond shortens the rail line allowing the board to turn a fraction

earlier and the elongated pin of the bat gives a centre nless board

something central to gauge from rail to rail. It also sports a corner feel for

those ththose that need a corner to push off.

The Bat sh is where it all started with my quad fetish. With a plan shape

which looks as stiff as a morning glory, the Bat blew my mind with its

speed and agility. Sporting a concave at the nose and a vee at the other

end, the Bat has both speed and control so you can put it anywhere you

want. The diamond bat tail has a shorter rail line than a swallow which

makes it feel shorter on rail. The very at deck distributes more foam

out out to the rail allowing the centre thickness to be at a minimum and

adds stability to the deck making the board more forgiving. Currently

one of my most successful sh.

Bourton 09 Range

The Big Boy Quad is simply a blown up of the standard quads and should

have been available earlier as the guys who are big enough to ride these

designs are the ones that need them the most. It seems that bigger guys

make the mistake of employing extra length to paddle onto waves but

nd themselves wanting more once they get to their feet. Length in small

waves kills all opportunities for quick short arc surng particularly with

ththruster set ups. As I have said before keep it short, add area forward

and minimize rocker under the chest and you will have a paddler, add four

ns and you have a performer.

The Pseudo Quad is an update of the standard quad which performs better

in power due to the longer vee in the tail and area forward type plan-shape.

The swallow tail is the tail of preference in this model as it is in most shes

in this dimension. Bottom line is for those who dug the Pseudo sh the

last ten years, this model takes us into a new type of ride, one riddled with

hyper speed and the shortest of arcs.

Bourton 09 Range

At last Muzza has popped out a little brick for those who want real

short and real fat. Still retaining all what he has learnt with quad

shes over the last 5 years the Sumo retains all the smart lines

inherent in his sophisticated quad designs but blatantly dares

you to try and sink her.

The “High-Performance Retro” gives you the buoyancy and paddle power

you need without sacricing performance. A unique combination of a

wider nose template, lower nose rocker and a double-yer swallow gives

you a short board that’s loose and manoeuvrable, but still allows you to

easily paddle into waves. Perfect for the big fella or someone wanting to

come down in board length. It also boasts a unique uted concave

ththrough the back yer. Creating lift and bight, giving the board an added

lively feel under your feet.

Bourton 09 Range

I have positioned this ridge about 2 ½ inches in from the plan shape. The vee

in the tail and concave through the centre have been eased back slightly in

order to blend rail lines more comfortably but are still radical by most standards.

The plan shape is a bit more tapered and streamlined almost bullet like which

has given it more drive.

The Mini-Mini is aimed at a few niche markets from young girls, to guys

who want an alternative to a sh design, or bigger guys who just want a

shorter board. Due to the width and forward atness this could be ridden

by a 90 kg surfer and also due to the 2 ¼ thinness it could also be managed

by somebody around 65 kgs.

Muzza’s Archives

The Big Boy is a scaled up version of the “Standard

Hip” models for the bigger guys who usually end

up with boats. Scaling is an art and one that

Murray Bourton has successfully achieved in many

facets of “bigger guy’s designs”. The concept here is

to expand every feature evenly so there is no

disdistortion in any particular area of the surfboard.

“A High Performance Board for the Bigger Guys”

The Standard Hip is Murray Bourton’s high

performance short board. The plan shape incorporates

a single to double concave and a unique design feature

called the “Hip”. The Hip is located towards the mid to

lower section of the board. The purpose of the “Hip” is

to allow water to ow freely from the rails to increase

aacceleration. This plan shape distortion is loose and

fast, the Standard Hip is a must in all advanced surfers

quivers. “This is a Standard Contemporary High

Performance Short Board”

Old faithful. The Pseudo Fish is one of Murray’s

most successful shapes. Designed for every body

shape & versatile enough to be used in all

conditions, the Pseudo Fish is the ultimate

all-rounder. A little wider through the centre,

with a vee into a semi-bonza carved into the

bbottom, allows this board to excel in both

powerful & gutless waves alike.