Watch: Downsizing with Mitchell Rae

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

He twigged to concave long before other shapers and pushed flex experimentation beyond Greenough's orbit. For a softly spoken fella, there's been a lot of lightbulbs flashing inside Mitchell Rae's head. The one that burned brightest, however, was that which beckoned him to slow down, pull back from a big operation, make fewer surfboards but invest more of himself into each one of them.

It's only a short vid, a simple message, but a good reminder about priorities.

A reminder also that Mitchell is still there in his Urunga factory assembling his immaculate Outer Island boards.

Comments

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 18 May 2018 at 1:14pm

That was wonderful.

He has obviously made lots of good decisions, and has ended up happy and content, as opposed to jaded and bitter. Bravo!

bishmann's picture
bishmann's picture
bishmann Friday, 18 May 2018 at 1:20pm

he makes some REALLY good surfboards , and is a top bloke to boot a real Aussie legend .

sanded's picture
sanded's picture
sanded Friday, 18 May 2018 at 3:43pm

He's a legend! Been working with him with some of our alternative materials and also some new carbons so he could "keep up with the young kids" ( his words). The new boards coming out from him are looking Epic!

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Friday, 18 May 2018 at 4:25pm

That’s pretty much a template for happiness right there.

freddieffer's picture
freddieffer's picture
freddieffer Friday, 18 May 2018 at 4:42pm

As a long time Outer man, it's true there's a part of Mitchell 'soul' in his boards, each one is something special and rides beautifully - that's it for me; it doesn't get any better than that.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Friday, 18 May 2018 at 4:44pm

refreshing.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 18 May 2018 at 5:54pm

I really like the look of his boards and the different ideas V stringer, flex tails etc and they are like works of arts, but I've always been disappointed and find it even strange that he hasn't experimented more with materials (or at least offer different builds)

philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizingkerching's picture
philosurphizing... Saturday, 19 May 2018 at 8:21am

Back in 2011 he brought a quiver of balsa boards to the Currumbin wooden surfboard day.
http://woodensurfboards.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/wooden-board-day-2011.html

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 19 May 2018 at 8:43am

Flextail Balsa thats a interesting build.

dandandan's picture
dandandan's picture
dandandan Saturday, 19 May 2018 at 9:34am

Great little video. Mitchell has made me a couple of boards and it's always such an enjoyable process; very personal, a keen listener, an intuitive understanding of what I need based on the feelings and wave I describe to him. A funny bloke too!

The moments I get to ride his boards in good waves do, to use his words, resonate. On those days I feel I'm surfing in a different space - faster, more powerful, more connected to the wave. Just somehow different. Still haven't put the 8'0 I just got in the water, but it'll undoubtedly be a special moment paddling it into the first big one in Indo this year.

tsunalu's picture
tsunalu's picture
tsunalu Sunday, 20 May 2018 at 8:37pm

Mitchell is a top craftsman, had a blizzard night in Japan with him. He made me this magic board that had speed fins in it. Had some epic sessions on it, took off back side near launching pads late, tail slid but the ship steadied, me or Mitch? When the fins fell out in Hawaii, Mitch organised a re fit from Gerry cousin. Shoots Buddha is well hooked up.
Aloha Nui Loa,
Goggo

Elliedog's picture
Elliedog's picture
Elliedog Monday, 21 May 2018 at 10:53am

This is fantastic. I recently had a nag and a beer with Sam Egan. Another legend of our community/lifestyle. Not as out there as Mitchell's designs but a deep thinker. Handshaping everything. doing a fair amount of boards for large surf. Would be another great article subject i'm sure Stu.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Monday, 21 May 2018 at 1:27pm

Sure would be. I gotta put aside a few days and head north with my tape recorder.

sanded's picture
sanded's picture
sanded Tuesday, 22 May 2018 at 12:32am

If you are coming north you should drop in on the way Stu!

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 22 May 2018 at 9:03am

Totally.

the-u-turn's picture
the-u-turn's picture
the-u-turn Monday, 21 May 2018 at 1:25pm

No that's refreshing. What a great little vignette and a great story. Much enjoyed.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 22 May 2018 at 7:15pm

Nice guy , great surfboards.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Tuesday, 22 May 2018 at 7:36pm

Fucking Hell Albertinelli are you in a Coma Mate ?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 23 May 2018 at 12:45pm

Who’s Albertinelli?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 23 May 2018 at 2:30pm

A racehorse -
owned by Kerry1....a great Fan of Mitchells but dont post much anymore
come back Kezza/ Albertinelli we love your work..

GM's picture
GM's picture
GM Thursday, 24 May 2018 at 5:38pm

Russell Crowe has to play Mitchell in the movie

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Sunday, 18 Nov 2018 at 9:39pm

Chambered blank and stringer.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 4:50pm

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 5:40pm

Would love to order one in person.

Taprobane's picture
Taprobane's picture
Taprobane Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 5:53pm

What a great body of work in that clip. Something to be very proud of. Not bad blowing on the harp to boot.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 6:15pm

one of my very big regrets in surfing is that I sold the only Outer Island board I ever had.

a 6'5" flex tail that went insane at G-Land but that I couldn't get to go on my backhand at home.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 6:22pm

I remeber seeing pics of that beauty .

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 7:05pm

I have a 7'6" gloss-coated, blood red, flex tail Zen Blade that has never been surfed...and sometimes I wonder if it ever will be.

Occasionally I go out to the shed, pull it out of its board bag and rub my hands over it, admire the construction, the curves, and the aesthetics...and then I wonder how I'd feel if, say, my leggy snapped and I lost it on the rocks at the point. Shudder to think.

It's as good as a Lopez Bolt in my eyes. An heirloom board.

Don't know how that'll work with one board and three sons, but that's for them to figure out.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Aug 2021 at 7:50pm

Where did it end up Freeride ?
https://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/12226