ABOUT DALE CHAPMAN

Who am I?

My name is Dale Chapman. I’m stoked to be able to say that I’ve been creating surf, foil and paddleboards for 35 years – it’s my passion. Made by Dale Chapman is not a large board-production company and I have no desire to make it one. My goal is to create custom boards for each of my customers, the team and I work on each board as if it was my own.  

What do I do?

I hand-craft and produce custom design, shape and glass surfboards, foil boards, clubby boards, rescue boards, wave skis and stand-up paddleboards from my factory in Currumbin, Gold Coast, Australia.

I design each board to suit the individual customer starting with weight, rocker, and nose and tail design and continuing through to the colours, spray and decals. I personally shape, glass, design and oversee the production of every board the DC factory creates, ensuring each one is made with a unique level of precision that results in an innovative and cutting-edge design.

Made by Dale Chapman is one of the small collection of companies that custom-make Foil, Surf, Sup Boards in Australia. I’m proud to be one of them. 

What makes Made by Dale Chapman great?

Made by Dale Chapman includes a team of extraordinary board engineers, sprayers and team riders, all of which contribute to research and design. As a team, we keep on top of industry trends and the latest technology and materials which results in superior design and production.

Our boards are ridden by the world’s best and are shipped into both domestic and global markets. 

Our success is based on the fact that we listen to what our customers want, understand what they are hoping to achieve on the water and know what they need in a delivered board that will exceed their expectations. 

We have the advantage of making new boards daily using our in-house CNC machine. Thereafter we test them in various conditions locally and throughout the world. We have the luxury of refining our designs and making new and improved boards the very next day. 

How it Started

Growing up in Mermaid Beach, Gold Coast, I found myself involved with the local surf club, that’s where it all started. In fact, I have a long connection with Victoria Surf Life Saving through my Grandfather being a foundation member of the Torquay SLSC.

Living in Ventura road Mermaid Gold Coast just a few meters from the beach was the ideal spot for a young grom like myself. It was a natural progression to move into surfing; I clearly remember looking at the boys out the back and wanted a piece of the action. Surfing was my thing from the age of 13. 

Riding a 5’4” twin fin at the age of 14 years, I won my first surf contest at Miami High School, shortly afterwards, I was riding for Mango, Billabong and Hot Tuna as a kid.

Over the years I have owned various companies, Doctor Ding Surf Repairs, Shapetech, DC Surf, Chapman Surf Boards, DC Paddleboards and now Made by Dale Chapman. 

My surfboard shaping years were great, having worked with City Beach surf stores for eight years and having 18 staff, making an estimated 16,000 boards during that time. Chapman Designs also had a clothing line it was huge in Japan and Australia… it was crazy times; especially in Japan, they treated me like a celebrity.

This ran its course, and I was forced to re-invent myself. I have to thank Jamie Mitchell and co who I saw surfing a 12” SUP’s at Burleigh Heads, and thought wow this could be the way to go! 

My business initially kicked off producing surfing shortboards, and the company has moved with me to follow a sport that I’m personally passionate about and heavily involved within. 

My first board was a 27’’ wide one (the biggest blank Burfords had at the time). Things have certainly progressed over the years, my latest design being a DC NSP 17’’ 10 which Travis Grant, DC NSP Team Rider raced and won the prestigious M20 in August 2015.

Over the past 30 years, I surfed throughout some amazing locations, Indo, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, and my all-time favourite break Burleigh, Gold Coast. 

I’ve also had the luxury of foil surfing /sup and stand up paddling locally and internationally within numerous competitions, teaching adults and kids and most importantly catching waves and doing foil down winders with friends for over 15 years. 

The reason I started this business was to fuel my passion for this incredible sport. Most importantly, I love to see my customers and friends, from beginners through to the elite on the water with massive smiles on a wave or a runner!