Find Your
Shape.
Hand made in South Africa, PU resin tint. Pick your shape below, then your size and colour.
Six shapes, hand made in South Africa.
All six shapes, hand shaped in South Africa. Pick yours below.
By now, you know we're a family brand. Everyone's invited, and we've never been about leaving anyone behind — that's been true since day one, and it still is.
But families grow. We noticed a gap in our surfboard range — a few of you were ready to move on from your softboard, but weren't sure where to next. So we built you a new room in the family house: say hello to RYD Surfboards.
Hand-crafted in South Africa, our surfboard range is an extension of who we are — fun, inclusive, and designed to grow with your surfing. Whichever shape you pick, we're confident of two things: it's the perfect step up from a softboard, or the perfect addition to a quiver you already love.
You don't need to surf like a world champion to RYD our boards — you just need a love of the ocean, a few mates, and a couple of waves. RYD Surfboards. Seriously Fun!
Short, wide and fast off the mark — built to keep you moving through smaller, weaker waves. Hand shaped in South Africa, PU resin tint.
Flat, fast and loose — that train-track feeling of drive on open face walls. Hand shaped in South Africa, PU resin tint.
Bridges the gap between shortboard and longboard — paddle power meets classic lines. Hand shaped in South Africa, PU resin tint.
The perfect transition board — turn on a dime, catch more waves. Hand shaped in South Africa, PU resin tint.
A classic all-rounder — perfect for a fun frolic, holds its own when it gets serious. Hand shaped in South Africa, PU resin tint.
Traditional log design — rolled deck, low rails, effortless noseriding. Hand shaped in South Africa, PU resin tint.
Shaping ShaperX
From board repairs to head shaper — 27 years in the making
Ian Kitching learned to surf in the wave-rich waters of Port Alfred, in South Africa's Eastern Cape. As a self-confessed late starter waitering to make ends meet, secondhand boards and hand-me-downs filled his racks — and that's where his creative flair started to kick in.
It began with a favour for a mate: a promise to shape a custom board if the money came together. Ian travelled to East London to buy a blank from legendary shaper Andrew Carter, who showed him the shaping-bay basics and sent him on his way. "I didn't really know what I was doing, but at the end of the day it was a board," Ian laughs. "The glassing wasn't the best either, but that's how it all started!"
From there, the bug had bitten. A personal loan, a set of power tools, and enough materials for around seven boards later, Ian was in business — repairing boards alongside his fledgling custom label. He eventually settled in George, ramping up his own production under a simple philosophy: keep it simple, don't over-design, and always under-promise and over-deliver.
After 27 years in the game, Ian's found his sweet spot. "Making boards is a lovely thing to be involved in — it's very creative, and I find a large amount of job satisfaction out of the process. It gets me back to the trestles every day, and the feedback from customers amps me up!"
Ian is head shaper at ShaperX, based in Cape Town, South Africa — where every RYD Surfboard is hand-crafted.