Surfers embrace homegrown display racks made by Gold Coast business

High-profile surfers are helping a small Gold Coast business gain visibility in the display accessories market.

Shane Atkins with the Ghost Racks which display a Mark Richards surfboard in all its glory. Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS

CHAMPION surfers are helping a small Gold Coast business gain visibility in the display accessories market.

Ghost Racks is the brainchild of finance and property professional Shane Atkins and brother-in-law Darren Barnes, who is a plastics fabricator.

The business sells clear acrylic racks for the display of surfboards and its fanbase includes four-time world champion surfer Mark Richards and US surfer Jamie O’Brien.

Mr Atkins conceived the idea five years ago when he was looking to display a Mark Richards retro-style board in the home he was renovating.

Ghost Racks’ Shane Atkins is a massive fan of champion surfer Mark Richards. Richards uses Ghost Racks for his personal collection of surfboards.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BULLETIN: $5 A MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS

“Ninety-nine per cent of the racks were made out of timber, steel, aluminium and plastic,” he said.

“They looked big and bulky and I just thought, there has to be a better way of displaying a surfboard.

Mr Atkins said he wanted a product that didn’t distract the eye from viewing or displaying the surfboard and was discreet and easy to use.

He took the idea to Mr Barnes and the pair began work on creating acrylic racks for horizontal display.

“Clear acrylic is like glass. It is perfect for display purposes,” he said.

They sought to patent the idea but found it was not possible.

JHawaiian pro surfer Jamie O’Brien (right) pictured with Joel Blackwell.

RANKED: GOLD/TWEED COAST'S 10 BEST MALE SURFERS

“We could not get a patent because the first person who designed a surfboard rack has that,” he said. “However, we got a registered design which is the next best thing.”

Mr Atkins said by 2016 they set up the company and started selling the racks to family and friends. Towards the end of their first year they established an online store.

“It wasn’t easy to get the word out there. It has been a gradual build. We have been asked to do bricks and mortar retail but that’s not the direction we want to go in.”

The racks are not cheap.

A set of wall racks cost between $149 and $189 and stand-up (vertical) racks from $349 to $449.

Ghost Racks co-founder Shane Atkins. Picture: Jerad Williams

BEST OF THE COAST: TOP 10 SURF BREAKS AS VOTED BY YOU

However, Mr Atkins said those amounts pale in comparison to the tens of thousands of dollars many collectors will spend to acquire surfboards to display in their homes.

While the retail side has grown, the custom-made part of the business has surged ahead to make up 25 per cent of revenue.

Mr Atkins said this was a pleasing part of the operation.

“I get to talk to the client about how they want to display the board, where they want to put it, and that can take a few weeks,” he said.

“I like that because I get to here about their stories. Where the board comes from, who it was for. There is no one else out there doing custom.”

Sales average 30 to 40 units per month and are growing.

Museums have been early adopters of the racks.

Both the Fremantle Arts Museum in Western Australia and Australian National Surfing Museum in Victoria have used the racks for exhibitions.

Mr Atkins said in the future they wanted to produce racks for the display of other sporting equipment such as skateboards and wakeboards.

“We have a point of difference that is aesthetically pleasing,” he said.

“You see the surfboard for what it is rather than the rack holding it in place.”