Biggest Wave Ever Surfed

Treehouse Surf has been a passion project since 2006, operating out of a workshop in Helensburg. The aim has always been to craft surfboards that are both sustainable and durable, and the journey has been incredibly rewarding.

There’s a particular board that came about in an unexpected way. The first prototype was shaped back in 2015. At that time, the focus was on running surfboard shaping classes and working on a variety of boards. A trend was noticed among some respected Shapers who were creating longer fish boards, around 6’6″ or 7’0″. Initially, it was puzzling—why would anyone want a twin keel that long? But curiosity got the better of me, and the decision was made to create one just to see how it felt.

Inspired by the experimental work of others, like Mackie, who were playing with side cuts and unique outlines, a blank was found, and a bunch of ideas were thrown into it. The board was shaped, but it ended up sitting on the racks for about three years. At first, the look of it wasn’t particularly appealing, and there were other projects to focus on, so it just stayed there.

A trip to Bali eventually brought the board back into focus. It was finally glassed and sanded, albeit a bit roughly, and fitted with some old twin fins that were lying around. However, the first surf with it wasn’t impressive, and it felt off. The board was put back into storage, almost written off as a failed experiment.

Fast forward to 2020, with two kids in tow and not much surfing happening. A family road trip around Australia was planned, packing everything into a van and heading south to Tasmania. Despite not being thrilled with the board, there was a hunch that with specific fins, it might perform better. So, it was brought along, tied to the roof of the van.

When COVID hit in Tasmania, and with no fixed address, a friend fortunately offered a place on Bruny Island. Before arriving, some fiberglass and resin were picked up in Hobart, with the thought of finally making those new fins. During a two-week quarantine, a small workshop was set up, and the fins were shaped, hoping they would improve the board’s performance.

Once back in the water, the board came alive. Surfing a fast river mouth wave on Bruny Island, the board’s speed and maneuverability were exactly what was needed. The waves were small, about two to three feet, but the experience reignited a passion for surfing and even brought back the love for shaping.

This experience led to the creation of a new model, the “.” It’s designed for speed—getting into waves early, racing sections, and taking those high lines. It’s also versatile; the biggest wave of my life was caught during that period. The VELOCE is all about speed and catching waves, perfect for those conditions where an extra push is needed.

The story behind our VELOCE model twin-fin by Senor Friday senorfriday.com/https://t…