Victorian Design
Templates and construction choices are shaped around the realities of Victorian waves, from beach breaks to points and reefs.
Melbourne Surfboard Shop
Zak Surfboards
Zak Surfboards is an Australian surfboard brand owned and operated by Zak Koniaras. The boards reflect Victorian surf conditions and are developed with the experience of local shapers, glassers, and surfers.
The brand sits behind Melbourne Surfboard Shop as a boutique surfboard label, while the retail shop continues to serve Melbourne surfers through Thornbury, online, and the Newport vending machine.
Brand
Built From Surfboard Craft
Local Knowledge
Zak has worked with names including Doug Rogers, Michael Anthony, Kent Mulligan, and Alan "Rousa" Rowsell.
Since 1999
The Thornbury retail story began in 1999 and grew from backyard shaping, repairs, and custom boards.
Workshop
Boards, Blanks & Shaping
History
From Tin Shed To Thornbury
First boards in Viewbank
Zak shaped his first surfboard at 13 in a tin shed beside his parents' house in Viewbank, travelling to the Mornington Peninsula for blanks and resin.
Repairs and custom boards
The backyard business grew from repairs for friends into shaping custom boards and doing repair work for local surf shops.
Thornbury store, 1999
Zak opened a small Thornbury retail store in 1999, focused on surfboards and surf hardware rather than fashion-led surf retail.
307 Victoria Road
The shop later moved into the corner premises at 307 Victoria Road, building one of Victoria's strongest surf hardware and surfboard ranges.
Archive
Original Thornbury Stores
The Surfboard Studio
Teaching The Craft
In 2014 Zak opened The Surfboard Studio in Preston, offering small-group instruction in surfboard shaping, design, glassing, and sanding. The aim is to share handcrafting skills and explain how surfboard designs work across different waves.
Shaping Knowledge
Courses focus on the practical craft behind building surfboards and understanding how design choices affect performance.
Tools & Materials
The studio shop supports surfboard builders with equipment, tools, and materials for different types of surf craft.
Shaping SuppliesNow
Melbourne Surfboard Shop
After more than twenty years as Zak Surfboards, the retail business became Melbourne Surfboard Shop in December 2020. The rebrand widened the shop's role while keeping the same focus on surfboards, hardware, repairs, service, and local knowledge.
Zak Surfboards continues as a surfboard brand, leaving the broader retail offer to Melbourne Surfboard Shop.