Strapper Surf Celebrates 50 Years With ‘The Surfer’s Shop’
Torquay surf institution Strapper Surf is marking its 50th anniversary in style, with the release of The Surfer’s Shop – 50 Years of Strapper Surfboards, a book that captures five decades of surfing, surfboard building and community on Victoria’s Surf Coast.
Strapper Surfboards was founded in Torquay in 1976 by Dennis ‘Strapper’ Day, with a simple mission: go surfing, make surfboards and hang out with his mates who surf. In 1979, a 15-year-old Mike ‘D’Sas’ Di Sciascio joined the crew, learning to shape boards in the original factory, a sheep shearing shed just up the road from Bells Beach. Ten years later, in 1989, Mike took over the business.
Fifty years on, Strapper is still locally owned and operated by Mike, and is still known on the Surf Coast as ‘The Surfers Shop’. It’s been quite the anniversary year, too: Strapper was named 2026 Australian Retailer of the Year | Core Board Store at the ASI Awards, a fitting honour in the year the business turned 50.
Five decades between the covers
Designed by Cooper Downes, the book is a celebration of all things Strapper, packed with interviews, photos, graphics, vintage surfboards and stories from the people who built the brand. It took the Strapper team around 18 months to bring together.
“When Dylan and Mike came to me asking whether I wanted to make the 50 Year Book, the immediate answer was yes! Whilst I hadn’t designed and put a book together before, the whole process, including interviewing people, analysing responses and finding key storylines, archiving old photos and graphics, and just seeing the smile on everyone’s faces who have been a part of the journey, has been so rewarding. This is a hard-copy time capsule that will last an eternity, and the experience is one money can never pay for. I’m absolutely rapt!”
– Cooper Downes, designer of The Surfer’s Shop
Even the cover has a story. It features Darren Wilcock at Winkipop in 2011, riding his ‘Magic Carpet’, a board shaped by D’Sas back in 1996. Darren only found out he’d made the cover when the book was unveiled on launch night.
A night to remember
More than 350 former staff, team riders, family members and industry partners gathered at Jan Juc Surf Life Saving Club to celebrate the launch. The night featured archival footage, live music and live interviews, a fitting celebration for a book that is all about the people behind the shop.
“The Strapper 50 year book process was in part like living my life over again, with so many memories, experiences and people over 50 years. Even more, it made me, and I think my team, realise just what ‘The Surfers Shop’ means and how lucky we are today to surf, make surfboards and hang out with crew that surf. I’m super proud of what Coops and our team have done, and grateful for so much support from our community. The future ahead for Strapper is looking great!”
– Mike ‘D’Sas’ Di Sciascio, owner of Strapper Surf
Congratulations to Mike and the entire Strapper crew on 50 years of keeping it local, and on a well-deserved win at this year’s ASI Awards.
The Surfer’s Shop – 50 Years of Strapper Surfboards is available now in Strapper stores and online for $99.95.
Photos: Michael Chambers / Surf Coast Times