Torren Martyn
Rediscovering an Old Friend - needessentials

Shaper Simon Jones had met a fellow surfer who had been riding a bike across Australia with a surfboard in tow. With room for only one board, the choice had to be made — what would suffice for small north coast point breaks, a variety of beach breaks, reefs, and large surf?

Working with this simple idea, Simon, together with surfer Torren Martyn, ventured into a space not previously seen in surfboard innovation. The mid-length channel bottom keel twin was born — the simple idea of a one-board quiver coming together with the latest innovations the pair had been developing in high-performance twins.

Recently, on a brief visit to a friend’s house, Torren unearthed the original 7’9” channel bottom twin, tucked beneath a house for several years. Rediscovering this old friend, she was soon cleaned up, slipped into a board bag, and headed south to meet a Southern Ocean swell making its way toward the Victorian coast.

The last time this board had been given a real run was in perfect Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, many years ago — an experience that inspired numerous iterations and evolutions of its original form. Not retrospective in any manner, but instead existing within a new space in surfboard history that had not previously been witnessed.

True to its original intention, the 7’9” came alive quickly in the Victorian swell and again proved to be one of the most enjoyable experiences — allowing early entry, long drawn-out lines, and hyper speed and flow, the kind where you just lay back and enjoy the canvas reeling off in front of you.

In the upper echelon of competitive surfing, innovation often comes in micro-adjustments over time. However, for the majority of us, innovation can happen at any point. Simply taking the idea of your own needs and working with a shaper to produce something designed for your journey can result in new elements, new experiences, and new spaces. That’s what’s exciting about design — a simple idea can lead you on a whole new ride.

Rediscovering an Old Friend is a needessentials short film by Harry Dott featuring Torren Martyn and the voice of Simon Jones

Surfboards by Simon Jones Designs - https://www.simonjonesdesigns.com/

South African Footage from the feature film 'Thank You Mother' - Ishka Folkwell 

Bells Beach Footage - Harry Dott, Milo Inglis & Hugh Warner

Editing, Colouring and Sound engineering - Harry Dott 

Still Imagery - Katey Shearer & Frankie Kaye

Executive producer - Ryan Scanlon /  Logistics - Jackson Perry / Music Licensing - Chris McDonald

Music in order of appearance:  

‘One Rung Ladder’ 
Steven R. Smith 
From the L.P Triecade released 
2025 by Worstward Recordings 
https://worstward.bandcamp.com/track/...

‘Abraka’ 
The Funkees
Written by Harry Agada, Sonny Akpan, Danny Heibs, Chyke Madu, Jake Sollo 
Published by Gaga Music Pty Ltd obo Third Side Music Inc
2012 Soundway Records Ltd - License courtesy of Gaga Music Pty Ltd
https://soundwayrecords.bandcamp.com/...

‘Black Teardrops’
Movement in the City
Composed by Pops Mohamed
Courtesy As-Shams Archive - License courtesy Calum MacNaughton of Cape Town’s Sharp-Flat Music 
https://as-shams.bandcamp.com/album/b...

‘Abale Ndikuwuzeni’
Gasper Nali
Vocals, Percussion and Babatoni One String Bass performed by composer Gasper Nali 
Recorded in Nkhata bay, Malawi at Moto Wambili Studios by producer 
Mattias Stålnacke. Released and licensed by https://www.sparedogrecords.com/.
https://gaspernali.bandcamp.com/music 

'The Bleachers'
HEADLAND
Gus Agars: Drums, Dave Khan: Bass/Percussion/Mandolin/Viola/Melotron, Dan Luscombe: Guitar/Synth, Murray Paterson: Guitars/Bass & Michael White: Organ.
Recorded by Steve Law at Viscount Mobile  / Mixed by Christian Pyle at Prawn & Spanner
https://headland.bandcamp.com/music

Listen via needessentials films Spotify channel: https://open.spotify.com/user/jq6shgt...

We acknowledge the traditional owners the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin nation. We acknowledge their ancestors who cared for the lands, rivers and sea, and all living creatures for thousands of generations. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future who continue this path.

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