Much more to life than surfing for Sandon Point Boardriders

At Sandon Point Boardriders Club, it's great if you can carve up one of the break's epic right-handers – but being a good human being is what really matters.

Club president Karl Lavis, a lifelong Bulli resident, says the outfit offers more than 250 members a healthier, more connected lifestyle, both in and out of the water.

“We’re all just one big family, really... There's a lot of respect. That's what we're all about,” he says.

Karl was born in Bulli and was under 10 years old when he joined the club. He says he was “pretty lucky” to grow up surfing with local kids after school. Now leading the club, he ensures the next generation has the same opportunities to form lasting bonds through the ocean.

“We not only try and produce good surfers – we try to produce good humans. Like we call ourselves the family club. It’s not all about surfing,” Karl says.

Aside from the physical health benefits of regular exercise, members become part of a family that spans generations and supports the local community through extensive fundra ising efforts, raising up to $10,000 for local groups such as Talk2MeBro, the Disabled Surfers Association and the Cancer Carers.

“Anyone in need, we’ve done fundraisers for. We’re always ready to help out. We just try to let the kids know it's not all about surfing – there are other things to life than surfing.”

The club fosters intergenerational friendships, with members ranging from age six to 70-somethings. To make sure everyone gets time in the water, the club holds separate competition weekends: seniors compete on every third Sunday of the month, while the little ones take over on the fourth Sunday.

“We’ve got guys in their 60s now that we call the grand dukes, and they still come and surf. The young kids listen to the stories of the old guys ... you can hear all the good stories about times past,” Karl says.

“And it’s great physically because you use every part of your body when you’re surfing – it’s a great fitness tool, and you can do it all year round. It’s on our doorstep; you don’t have to travel. It’s pretty accessible for everyone. It’s sort of low impact on the body too.”

Sandon Point Boardriders participate in major national events, including the Australian Boardriders Battle at Burleigh Heads. The club is a competitive powerhouse, having produced three Australian champions in the past 12 months – Sammy Lowe (under 18s), Jed Ashton (open men’s), and Taj Air (under 16s). For Karl, the club’s competitive success is a point of pride, but maintaining the club’s accessibility remains a priority.

“We’re lucky enough to go to Queensland every year... we've always finished on the top of the South Coast clubs. The highest we got was equal third a couple of years ago... we're always swinging above our weight for just a little town club,” Karl says.

“We’ve always been pretty competitive, which is good. But I think we’ve got the best young group of kids coming through now that we’ve ever had, there’s more young girls coming in as well, and they’re great.”

The club’s supportive atmosphere extends to mental health, providing members with a sanctuary from the pressures of daily life.

“I think people get a lot out of surfing... it's pretty much the only place in life these days you can get away from everything. You get away from the rat race, you're just out there by yourself... I think it's a great outlet," Karl says.

The club has grown significantly, often exceeding 250 members in recent years. This growth has pushed the club to its maximum capacity, requiring a dedicated team of volunteers and local sponsors to manage the annual cost of sending teams to events. Despite the logistical challenges, the club remains a cornerstone of the Bulli community.

“We’re nearly at the limit now. We’re setting up in the dark and packing up in the dark now... it's a pretty much maxed-out capacity,” Karl says.

“Sending out teams, boys and girls, last financial year, I think it cost us over 30 grand. That’s all fundraised – it’s all donations, fundraising and sponsorship. It’s pretty hard to run a club these days – everything's so expensive. If we send a team away to Queensland, it’s like five to 10 grand just for accommodation.”

The club relies heavily on sponsorships and the generosity of the Bulli business community to bridge the gap.

“Most of our money comes through sponsorship,” Karl says. "It’s all local businesses. Even if they're only giving you a couple of hundred dollars, if you get 10 of those, there's a couple of grand. It all adds up.”

When sponsorships aren't enough, the club turns to creative community efforts. 

“If we have a big event, we'll do a fundraiser and raffle. We had a big fundraiser for Sammy Lowe so we could give him some funds to go to the world titles over in Peru. We ended up raising over 10 grand for him.”

Membership registration and sponsorship drives typically align with the start of the competitive season in early March.

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