Australia enjoys endless surf and sunshine. But extreme weather conditions can wreak havoc to imported inflatable boats. Rob Thomas, a life-long surf life saver, has spent the last 25 years using his expert knowledge to build the majority of Australia’s surf rescue boats, through Thundercat Inflatables.
A boat-maker by trade, Rob explains he was approached by Surf Life Saving Australia in 1990 to make inflatables for them. “Because we are all life savers and we use these products in our surf clubs, we know all the flaws in the imported craft. Timber transoms, irrespective of it being marine ply, will eventually soak up water and break. I prevented that by making all my transoms fibreglass. And there are lots of other fixes we made.”
He wanted to make the boats idiot-proof. And they did. “We have never had a boat come back with any failures, which is a testament to our product. The only repairs we do get are clubbies putting holes in them with the anchor. Stupid things happen. But hey, they are volunteers, and they are never going to be as careful as owners.”
Being used in rescue environments, Rob points out that the certification process is extremely stringent. “The boats must spend one to two years travelling around Australia, from the hottest to the coldest regions, and stay in each region for three months. They literally flog it to make sure the boat does not fall apart, and the fabric and glue survive our conditions. A lot of imported boats might look good, but because they are not built for our regions, they just fall apart on the super-hot days.”
He has been asked to export the boats, but he says that the demand domestically is very high. “We have had many offers to ship overseas, but we cannot because our supply is in such demand. We’re booked ahead till October this year!”
They can only build six boats per month because it takes 110 hours to build each one. Rob explains the hands-on work needed to build these boats. “Nothing can be automated. The Hypalon rubber can only be hand-glued. We start with a roll of material, pull it out, mark it up with a pattern, and cut it out. Once the pontoons are glued together, the transom and floor sail go on and we end up with a boat.”
Despite constant calls to expand, Rob explains he’s very happy with the size of his business now. “We have a very comfortable level. Clubs are very happy with it too. They know it is a 12-month waiting list, so often they order two boats at once. Even though they know they can go to an importer and buy out of the container, they opt not to. They want quality, not something that will need to be sent back and repaired.”
Rob is a huge fan of Thundercat racing, so much so that he named his Thundercat business after the sport. Unlike the surf rescue boats Rob makes, which are limited to 25hp because of weight restrictions, the Thundercats pack 50hp engines. “When I was first told these boats could pull a barefooter behind I did not believe it. But then I saw it and said, ‘Wow!’ The boats weigh just 75kg, so the power-to-weight ratio is incredible. I was a five-time Australian champion, and I came second at the world titles in 2000. I missed out on first by one point, and between second and third there was 43 points. I have always loved the surf, so I excelled in Thundercat racing because I can read the surf. I have spent so much time breaking through surf in life saving, so I know where a wave will break, when it will break, and where the channel is. When I’m racing, and I head out to the ocean, I know exactly where to go. I’m suffering a bit these days after a few broken bones but I would not trade it for anything.”
He is content with his business, but the passion is more evident. “I’m 59 and could easy retire in a few years. But I told my wife it would probably be 10 more years, because I enjoy coming to work. We are on the water a lot, testing the boats, and I just love it!”
Thundercat Inflatables employs seven people and is the only inflatable rescue boat manufacturer in Australia. “My family, all of my staff and I can go to any beach in Australia and see our products there and say, ‘I built that’. We are super proud to be an Aussie company building these boats for an Aussie icon.”
By Narayan Pattison
