Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, Jaco Taljaard began surfing at 16 at South Beach, Addington. Coming from an Afrikaans family, he quickly developed a deep passion for the sport, spending countless hours exploring the waves along the South Coast of KZN and Jeffreys Bay. What started as repairing his own boards soon grew into fixing boards for friends, laying the foundation for his craft.
After traveling through Europe, Indonesia, and Australia, Jaco fully committed to surfboard shaping in 2018, beginning in Jeffreys Bay where he hand-shaped boards for five years before evolving into computer-aided design and CNC profiling. Known for his love of resin tints and attention to detail, he focuses on creating boards that are not only visually unique but also strong and performance-driven.
Jaco is deeply passionate about building surfboards and often reflects on wishing he had started sooner. Despite the challenges of operating in a small-town economy, he remains fully committed to his craft and the lifestyle it represents.