BUILD YOUR OWN WOODEN SURFBOARD
Work with the Grain Surfboards staff in building your own classic wooden longboard.
- MIKE LaVECCHIA & BRAD ANDERSON — JUNE 14–20
In this exciting seven-day workshop, students will learn to build a beautiful hollow wooden surfboard using a method devised by the crew at Maine-based Grain Surfboards. While most would associate foam and fiberglass as common materials for boards, the fact is that wooden boards have been accepted and widely used since the first surfers rode waves thousands of years ago. Applying the least environmentally damaging techniques of modern surfboard construction, hollow wooden boards are a natural progression back to the first boards. Hollow boards are not only lighter, but for many surfers have also greatly improved performance.
Grain Surfboards was founded in 2005 in York, Maine. Their early goals were to combine the traditions and early handcrafted aspects of the sport with the needs of today’s surfers. With boatbuilding and custom cabinetry backgrounds, the founders of Grain Surfboards began building fully functional, aesthetically beautiful, and environmentally friendly surfboards using selected boatbuilding techniques. These include the use of Maine-grown Northern white cedar for planking, bead-and-cove strips for building up the rail shapes, edge-tool work for shaping, etc. The shape of their surfboards, like most boats, begins with the internal frame consisting of a keel and frames.
Students will have the option to build one of the following boards: 8' Steamer— a mini-tanker designed as a transitional board or longboard for a smaller surfer; 9' Root—often called a “performance nose rider” that catches waves easily while the thinner nose and tail allow maximum maneuverability; 10' Waterlog—a traditional log built to catch most anything and offers unparalleled glide down the line. Mike and Brad will guide each student through the easy step-by-step process to ensure each board will be a one-of-a-kind, functional board that will last a lifetime.
Students will learn basic surfboard design concepts, the simple application of steam to manipulate wood into shapes, adhesive applications, ’glassing, and effective use of epoxy. Fiberglassing demonstrations will be held in the evenings to help students with the basics. At week’s end, each student will take home his/her own brand new board with the skills and confidence needed for fiberglassing and finishing.
Tuition: $850
Materials: 8' Steamer –$825, 9' Root – $875, 10' Waterlog– $875
Note: This is a special seven-day course beginning Sunday morning and ending Saturday afternoon.