Wooden Surfboard Focus: The 9’1 Wicket

The Wicket is a longboard that James designed in his journey to seek a genuine ‘one-board-quiver’. This board is made to be ridden in almost anything the conditions in Cornwall will throw at you.

It has a good amount of volume for a 9’1 and a relatively low rocker line with a small lift in the nose and tail, so it will paddle and catch waves with ease. Then, when you get to the nose, you’ll find a shallow concave that’ll provide control, hold and lift underneath a solid platform.

When the waves get a bit bigger, you’ll probably spend more time at the back of the board as it’s a dream to surf off the tail, running along big open faces and drawing big sweeping turns.

Click the boardrack briefing video below for more info and scroll down for reviews!

“From first glance it looked around 9ft, smooth pintail, straight single and the sort of template that’s going to feel familiar as soon as you jump on it.

It felt weighty under my arm with a nice bit of volume running through the middle. In small clean waves this weight turned into an effortless glide cutting through what was left of the back wash, pulling a predictable line off the bottom and setting a high confident line.  A better surfer would do more, but for me on a quiet morning on an early start taking one step to the middle and finding that line was the aim.”

Rob, 2019

“I’m starting to get the feel for the Wicket. It’s so easy to stroke into waves. I went with some friends a couple of weeks ago and I must have caught three times the number of waves they did. It has so much drive, and I’ve had some super long rides on it.

One of the things I’m really enjoying is that I feel the board forces you to move on the board to react to what the wave is doing. I’m loving the different feel and experience it gives.

I read somewhere that a hollow wooden board allows you to feel more of the wave as the energy is transmitted through the more rigid structure more directly than a foam board, which absorbs more of the energy before it reaches your feet. So the wave feels more alive. I’d say that is a pretty good description.”

Martin, 2023 workshopper

Here are some stories from folks who have joined us to make their own 9’1 Wicket wooden surfboard over 5 days and then paddled out to slide along a few waves…

All of our sustainable, hollow wooden surfboards are made using wood from local, regenerative woodlands and are intended for a lifetime of waves.