Make Your Own Wooden Surfboard Workshop: What’s Your Why?

18 . 11 . 17

The community of surfers who have passed through our workshop over the years is a beautifully broad spectrum representing the 21st Century surfer. Over the course of their week spent making and shaping a wooden surfboard conversations often touch on how a person came across us, and why they ultimately chose to spend a week of their holiday with us in the workshop rather than ordering a custom surfboard or buying “off-the-rack”. These conversations often lead on to inform the decisions that we make as a business, keeping workshopper experiences at the heart of our own “why”.The week before last we were joined by three lovely individuals, and thought it a great opportunity to ask them the big question, “What’s your why?” and share their answers with you. Their answers were as varied as they were as people, and we know that if we asked every single one of the people who have ever made a surfboard with us, no two answers would be the same.

“I’ve always enjoyed the idea of “making” but whenever I put my hands to work, the results never quite lived up to my vision.

The boards and brand/ethos that Otter has developed with years of dedication are not only stunning but pretty awe-inspiring. Having the opportunity to spend a week learning new skills is one thing, but doing it in an environment where you can completely remove yourself from your usual stresses of work and life, turned out to be an experience with untold benefits!

I’ve loved surfing for over a decade; boards have come and gone, but this one will be with me until its time to pass it on…”

Stewart MacFarlane

“This is actually the first surfboard that I have ever owned. Having rented surfboards for years, I wanted my first board to be something special and what could be more special than handcrafting your own surfboard out of wood?”

Greg Johnstone

“My wife bought the course for me as a fortieth birthday present after she saw me on the Otter Surfboards website buying a pair of DaFins.

However, this is one of a succession of making courses that I have been on over the years – the next one I’ve booked onto is (somewhat appropriately, because I live in Switzerland) making a cowbell.

When anyone can buy anything, anytime, making something tangible that has both function and form invests it with a value beyond the price you could pay for an off-the-shelf option.”

Jonathan Emery