Chris, Mike and Tommy’s Wooden Surfboard Workshop Experience

With all three workshoppers finally able to join us following various lengths of postponement, and it being the first time this year 3 wooden surfboards could be made side by side on our trestles, the anticipation was felt by everyone on Monday morning. After chatting over tea and coffee the internal frames of the surfboards were pieced together in readiness for gluing onto the bottom skin.

Monday is usually a great time to get to know more about our workshoppers as it is the day with the least making and serves as a gentle introduction to the week.

Chris joined us from Somerset and although he had never surfed, he had always been interested in woodwork and saw our workshop week as an opportunity to explore the making process, away from his day job in commercial insurance. Chris would be making an Island Hopper with a double sandwich layup, a board he hoped his children would one day surf on.

Mike joined us from Winchester where he works in engineering. A big surfer, he told us stories about living in California and going on various surf trips around the world, riding a range of surfboards throughout his time in the water. Mike would be making a Barque with a double sandwich layup and was already eyeing up a woodburner for next time to add to his quiver.

Tommy joined us from London where he works as a business strategist. He told us it was his first holiday in two years and was glad for the break and couldn’t wait to get stuck in to a new project. During lockdown Tommy made an Oak stand for a smoked ham and was keen to develop his woodworking skills further with five days in our workshop. He would be making a 7’2” Roller Coaster which he would be taking on surf trips in time away from London.

Midway through the week the decks had been glued down and after an evening of wonderful food from the Wilder Allotment Kitchen team, beer and folk music at the open air cafe next door, the shaping of the surfboards began. The workshoppers all embraced the process using hand planes and rasps to shape their newly created surfboards which were now well on their way to completion.

We rounded out the action packed week with a trip to St Agnes for lunch overlooking the beach (and the stunning surf) before the final shaping and sanding back at the workshop. Five days and three new wooden surfboards had been brought to form on our trestles ready for a lifetime of waves!

Huge thanks to Tommy, Chris and Mike for joining us!

If you’re interested in booking a make your own workshop course for yourself, or a loved one, hit the link here to see our available dates for next year.