Pierre, Camille and Bastien’s Wooden Surfboard Workshop Experience

Each member of the family had travelled from international locations to the UK so it was pretty special for them all to be spending a whole week together at the Otter workshop.

Pierre and Mathilde travelled from their home in Zurich, Switzerland, Pierre had arranged for the family to attend the workshop after reading James’s book, ‘Do Make’. Not considering himself a practical person, he had wanted to share a making experience with his kids, the fact the whole family surfs and they would all have new surfboards would be a bonus! Pierre would be making a 9’1 Wicket which he hoped to surf at his old home break back in Capbreton, France where he had grown up.

Camille would be making a 7’4 Island Hopper, the perfect board to help progress her surfing and catch lots of waves, exactly the reasons why she had chosen the shape. She had travelled to the UK from Canada where she works for a health tech startup, quite far removed from woodworking and the new skill sets that she would be taking in her stride throughout the week.

Bastien chose to make a 6’2 Swift, a board he wanted to allow progressive surfing whilst still having plenty of volume. He had travelled from Lausanne, where he studies mechanical engineering with a view to moving into green energy solutions, which fit perfectly with our outlook here at Otter, thus providing the basis for interesting conversations throughout the week.

Mother Mathilde was on hand throughout the week, lending her talents at each set of trestles to help bring the three surfboards to life, this was especially helpful on big Wednesday when the deck skins are glued down. Having the family in the workshop provided such a fun, wholesome atmosphere, with everyone keen to help on each other’s boards during different stages of making.

For the whole family to have made the effort to travel internationally, with the extra hassle of navigating various Covid related obstacles, spending time together is something they clearly value, and we are so happy to have been a part of the experience!

Thanks so much for joining us Family Labat!

If you would like to find out more about booking onto a workshop course, please click here.