Journal
The latest news and stories from our workshop, and beyond.
The latest news and stories from our workshop, and beyond.
Kurt arrived at the workshop on Monday morning, having driven his pick-up truck half way across Europe from Switzerland to come and spend a week building himself a wooden surfboard with us. Until he arrived we knew very little about him, as he had booked on to the course just a fortnight before it was due to start, however over the introductory cup of tea it became apparent that we had a craftsman in the workshop with us.
It’s lovely catching up with friends who have built surfboards with us in the past – that’s why we throw our “AGM” celebration every...
Earlier this year the guys over at Wavelength Magazine sat James down in their "Hot Seat" to ask him some questions about how Otter Surfboards came...
Every surfer around here is worn out at the moment, and in a really good way. April has been a bumper month for waves, with back-to-back swells,...
This week we've had Alan and a whole lot of sunshine in the workshop with us. Whilst the beach at the bottom of the hill has been intermittently...
On one of the walls of our workshop, between the rack that holds wooden surfboards in various stages of completion (from half-done to old-faithfuls still dripping with sea water) and the tool wall hangs a big red flag with a union jack in the top left corner. It's the one concession to "soft furnishings" in the workshop and being the only large block of bright colour on the wall it often draws some interest from visitors who ask what it is.
We feel very fortunate that our workshop is located where it is, not only because of its proximity to the beach and our homes, but because of the...
Last weekend saw the 2015 Approaching Lines International Festival of Surf (presented by Reef) go down just up the road from us in Newquay....
This time next week it will officially be summer; Cornwall is decorated yellow with daffodils lining the lanes and gorse flowers covering the...
The 6’10” Jetty was one of the first shapes that we developed here at Otter Surfboards, and it's one of the most recognisable surfboards in our...
One of the really special things about sharing what we do through our workshop courses is the fact that we almost inevitably form new friendships. It’s really lovely when, several weeks or months after helping somebody to build their own surfboard, bellyboard or handplane, we get a postcard through the letterbox or an e-mail with some photos attached, with stories of where friends are riding their new surfboards and how much they’re...
This winter we’ve been investing some time in materials research and development. With our backgrounds in design it’s important to all of us...
Every now and then we introduce a member of the Otter Surfboards team to you, so that should you happen to stop-by and visit the workshop one day...
The first workshop week of our 2015 programme ran this week, and it was wonderful to welcome a friend from just down the coast into the workshop....
Last September, just as the last of the summer warmth was preparing to give way to autumn, James managed to sneak in one final surf in boardshorts at...
At this time of year, living around here as a surfer, you’ve got to believe. If you don’t, then you might as well not bother investing in a winter wetsuit because you’d soon give up on finding good waves protected from the howling winds on the days that you’re able to go looking – mostly your weekends; you’d save surfing for the summer instead when the days are long and the open beaches are welcoming.
Thomas Edward Blake is one of the most important figures in surfing, and probably the most important single person in the history of wooden...
This deep into winter many of us rely on the woodburner in our front rooms to provide warmth through cold evenings. At Otter Surfboards we also rely...
What have you resolved to do in 2015? If you struggled for ideas and had no answer when your colleagues asked you what your new year's resolution...
