This weekend, Brian W. from the shop is heading west and he’s bringing a very special board with him! From the rocky coast of Maine to the sunny beaches of Del Mar, California, we’re stepping into one of the most celebrated gatherings in surfboard building: The Boardroom Show, a gathering of like-minded enthusiasts who are drawn by an authentic love for riding waves and the crafts that move us along those waves. And this time, we’re bringing something special with us — a board that tells a story about where surfcraft has been and where we see it going.
The Boardroom Show is a place where shapers, surfers, and artists gather to celebrate the art and craft of surfboard making. There’s live board shaping and glassing demonstrations, music, live art, auctions, and the icons of our sport wandering around taking it all in. And tucked into the heart of it all is the Best In Show competition, where board builders from around the country put their best ideas forward to be seen, judged, and celebrated.
This year, the theme is the Fish; a nod to the timeless shape Steve Lis introduced back in the late ’60s — the short, wide, swallowtail twin-fin rocket that changed how people surfed. It’s the kind of board that lives between eras: rooted in history, but always open to interpretation.
Our Entry: A 5’4” Waka Built Without Compromise
For over 20 years, we’ve built boards that combine traditional woodworking with modern surfboard design, always with a desire to do more with less. This board represents all of our years of testing and refinement, many iterations of construction techniques, and material testing, both in and out of the water.
Our Best In Show entry is built entirely from wood, cork, flax, and the glue that holds it together. That’s all. Zero foam. Zero resin. Zero fiberglass. The shape nods to the original Lis fish, but the details are where our story kicks off. Between the fins, fish scales are carved into the planks, born from a blend of modern CNC technology and hand carving. While subtle, they help reduce surface tension and create a cleaner release off the tail. Under your feet, you’ll find custom traction pads, designed and fabricated in our shop, inset directly into the wood, made from natural regenerative cork. Even the fins carry a story: solid wood, hand-shaped by Hydrophile Surfcraft and joined traditionally into the board, without the need for plastic fin boxes or special glassing techniques.
Once shaped and sanded, the board is sealed with a durable, natural hardwax oil finish. Every inch of this board exists because we believe beautiful surfboards can be built by hand, with an emphasis on environmental responsibility and longevity. We’re inspired by nature and driven by our passion.
Why This Matters
In the past few years, building surfboards has gotten harder. Supply chains wobble. Prices climb. And the environmental impact we’re putting on this planet continues to increase. But these challenges can be an invitation to do better.
This board is our answer. A proof that beautiful, functional boards can be grown, built, shaped, and ridden in ways that honor the ocean rather than harm it.
From Maine to Del Mar
Brian will be standing beside this board at the Del Mar Fairgrounds this weekend. Whether or not we walk away with the Best In Show title isn’t really the point. The point is to start conversations, to push ideas forward, and to share a board that reflects everything we’ve been working toward.
If you’re heading to the show, come find us. Run your fingers over the scales. Ask questions.