Build your own wooden stand-up paddle board or surfboard in a fun group setting with the help of experts—and even your own assistant, if you like. Boards will be constructed using a hollow-core design with Jarvis Boards’ unique and beginner-friendly frame kit, which provides internal strength and shape. Students can choose from the board model designs at jarvisboards.com or collaborate directly with the Jarvis team to create a custom, one-of-a-kind board tailored to every paddler or surfer. Each student will start with laser-cut wood components to build their chosen board. This ensures accuracy and enables students to complete the major form of the board in 5 days. Materials such as fiberglass, cloth, epoxy, and basic hardware (like fin boxes and leash plugs) will also be provided. At the end of the class, students will need to transport their boards home, where some additional work will be required. Depending on the size of the board (from 6’ surfboards to 14’ race SUPs) and the experience level of the builders, students may be able to complete the fiberglass and epoxy steps within the 5 days. Students can work at their own pace, including evenings (with no power equipment used after a certain time), to ensure their board turns out as they envision and stays on schedule. The boards will be stripped with beautiful red and/or yellow cedar and optional accent strips. They are then sanded and fiberglassed with clear epoxy to enhance the wood grain and, more importantly, to make the board strong and waterproof. Wooden surfboards and paddle boards are guaranteed to draw attention and spark fun conversations with friends, family, and passersby. The pride of riding a board you made by hand is indescribable.

For paddle boards, the options include popular all-around SUPs with a planing hull, perfect for recreational use on flatwater lakes and rivers; touring SUPs with a displacement hull for longer-distance fitness paddling; race SUPs designed for performance and speed; and surf SUPs for small ocean-wave days or for kids and petite paddlers on flat water.

For surfboards, students will work with Jarvis Boards’ head shaper before the class begins to design their ideal board, which could range from small wakesurf boards to beautiful longboards or gliders.