JOIN the loose collective of surfers and wooden surfboard enthusiasts who are attempting to bring the first OLO (FP12) surfboard to the UK to ride our unique British waves. Following the Hawaiian tradition of sharing everything and spreading "aloha," we plan to pass this wooden surfboard from guardian surfer to guardian surfer in key surfing areas around the UK - allowing it be ridden in a variety of waves by a wide group of surfers from beginners and groms through to some of the top UK professional watermen and women.
For the last 20 years underground artisan craftsman Roy Stewart, based in New Zealand, has been recreating boards of this style from Paulownia wood and combining traditional board shapes with more modern design concepts taken from the fields of aerodynamics, fluid mechanics and hull design.
These surfboards have historically divided the surfing community, however not many surfers have actually ever ridden one, those that have all agreed that these are indeed special boards that offer a completely unique way of surfing waves. It's a lifetime surfing opportunity not to be missed!
We are hoping that this surfboard will visit the numerous and diverse breaks on all coasts of the UK, spend some time in Ireland and surf the bore up the River Severn over the next 18 months.
This project is being funded through
donations by supporters, most of whom will ride the board; we have a target of £1200 to cover the materials and import of the board and with the amazing response we have had already, are already over 75% of the way towards reaching this. We hope to be able to ship the board from New Zealand to the UK in June or July in time for some balmy Summer surfing. You can donate
HERE.
There are opportunities for amateur and professional photographers, artists, film makers as well as surfers to be involved in this project.
To find out more please check out the magicseaweed community, visit our website
www.woodensurfboard.co.uk or join our facebook page "olo surfboard tour".