Mobile Surfboard-Building Classroom

Fun & Games Woodworking
Mobile Surfboard-Building Classroom

grain surfboards truck

Maine-based Grain Surfboards is a small maker-run company on the coast that hand-makes sustainably cut, locally milled white cedar wooden surfboards. Aside from their dedication to environmental responsibility, what sets Grain apart is that they also offer DIY surfboard kits and a variety of surfboard-building classes. Their newest undertaking is their successfully funded mobile surfboard-building truck and trailer. They aim to bring the joy of making your own surfboard to folks across the country, with the ability to roll up, “break out a stand and have impromptu board building in the bright sunshine, sharing what we know with whoever comes by.”

We featured Grain back in MAKE Volume 21, and it’s great to see them grow their DIY ethos and further share their knowledge. Can’t wait to see how they trick out their mobile classroom.

Here’s a short video Outside did on Grain, featuring founders Mike LaVecchia and Brad Anderson:

YouTube player

And here are some pics from a Grain classroom in session, boards in progress, and tools:

grain classroom

grain surfboard build

grains surfbord fish in progress

grain surfboard fish guts

grain tools

grain wood

8 thoughts on “Mobile Surfboard-Building Classroom

  1. Rick says:

    I’m not a surfer but sure can appreciate the effort and artistic result of the boards.

    1. Goli Mohammadi says:

      I agree, Rick! I’m not a surfer either, but seeing these pictures makes me want to build a board. Being a snowboarder, I wish there were more folks doing DIY snowboard classes. It must be an incredible feeling to ride what you built!

  2. Nick Normal says:

    So cool! Makes me want to attend a university of classrooms on wheels, a caravan of learning.

    1. Goli Mohammadi says:

      Such a great visual, Nick! I love the idea of a “caravan of learning.”

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I'm a word nerd who loves to geek out on how emerging technology affects the lexicon. I was an editor on the first 40 volumes of MAKE, and I love shining light on the incredible makers in our community. In particular, covering art is my passion — after all, art is the first thing most of us ever made. When not fawning over perfect word choices, I can be found on the nearest mountain, looking for untouched powder fields and ideal alpine lakes.

Contact me at snowgoli@gmail.com or via @snowgoli.

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