Learn more about Ventana custom wooden surfboards.

This custom, kelp forest board is a sleek, hollow-framed, wooden surfboard that pays homage to an original Lightning Bolt shape created by Jack Shipley and Gerry Lopez. It's a surfable work of art that's equally at home on a wall or a wave. 

The bottom deck uses redwood burl driftwood collected in Big Sur as the holdfast for the kelp. The kelp blades are made of Douglas fir from the original hull of the Western Flyer, considered by many to be the most famous fishing boat in the world. John Steinbeck, Ed "Doc" Ricketts and crew sailed this 77-foot sardine boat into the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, Mexico in 1940. The following year, Steinbeck published his book, The Log from the Sea of Cortez about the adventure. Learn more about this amazing boat and Ventana's use of its wood. 

The kelp stalks are made of bay laurel from the cooperage built in the late 1800s on what is now the UC Santa Cruz campus. Living in the kelp are bat stars made of bloodwood from Copper Pig Woodworking offcuts and sea urchins and bat stars made of purple heart donated by Upcycled Skate Art. The Garibaldi, the California state fish, is made of flame maple offcuts from Santa Cruz Guitar Company. The wood has been stained orange with Let's Resin alcohol ink. Its eye is made of abalone from Brian's free dive in Stillwater Cove on the Sonoma Coast. The pupil is ebony from Santa Cruz Guitar Company. The blue-green resin pour was created using soy-based EcoPoxy and various pigments from Black Diamond Pigments.

The top deck is made from Douglas fir from the Western Flyer boat hull, Alaskan yellow cedar from the Western Flyer restoration project, and redwood from Martini & Prati wine tanks. The original square nail holes have been filled with gold pigment from Black Diamond Pigments and Entropy Resins sap-based epoxy.

The glassed-on, translucent kelp single fin is made of redwood driftwood from Big Sur. The nose block is made of redwood from the original Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and the tail block is made of redwood from John Steinbeck's first house in Pacific Grove, California. The vent plug is oxidized white oak from the ribs of the Wester Flyer, and the leash loop is made from a square nail head from the Western Flyer.

The floor stand is made from live edge Douglas fir from the Western Flyer boat hull. It still has some of the original paint along with barnacle growth and engine room oil stains. 

The rails are made of cork, which is sustainable, more resistant to dings, and easier to repair. There are two sheets of Aerialite 4-ounce fiberglass on top and one on bottom. The epoxy is Entropy Resins bio-resin which is up to 40% tree sap and is strong and light.

As with all Ventana Surfboards, the interior is glassed and sealed, as well.

This board is hollow, lightweight and will ride as great as it looks. Given the uniqueness of each side, it's two art pieces in one and can be flipped to display either side.

Made in Santa Cruz, California by expert artisan Martijn Stiphout.

Includes a wooden display sign made of Santa Cruz Guitar Company flame maple offcuts and a handmade bag by Sagebrush Board Bags created using coffee bean sacks and unique, remnant fabrics.

Dimensions: 7'2" x 19.75" x 2.625"

Approx. 18 pounds 

See progress pics and videos

Ventana board comes with a special edition of our standard Save-a-Surf Wax Box. This version includes two, custom-made vent plug screws.

All Ventana Surfboards are ECOBOARD Project Gold Level Verified by SustainableSurf.org!