‘Lets go surfin’ now..everybody’s learning how…’ sang the Beach Boys, and that’s exactly what skilled carpenter Nadav Nov has set himself the task of, but not so much the surfing as the making of the board!

Made from cedar and okume marine ply, Nadav has been making his prototype shape by bending and laminating thin strips together into the form. Next stage is to create the full perimeter of the board, and then the close the top and bottom, with the ribs in between, leaving it mostly hollow.

Wanting to avoid using epoxy and fibreglass,traditionally used as the sealing and strengthening components in surfboards, the hardest part Nadav says has been to find an alternative way to make the board strong and waterproof, and to find a way to preserve the wood during its contact with saltwater. As a solution he’s used a lanolin wax  extracted from sheep wool and known for its high preserving qualities. Below are the boards in action in the warmer Portuguese waters…

Interested in finding out more? Nadav will be launching his new surfboards shortly. Email nadavnof@gmail.com to find out more, or follow him on instagram at NOF.SURFBOARDS.