About us

Balsa surfboards are not only beautiful pieces of surf history.  They are one of the most ecological methods of surfboard manufacturing.  Balsa wood grows to 12" in diameter in 3-5 years and by the time it is 9 years old, the tree is ready for harvest.  The highly renewable resource that balsa wood provides gives people of regions near biodiverse jungles in Central and South America more means to make a living, without destroying the nearby resources of the rainforests.   On the other hand, a foam surfboard, with all the petroleum based material it entails, ultimately has helped damage our environment, especially in South America.  Petroleum exploration has both directly and indirectly lead to the destruction of large swaths of the Amazon Rainforest.  Moreover, balsa surfboards are 15-20 times stronger than foam boards.  Virtually indestructible in paddle in waves, yet beautiful enough to hang on your mantel piece as art work.

All our balsa wood is plantation grown on the slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes, home of the best balsa wood in the world.  We choose only the highest grade balsa, which is then kiln dried to remove moisture content safely with out leaving cracks or defects.  The lightest of this top grade balsa wood is then selected for our blanks and boards.  Our shortboard, longboard and tow-in blanks can be made solid, or hollow core and custom stringered with Spanish cedar to your request.  Any width, length and rocker can be ordered on any blank or custom board.  

Our custom boards designed in Hawaii and Oregon and shaped to perfection by veteran shaper and surfer Pancho Airaudo in Ecuador.  Our intricate veneer marquetry inlays are designed by various artists and made in Oregon by expert woodcraftsman Jim Langsather, who has over 35 years of fine experience.  Jim has over 50 different veneers including exotic Koa wood and Mohaganey.  Jim is able to recreate almost any design, so if you have a special you think would be perfect immortalized on a surfborad, send it in. After all, balsa boards last for a lifetime and we want you to have a creative voice in your board.