Wood Water Soul - Ventana Surfboards
Reclaimed Brilliance
This time, I’m going to head away from Addicted to Joy and talk about a company that is at the forefront of wood conservation. Guitars and surfboards…what could be better?This post is about Ventana Surfboards, a two-man operation using recycled woods to build beautiful creations in Santa Cruz, California.
There was a lot of response from the last post. I’d be thrilled if you dropped me a note and tell me what I did right on that one. What do you want to learn more about? The surf community is an eccentric and wonderful place and I’d like to inform you about what I know about it, so please keep those cards and letters coming folks. Comment below!
I first became aware of Ventana Surfboards several years ago but didn’t get a chance to get to know them until I did a podcast with them for the Santa Cruz Guitar Players Forum last year with Martijn Stiphout and David Dennis.
Martijn Stiphout is the co-founder, master artisan, and board design visionary of Ventana Surfboards & Supplies. He was born in South Africa, moved to Germany when he was still small, then on to the Netherlands a few years later. He finally came to settle in California in 1993. Martijn is a surfer. He started in his native Netherlands and has been surfing ever since. He is also a master craftsman and woodworker. He graduated from our local University with a degree in marine biology, after which he pursued a career in conservation education and as a mate and captain aboard a sailing research vessel in California’s Monterey Bay. He was involved with several interesting research projects, from tracking marine debris in San Francisco Bay to Great White shark tagging at the Farallon Islands near San Francisco. A true Renaissance man.
David Dennis leads sales, marketing, and business development for Ventana. He was raised in Northern California. David learned to surf with his daughter and son. David graduated from San Diego State University with an undergraduate degree in sociology and a Master's degree in political science and has worked as a public-school teacher for at-risk kids. He became a certified scuba diver at age 19. He has traveled to over forty countries and has a deep love for photography and the ocean. When David met Martijn at a Surfrider event, a friendship developed, and then a company was formed.
Martijn built surfboards in the style of Tom Blake. They are built like an airplane wing with a hollow core and a framework, which is then “sheeted” with wood. These boards are designed to be both works of art and wave riders.
Here’s where my connection and the magic comes in. For the past four years I have been doing podcasts for the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. I’ve been working with them since their 35th Anniversary concert. Next year SCGC turns 50. Richard Hoover, the founder and president of Santa Cruz Guitars, is a living believer in using repurposed woods for his instruments. Richard has a wood “problem” and has been collecting the finest hardwoods for his entire life. His mother was a librarian and instilled a deep love of knowledge and conservation in him.
Growing up in California’s Central Valley, Richard has been surrounded by trees his entire life. He is a true legend in the world of acoustic guitars, and he lectures all over the world. I am grateful to call him a friend. Richard collects and harvests reclaimed wood from old train tunnels, frozen trees from bogs in Alaska, and wherever exotic and uber rare wood is found. Rather than work with new or freshly harvested woods, some of the woods that SCGC uses to build with are over 5,000 years old. The guitars they produce are in the hands of some of the finest musicians in the world.
The surfboard above is very special. Ventana Surfboards was instrumental in the restoration of John Steinbeck’s and Doc Ricketts’ research vessel, the Western Flyer, yes, THAT Western Flyer. As Martijn decribed it when they were working on the restoration, they were confronted with the ghosts of Steinbeck and Ricketts and the smell and feel of the diesel fuel, the booze smell, and other bodily fluids. Ventana used pieces of the old, reclaimed woods to create beautiful, functional surfboards. I invite you to click the link and learn more about this project and the history behind the Western Flyer.
The surfboards Ventana builds are designed for performance and are considered surfable works of art. Ventana also offers sustainable supplies and eco-friendly apparel, donating at least 5% of profits to ocean conservation efforts. Their products are available through their official website and their Etsy store. Check out their impressive work.
It’s a joy to know these fine men, I hope you choose to learn more about the work that they do, both Santa Cruz Guitar Company and Ventana Surfboards. If you want to help Addicted to Joy and this newsletter, buy a coffee cup or a t-shirt and share your joy. Thanks for reading, please share and subscribe if you feel so inclined.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy the film and all of the full-length interviews. We do have some pretty cool things in the shop these days. Please share this Blog with a fellow surfer or with a friend who needs some Joy in their lives. I invite you to watch Addicted to Joy for free, Aloha.
