Sharkboy Rocket - Paulownia Wood - Paipo Bellyboard

Inspired by Hawaiian Paipo boards and a forerunner of foam bodyboards, bellyboards offer a fast, exciting and environmentally friendly wooden alternative to foam and plastic bodyboards.

The Sharkboy Paulownia Paipo is the most buoyant board I build. It has a slightly wider shape than the traditional bellyboard, with gently curved rails tapering from nose to tail. It features a concave hull and a scooped nose to improve performance, as well as a nylon cord ready for you to attach your leash if required.

Built using the very best, sustainable Spanish paulownia timber. For strength and flex it is constructed with a woven fibreglass core sandwiched between two sheets of paulownia. Topped with a checkerboard design cloth inlay laminated deck and Sharkboy logo.

Paulownia is a deciduous hardwood which has the highest strength to weight ratio of any wood in the world, with only balsa being lighter. As well as being ultra light, paulownia is very buoyant and resistant to salt water.

The Rocket logo is hand screen printed and the boards hull is finished with Danish oil and beeswax. (Care instructions included)

Approximate dimensions are 11mm thick, 115cm length, 34cm nose width tapering to 28cm at the tail.

This board comes with a pre drilled leash hole.

(Please note, the grain of the wood is unique with every board and may differ from the photos)

ABOUT SHARKBOY BELLYBOARDS:

My love of the sea started with sailing, as kids my brother and I did some windsurfing and dinghy sailing courses with the RYA in the summer holidays and were both hooked.
I went on to work as a GRP boat builder, first at yacht builders Colvic craft in Earls Colne, where we made some interesting craft including the kevlar reinforced Millennium Farr 65 round the world yachts. I then worked at White Formula in Brightlingsea for Olympic sailor Rob White, mostly building Dart 18 catamarans.

All Sharkboy Bellyboards are handmade from responsibly sourced, Forest Friendly wood.