Member Marc Heinzer is BYOSUPing— building your own stand up paddleboard.
Marc hails from Switzerland where he built boats and movie sets. He had this to say of his building experience:
“Boat builder is one of the few jobs where you build something from start to finish. With house builders, there are people that frame, and then people that put plumbing in… not so with boats.”
Instead of the standard foam most paddleboards use, environmentalist Marc chose wood due to its ease of availability and sustainability. He used the Epilog laser cutter to cut the frame and glued up and assembled the frame in our big build space. He’s now starting to think about next steps — including adding a window in the board that allows riders to see what lies beneath.
Marc wanted to create something that inspired people to engage in local recreation and he’s thinking about how to make the board available to the public. He’s considering inviting local kids to help him decorate the board before finishing to make it a true community effort and asset.
Stay tuned for progress! We’re excited to see the board in action on the waves of Lake Champlain this summer.
