Let’s Get B O T A N I C A L Exclusivity!

Pukas Surfboards & The Botanical Challenge | We want you to think hard on this question: did you ever, and we mean, ever, think about having real plants on your surfboards? We didn’t either before Maddi Sáez, our loving artist, designer and member of the online team at shop.pukassurf.com, thought about giving it a try. And even though this idea was in her head for quite a while, once it was shared …, well, it took only one day to start thinking about how we were going to make it.

And no, don’t worry, these plants don’t need watering or sun to flourish. These only need a bit of loving tender care with salty water, just how we like it.

Board building process pic by Iker Gozategi.

| Challenge Accepted!

And boy, believe us when we tell you that these creation process has been a team effort; a team that has overcome some very ‘interesting’ first-ever challenges. For example, plants and flowers don’t have a regular and flat surface. Can you imagine making the surfboard “feel” smooth to the touch? Hand-shaped surfboards project the magic that the builders infuse in them and these beauties are definitely a clear proof to that and a candy for your eyes.

Before even trying to work with real flowers on a surfboard, Maddi and Tintxo, one of our best glassers, made some flower and resin test-and-error work. And you know what? Not all flowers are fitted to be on a surfboard!

 

Board building process pic by Iker Gozategi.

 

On the picture you can see above the hand picked wild flowers and little plants that Maddi selected for the three boards that were created by a team of people.

 

| Only 3 Surfboards’ Flower Tinkering Time

At first we wanted to try this on one board and we ended up make three! Why a botanical theme for a board you may be asking yourself. Maddi is an innate creator that loves to work combining different styles and materials in her projects. She also has a profound attachment to nature and an special interest in botany (this is a secret well kept until now. Sorry Maddi!).

 

 Infatuated by Flowers, Fueled for Creation 

 

 

For her, this idea of working with plants and flowers and combining it with surfboards was a natural idea that was rumbling in her head. She told us the idea and the eagerness to try it and have the opportunity to share it and work with the best shapers, sanders, glassers … We could not resist a great idea and even less if it hides a challenge to achieve it. We were thrilled to be part of this project and we treated it with tons of Pukas TLC (Tender Loving Care) which is also in our nature when it comes to everything we do.

 

| Intoxicatingly beautiful and exclusive boards based on the Original 69 by Axel Lorentz, thanks to:

· Axel Lorentz | Head Shape Designer

· Maddi Sáez | Original Idea, botanical design, testing and, flower and plants placement process

· Martin Asarian ‘Tintxo’ | Glassing, sanding and glass on fin placement processing.

· Carlos Santos de Almeida | Polish

· Thècle Carlier | Glassing and Pinline

And, as Maddi says, the rest of the team that supported the idea and help here and there for the project to be possible: Adur, Iker, Paula, Eider, Hannah, Ruth, Hodei, Christian, Marcos, Edu, Kifli, Aicua, Ama, Tala, Cris, Unai, Amaia, Ainhoa, Carlos, Marián, Gema, Nora …