“Springback” is what happens when wood that is bent to form a curve springs back after being released from the bondage of the clamp. It is this quality of the living thing that requires us to make a little extra rocker in the stringer than will be ultimately expressed in the finished board.
So in boardbuilding, as in life, a little extra effort goes a long way. That’s why every facet of T2S, from templates to workshops, is designed with an element of giving back – springback.
The following programs are in various stages of development. Keep checking back to watch them grow.
 Cedar saplings by Rich Reforestation Projects - I admit it, I am a treehugger, of sorts. This program started as a simple promise, made to myself, to plant 10 cedar seeds for every board I built. I am proud to say that I have kept that promise. Then when I started selling templates, I decided to expand the scope of the promise to include 1 cedar seed for every dollar made. I now estimate that I have planted more than 60,000 seeds. Wow! you say. Selling templates seems to be one very profitable pursuit! Not really (IRS take note), I've just disperse a lot more seeds than dollars I've made. Once I get started with the Workshops in Warm-n-Wavy Places, I also hope to team up with an established nonprofit reforestation program that works in the countries we visit. Stay tuned for that... |
 A craftsman in Mexico Local Training Program – Associated with every Warm-n-Wavy workshop is a training program for local craftspeople in the destination we visit. An appropriate local craftsperson will be invited to attend the workshop for free. Although the theme of this training appears to be from “us” to “them,” in reality, I expect that we’ll learn just as much from them in terms of resourcefulness and the use of indigenous materials (like palm fronds, bamboo, and coconut husks). The idea behind this program is that the local person will then be able to supplement their income by selling locally made boards, using local materials, to surf tourists. |
 Highschool woodshop boardbuilding T2S In Schools - One thing I find as equally gratifying as hugging trees that I planted is seeing young people get stoked about building their own wooden boards. T2S in Schools is a free program wherein I train school-based woodshop teachers (a vanishing job) and others, in my Strip & Feather method in exchange for hosting a workshop at their school. Once training is complete, teachers become T2S certified instructors and can then use my method as a free curriculum in their school. I provide all the support I can for free. |
 The T2S Builder's Forum Free Online Builders Community - So you say you have no money and still want to build your own board? I say great! There is an entire online community where you can find everything you need to do it for free. I started the T2S forum at the same time I co-founded Grain Surfboards to be "the point source for all things hollow wooden and surfboard" (Note: Grain Surfboards is in no way associated with the forum). Since then, out of the vast goodwill and generosity of the people who use it, the site has grown into a global resource for people who want to Share the Stoke. Now is another good time for me to thank all of those who contribute to it, THANKS! |
 Keeping an eye on quality T2S Instructor Certification – I hope to change the nature of the surfing industry and envision a day when there are just as many wooden boards in the lineup as the more toxic foamies. But I don’t want to mass-produce anything either. I still genuinely believe it’s possible but I don't think it should be just another a corporate free-for-all. That would just put a whole new set of pressures on our natural resources. I believe it needs to happen on a grass-roots, individual-by-individual level. So my strategy, as always, is to educate (I have a master’s degree in education). The T2S Instructor certification is one way for me to share the stoke but also ensure that people keep close to the founding values of Tree to Sea (things like sustainability, appreciation of form and function, admiration of nature, and good measure of Renaissance-style resourcefulness). The instructor certification model provides an effective means to establish standards for the Strip & Feather Method and a way to ensure the best quality of education. If you are interested in becoming certified, the first step is to host a workshop. |
