Salvaged Surfboard

Last September, Ryan Harris paddled into the ocean on a surfboard he had built. This was no ordinary board. Much of it was made from disposable surgical masks! Over the past year, people have worn these masks to limit the spread of Covid-19. 

A surfboard made out of masks may seem like a crazy idea. But not to Harris! His company, Earth Technologies, in Torrance, California, crafts surfboards out of eco-friendly and salvaged, or reused, materials. The company also recycles the scraps of material that are left over from the board-making process. Sometimes, Harris even uses these scraps to make products like coasters! 

Last spring, a member of Harris’s staff noticed discarded masks littering the town. Over the next few months, he carefully collected the masks, then worked with Harris to build a surfboard with them. But would the unusual surfboard work in the water?

Ryan Harris went surfing last September. But he wasn’t riding on an ordinary surfboard. Much of it was made from recycled face masks! People have worn these masks over the past year. They help limit the spread of Covid-19. 

A surfboard made out of masks may seem like a crazy idea. But not to Harris! He owns the company Earth Technologies in Torrance, California. The business makes eco-friendly surfboards. They’re created out of salvaged materials. These items get saved from the trash and reused. The company also recycles leftover material from the board-making process. Harris uses these scraps to make products like coasters. 

A member of Harris’s staff noticed something last spring. Used masks were littering the town. He carefully collected the masks over the next few months. Then he worked with Harris to build a surfboard with them. But would the unusual surfboard work in the water?

Making a surfboard is like making a sculpture, says Harris. Both sculptors and board makers use different materials to build a 3-D shape. But unlike most sculptures, a surfboard needs to float. That means it has to be less dense, or contain less matter in a given space, than the water around it. 

All new surfboards begin as a rectangular block of lightweight foam, called a blank. In the center of the blank is a long piece of wood that strengthens it. Board makers shape the foam using machines or by hand. A surfboard’s unique shape helps it ride a wave. 

On top of the foam, board makers add a layer of strong woven material, often made of fiberglass. They coat the board with a liquid called resin that hardens as it dries. Most resin is made of plastic, but Harris uses resin that comes from plants! 

The board is then sanded smooth. Finally, one or more fins are added to its underside to help it steer through water.

Making a surfboard is like making a sculpture, says Harris. They both require turning different materials into a 3-D shape. But most sculptures don’t need to float. A surfboard does. That means a board must be less dense than water. In other words, it must contain less matter in a given space than the water around it does.

All new surfboards begin as a block of lightweight foam. It’s called a blank. A long piece of wood runs through the center of the blank. It adds strength. Board makers shape the foam using machines or by hand. A surfboard’s unique shape helps it ride a wave.

Board makers add a layer of strong woven material on top of the foam. The layer is often made of fiberglass. Then they coat the board with resin. This liquid hardens as it dries. Most resin is made of plastic. But Harris uses resin that comes from plants! 

The board is sanded smooth. Finally, one or more fins are added to the bottom. They help the board steer through water.

To build the “mask board,” Harris started with a broken piece of foam. He layered masks on top of it to build up its shape, then added the fiberglass and resin. (See if you can spot the masks’ ear loops on the board!)

The team used leftover scraps of material to shape the bottom of the board. They built the fins out of used plastic straws. “The whole board was trash,” says Harris.

Out on the water to test the board, Harris hoisted himself up. Did it work? Yes! Harris says the board was a little heavy, but it surfed well in the waves. It was such a success that Harris plans to make more mask boards!

Harris started with a broken piece of foam to build the “mask board.” He layered masks on top of it to build up its shape. Then he added the fiberglass and resin. (Can you spot the masks’ ear loops on the board?)

The team gathered leftover scraps of material. These were used to shape the bottom of the board. They built the fins out of used plastic straws. “The whole board was trash,” says Harris.

Harris took to the water to test the board. He hoisted himself up. Did it work? Yes! Harris says it was a little heavy. But it surfed well in the waves. Now, Harris plans to make more mask boards!