Hand-made Craft

I made something with my bare hands today with wood and tools, perhaps for the first time in my life. It's not complicated, or particularly impressive, but I made it all by myself. Our kayaks (see my other blog) have been resting precariously close to the ground for the several months we've had them, which isn't great for them. I've helped people build things before, but I can't think of anything else I've ever completely conceived, built, and then used before. I bought the wood and put it together without any help at all. This seems a little like a silly thing to be proud of, but I'm thirty, and it's my first real solo project, so I'm going to be proud and if that's silly, then so be it. I learned a little, and I've got an idea or two for improvements, but all in all, I think I did a pretty good job.

This got me thinking about paipos and hand planes. I don't have the space or tools or knowledge for shaping surfboards right now, but I've been wanting to build myself a paipo for a long time. Paipos exist outside of the hustle and bullshit that is our popular surf industry. The skill and tools needed are minimal, and cost is very low. I can get a sheet of marine ply or poplar at the local hardware store and then do whatever I want. This spring, I am going to design, build, and ride my very own wave-sliding vehicle. It won't be high performance, and there won't be some hot kid with all the right moves riding one, but I will have made it, and I think that sounds pretty damn exciting, imperfections and all. My hope is that it will be fraught with the pure, simple, unadulterated thrill that comes with the fundamental act of riding a wave, which is all surfing really is. Free of care, free of worry, free of commercialism. No stickers, no shops, no nonsense. Just me and a piece of wood in a closeout barrel wearing the biggest shit-eating grin you've ever seen.