Tree to Board is a self-documented journey following Torsten Brinkema as he shapes a chambered wooden surfboard from Maine Northern White Cedar. 

Wooden surfboards have been a part of surf history since the very beginning. Native Hawaiians and indigenous peoples around the globe used slabs of wood to pioneer the sport and culture that we thrive in today. This rich wooden history can also be found in the Wabanaki people’s use of Cedar as a material for their dugout canoes and watercraft. 

Torsten decided to explore the beautiful Cedar grain himself in the form of a 6’11” chambered twin fin with channels. His countless late nights in the studio prompted an exploration into every knot and line of grain in the board. These strokes of the planer and hours of sanding brought him closer to the people and land that led him on this journey, and asked bigger questions about sustainability and the power of riding a board that grew from the land.