Here on Maui we have a surplus of used out dated sail and surf boards. Many people that I know including myself have piles of old boards in racks, sheds, in closets, and under their houses.
Many of these boards are delaminated, buckled,and otherwise not worth the expense or effort of repair.
Although the lions share of these boards are still quite serviceable, they rarely or never, get ridden any more.
There's a a kind of a soul, or rather, a unique energy in each one of these vessels.
Imagine all the history they hold.The jumps, jibes, tacks and especially the waves and epic days they have been ridden on.
Oh, and also think of the all sailors that launched from the beach and pumped them on to a plane stuck their feet into those foot straps and rode them to ecstatic bliss!
Often these boards have gone through several owners before being scraped or stashed away into obscurity.
Many of these boards are one of a kind hand shaped custom creations created by some of the most talented craftsmen in the surf and sailboard industry.
The ones that aren't custom have roots leading back to that one prototype that was so outstanding that it warranted mass duplication.
These vessels are not only functional in their bottom shapes and rocker lines. They were created as unique and esthetic piece's of graphic art.
It has become popular lately in our area to pull these creations out of their tombs and give them a new life and purpose for all the world to experience and enjoy!
Much like the boards windsurf sails wear out and become out dated but they are still beautiful works of art and when showcased they can still be a delightfully visual and extremely functional.
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| Olaf Mitchell sits in front of his recycled sail art project at Moma's Fish House on Maui |
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