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Lifestyle

SUPing gives life a different perspective.

Whether you’re paddling along a canal in an urban environment, watching kingfishers in the early morning mist or catching waves off the Cornish coast, one thing is for sure: the daily grind seems to simply disappear.

For pleasure, for fitness or for pure escapism, there is a reason why SUPing has become popular over the last few years. It brings immense pleasure and helps you to reconnect. There’s a purity and a timelessness about paddling on a wooden board, using only your own steam.

Rich with wooden paddle looking out over Bristol harbour
Rock SUPs Stand Up Paddle Boards

Handcrafted

I craft all of my boards using techniques similar to an aircraft wing, with an element of traditional boat building skills thrown in for good measure. Wood grain, colour and species are hand selected and matched to create a beautifully unique board. No two are the same.

The ingredients are simple;

Materials:
Wood, glue, fibre glass, fin box.

Tools:
Table saw, Japanese hand saw, block plane, sander, router, clamps, and lots of tea!

About

I’m Rich, the owner and shaper at RockSUPs.  I was one of those kids who would always be outside, building a go-cart or messing around in boats.  I’m happiest on the water, be it paddleboarding, windsurfing or sailing.

I read engineering at Cambridge and went on to a career in finance but I’ve never felt at home in an office. Eventually I made the leap into carpentry. I work from a farm just outside Bristol, with my dog Barney. Here I have spent the last few years creating bespoke cabinets and furniture.

A couple of years ago I realised I could use my carpentry skills to build the new SUP that I wanted. Hollow wooden surfboard construction appealed to my inner engineer and allowed me to keep the raw ingredients of the boards as close to natural as possible.

I love being on my boards. It’s pure escapism to be on nature, in nature.

Rich SUPing

Environment

I love bringing out the natural beauty of wood. I use responsibly sourced wood wherever possible and left overs are used in paddle and jig making. The only foam is a small block used to seat the fin box, and this comes from insulation off-cuts. The end results are beautiful boards that are both durable and as environmentally friendly as possible. I’m working hard developing wooden versions of the less environmentally friendly components.

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