WATCH: The Shape Of Things (S1 EP3) – Cobus Joubert of Wawa Surfboards
Season 1 of The Shape of Things culminates in Cape Town, as Rick hops a flight to meet Cobus Joubert of Wawa Surfboards —a man who’s redefining the way we think about surfboard construction. From reclaimed materials to hydrophobic wood, Wawa’s boards aren’t just sustainable — they’re pieces of art.
Unlike traditional foam-core boards, Wawa’s construction is a mix of wood and cork wrapped over a recycled EPS/XPS/PU core. It’s a nod to the past, borrowing principles from legendary shaper Bob Simmons, while solving the environmental pitfalls of modern surfboard production.
Why Wood?
For most surfers, the idea of a wooden board might bring to mind the old Olo and Alaia designs—heavy, cumbersome, and difficult to ride. But Wawa’s boards are anything but.
“My construction goes back 70 years,” Cobus explains. “It’s exactly what Bob Simmons did, but better. The timber is hydrophobic—waterproof. My core is recycled. And the way we do parabolic stringers and a centre stringer means our boards have a minimum triple stringer setup. They’re built to last.”
Timber also offers a lot of flex and memory.
“Unlike polyurethane, which is man-made and rigid, timber has life,” he says. “It flexes, it springs back. You feel it under your feet—it responds to the wave.”
Sustainability & Surfing: A Real-World Problem
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword at Wawa—it’s a necessity. Every year, an estimated 25 000 surfboards are discarded on UK beaches alone, and the numbers worldwide are staggering.
“People throw their stuff away, but you can turn it into a piece of art,” Cobus says. “We take old bodyboards, strip the polypropylene, upcycle the core, and place wood over the top and bottom. Something that was going to end up in a landfill is now a surfboard again.”
It’s not just about the boards either. Even wax plays a role.
“I grew up scraping off old wax, melting it down, and reusing it,” he says. “Sustainability has always been common sense to me. You take more than you put back in, and you’ll end up poor—it’s that simple.”
The philosophy is clear—work with materials that won’t harm the ocean.
“If you can’t eat it, don’t take it into the sea,” Cobus says.
Watch More Episodes
The post WATCH: The Shape Of Things (S1 EP3) – Cobus Joubert of Wawa Surfboards appeared first on Zigzag Magazine.