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© Rogério Serrasqueiro for BREKLIM
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Gonçalo Belmonte

  • Breklim
  • Boardmaker
  • Lisbon, Portugal
  • Master Artisan
Gonçalo Belmonte Boardmaker
Contact
Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
Hours:
Monday to Friday 09:00 - 18:00
Phone:
+351 964027000
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Eco-friendly surfboards

  • • Surfing and wood are Gonçalo's passions
  • • His surfboards are high performance artworks
  • • He sees surfing as a way of connecting with nature

Gonçalo discovered surfing in his 20s when his wife gave him a surfboard. He liked it so much he decided to build his own in wood, a material that has long interested him and his family – he even built a boat with his father once. After studying international relations and business, Gonçalo joined a multinational company, but continued to spend his free time working out the best construction process and materials for his surfboard. “I wanted to create an iconic surfboard that feels good under your feet and is good for the environment,” he says. After experimenting with different woods, even cactus, he chose Cryptomeria, a species found in the Azores archipelago. Today his handmade surfboards have carved a place in the environmentally-conscious surfing world.

Read the full interview

Works

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Longboard

Shaped from Cryptomeria japonica wood, the 9’1’’ board is a solid compromise between performance and versatility. That means anyone is able to get going on this beautifully designed board. It allows a person to surf on the nose and walk on the board, but still helps them draw out more vertical lines, along with rails that maximise control across the face of the wave.

Length 270 cm

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Leaf

Handcrafted from Cryptomeria japonica wood, the Leaf is probably the most versatile surfboard one can own. Its design lets the surfer paddle easily into the wave while still holding its own as a performance board. Depending on the size of the board relative to body size, it can be used in the same manner as a classic single fin, where the design and flatter nose will probably make for less vertical surfing and board control relies more on the back foot. A smaller design, however, will be very similar to a shortboard but a bit more stable.

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Fish

This is a classic fish model tweaked from a 1970s design mould with a single concave to vee bottom. Instead of the traditional fish design, this board relies more on its rounder bottom rail to make the turns, and uses its weight to the surfer's advantage. It holds its own in medium sized waves, but it really comes to life in smaller wave conditions.

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