Imagine the joy and satisfaction of getting on the water with a wood paddle board that you created with your own two hands. This isn't just some dream. We've adapted our production paddle boards so that builders around the world can experience the joy and satisfaction that we feel when we build boards.
We've made it easy for you providing kits, plans, instructions,and materials so that you can bring your dream board to life.
Why Jarvis Boards Plans?
Over the years we've built more wooden paddle boards than anyone else. Over the 1000+ boards that we've made we have learned a thing or two and optimized our boards to create the perfect balance of weight, usability, and performance.
Building a wooden paddle board is a bit different than building foam boards and can typically be broken up into four main activities.
Hollow core wooden paddle boards are just that. They are made using a hollow wooden frame that is pre-cut and glued together making the board both light and strong. This frame dictates the final shape of the board.
Individual strips of wood are glued to the frame creating the tops and bottoms of the board. These strips are commonly referred to as the skins of the board, and can be made using a variety of woods including cedar, pine, paulownia, cypress and more.
Once the wood structure is completed, the entire board is covered in a layer of fiberglass cloth and epoxy to make it waterproof. This step is commonly referred to as "glassing" and is one of the coolest steps in building a board.
Add accessories like bungees, go pro mounts, traction pads and more.
From start to finish, the whole process of building a wood paddle board can take anywhere from 10 to 50 hours depending on skill level and how detailed you want to make your board.
Download our digital plans today to get started!
Where do I get wood for the skins? Why don't you include it?
You can get wood for your deck almost anywhere. If you are picky you can likely get great cedar from your local hardware store. Most people start with 1x6 that is resawn into 1"x 1/4" strips. We don't include the wood as the cost to ship would likely exceed the cost of the wood itself. Furthermore, customers enjoy picking out their perfect pieces of wood to build their boards!
Do I need specialized tools? - Not really. Orbital sander, hand plane, router, jigsaw or bandsaw (if you don't order a pre-cut frame), chisel, utility knife and table saw or bandsaw to resaw wood for the skins.
How much will it weigh? - This largely depends on what type of wood you use to cover the frame of your board. Using a light strong wood like cedar, you can expect it to weigh around 30 lbs.
Digital plans/paper plans or pre-cut frame? It's up to you and your time, along with your budget. Starting with paper plans costs a bit more but saves time printing out templates. Pre-cut frames cost a bit more but saves you time on cutting out each frame piece. We offer all 3 to suit a range of budgets.
How long will it take? Again, it depends on where you start and your skill. By starting with pre-cut frames or paper plans you are able to save several hours off the build time. Working at a weekend warrior pace, a couple months is reasonable, while we've built boards in as short as 6 days.
Why wood boards?Lots of reasons. The joy and pride of handcrafting a thing of beauty is why a lot of people build. It also happens to be a very durable and environmentally friendlier way to build a board.
How much will it cost? - It depends. Starting with digital plans and being as budget conscious as possible, you could probably build one for as little as $600 dollars. Most will costs between $750 and $1100 to build.
Do I have what it takes to do this? - If you have some wood working knowledge and are willing to learn and make mistakes, you most likely can. If you are on the fence, download a copy of our digital plans and see if it's right for you!