Yes, Kai Lenny Can Handshape (and Rip) A High-Performance Shortboard

Is there anything water-oriented Kai Lenny can’t do at a high level? Big-wave surfing, windsurfing, kiting, foiling and long-distance paddling; Kai does it all. Now, he’s dabbling in building his own boards by hand.

In Kai’s third attempt at crafting a blank, he opted for the difficult and demanding shape: the high-performance shortboard. Anyone who has attempted to build their own board will tell you the first time is a humbling experience. But Kai's not one to stray from a challenge.

Kai mowed a 5’10” x 18” ¾ x 2” ⅜ five-fin squash tail wrapped in carbon. He rode it as a thruster at a playful Balienes right for its maiden voyage. Was it love at first surf?

“My first impression of the board is that it's really fast,” Kai said. “Because of the overall low rocker and a flat deck and round boxy rails, for forgiveness, it actually kind of goes.”

Kai then took his tiger-striped creation to a longer, more powerful right-hander to put it through the paces. He cranked several solid cutbacks on it, and just for kicks, tested in switch stance, going goofy on several check turns. Unfortunately, he creased the bottom on a botched alley-oop, so the magic was sadly short-lived.

Given Kai’s creativity and skillset, it would be fascinating to see him build and surf his own big-wave gun. But he likely won’t leave the Maui shaper Keith Teboul any time soon. Teboul is the man responsible for all of Kai’s Jaws missiles. As Kai articulates, there’s a big takeaway all novice shapers can relate to when they first start cutting into blanks.

“The whole experience was really fun, building boards from start to finish,” he said. “Of course, it gives you a real appreciation for all the amazing board builders out there.”

Related: Jared Mell Discusses The Endless Fun of Handshaping