During the course of a bikini shoot a few weeks ago here in Jacó, I discovered that the model I was shooting knew Carton, the owner of Carton Surfboards, who I had wanted to meet. I was always seeing his boards out in the water and was curious to both meet the maker and learn about the whole business of surfboard shaping. (Nerd-like tendencies sometimes distract me from the present moment.) After the shoot, since we were fairly close to Carton’s shop on Calle Madrigal at the southern end of Avenida Pastor Diaz, we walked over and she kindly introduced us.

For the next thirty minutes or so, I became intrigued by this man who, like so many others I have met here in Costa Rica, had such a welcoming, never-met-a-stranger attitude. I mentioned to Carton that I would love to come in and take photos of him shaping boards at some point. He was totally cool with it so yesterday I paid him a visit.

The Shaper

As I pulled up on my bike, Carton was walking out, beaming with happiness, a surfboard under his arm. “It’s winter,” he exclaimed. After a moment, it registered with me that this is what he named the board he just finished shaping.

After shooting the poop for a few minutes out front, we head into the shop. Like any good surf shop, longboards, shortboards, fish, and standup paddleboards are everywhere. The Carton name and logo adorn everything in sight. Carton (whose actual name is Edwin) notices a detail that needs adjusting on “Winter.” After some final touch-ups, he puts the board aside and grabs a blank; a foam block in the general shape of a surfboard. He pulls a respirator over his head, turns up the volume on the stereo, and all at once, the show begins.

For the next two hours, I watch as Carton planes, sands, and screens this blank into a finely-crafted shortboard. The intensity in his eyes as he continually inspects the board with each pass of one or another tool, reflects how sharply his mind is focused on his work. For twenty years, Carton has been shaping boards. The only template used here is in his head. This is entirely a freehand operation, Carton having long since developed the skill for his craft. To witness this firsthand is a treat.

The Promoter

But there was more satisfaction to be had than simply watching a professional shaper at work. Carton is genuinely a decent, kind, and warm fellow. To listen to him talk, to hear his particular sense of humor is a pleasure. Beyond this, though, Carton has a clear interest in youth and helping them find their dreams. The Carton Team has about 45 riders, all up and coming youth. He provides team members with boards and support, encouraging them in their surfing.

Carlos Muñoz, a pro surfer and an apple in Costa Rica’s eye (currently gracing the cover of Surfing Magazine), is one such surfer. It wasn’t that long ago that he was riding Carton’s boards. As I stand in the shop, this master shaper pulls personally signed pages torn from magazines and pinned to the wall to show me some of the talent that has come up through the ranks on his boards.

Late in the afternoon, we were sitting outside the shop and school had just let out. Two kids rode up on their bikes and a pleasant, joking exchange took place in Spanish between Carton and one of the kids. Eventually they rode off, the one youth with a newly repaired board under his arms. Carton tells me what tremendous talent he sees in him.

Surfing is definitely a culture and Carton is the real deal. He does pura vida with the best of them: working through the week, surfing on the weekends when he can, and enjoying life through and through at all times. Even his dog Linda surfs! At the end of the day, we walked her out to the beach so that she could ride the waves.

Check out Carton Surfboards in this video below

The Person

Carton doesn’t promote surfing so much as he promotes a lifestyle. A very balanced, pura vida lifestyle with concern and kindness for others and an eye that is looking out for future generations. It just happens that at the core of this lifestyle is surfing. Well done, Carton. Well done.