Keith Teboul is the man responsible for the equipment underneath some of Maui’s most vaunted surfers. Kai Lenny, Albee Layer and Ian Walsh all ride his stuff from playful Ho’okipa to terrifying Jaws. Keith was once a pro windsurfer and made boards to do just that. After 30-plus years of work, KT offers just about every wind-related board you can order. But it’s all underpinned by one medium. “The passion and the influence really comes from surfing,” he said.
But these boards aren’t created in a vacuum. KT has published several videos detailing how the boards are made at the Cobra International factory in Thailand. Founded in 1978 as Windglider Thailand, Cobra started out building windsurf boards. In the 1990s, Cobra entered the surfboards market and has since supplied major players in the industry, including JS, Haydenshapes, and Firewire. It’s considered the world’s largest composite board producer, supplying equipment for a range of water sports companies.
While buying boards from your local hometown shaper has a timeless and intimate appeal, it’s still fascinating to examine the inner workings of an international operation. There’s not much public information out there on Cobra, so kudos to Keith for documenting what goes on behind the scenes. The first video above gives a high-level overview of the factory (which employs 2,500 people) while the second shows a step-by-step breakdown of how the surfboards are made.
One of the things that struck me was how organized this place is. There are quality control checkpoints at every stage. From the first mold to the last hot coat, there are attentive people at each step. Not even the fin box placement gets overlooked. It’s all cut-outs either; there’s a lot of hands-on lamination and sanding required. The shaper’s touch is not entirely lost in translation.
“I want to feel good about producing my stock boards,” Keith said. “That the rails are correct, the foam is well produced, and it has a good feeling.”
While the surfboard-building industry isn’t without its challenges, there’s never been a wider range of options available for surfers. Handcrafted, homemade boards are still valuable and important. But you can also get a real-deal board made halfway around the world and not worry about the quality. Note that not every overseas factory is well-run or produces world-class materials. Keith isn’t one to skimp on quality, and neither are his team riders. The clientele in the factory say a lot about Corba’s craftsmanship. As Keith put it, “Whatever I can think up, these guys can do.”