SHAPING STUDIOS

Quite possibly the classiest surfboard studio you have ever seen. Built into the SOMOS HOTEL you’ll find a once in a lifetime look into your favorite shapers mind. Fine wood, floor to ceiling, glass walls on both ends for the viewers pleasure. Windows into the heart and soul of surfing. We created a place to honor and catalyze the art and craft of building surfboards by hand. To unite the master craftsmen board builders of the world with the beaches and surfers of Costa Rica.

World-class shapers from all over the world come, stay, and build a few boards for our SOMOS HOTEL & our guests. Our surf hotel provides the unique opportunity to share a couple waves with your favorite shaper, then watch him build a custom craft that afternoon. Guys like Mike Minchinton, Forrest Minchinton, Alex Knost and Robert August, to name a few. In between, browse our racks and buy from our inventory or hire one from our demo quiver, so you know what you want before you get your own!

The program’s function is to unite SOMOS surf hotel guests with renowned surfboard shapers and glassers from around the world. During their stay with us, they build their unique brands of boards for our inventory, and they also take CUSTOM ORDERS. The goal is to create a board-building community within Santa Teresa, Costa Rica utilizing traditional techniques and styles, creating a unique style of surfboards exclusive to SOMOS and have them recognized and appreciated on both a local and global level.

The program will be headed by Somos’ own Forrest Minchinton as primary resident board builder.