Gonçalo Belmonte

Breklim

Boardmaker

©Rogério Serrasqueiro for BREKLIM

Eco-friendly surfboards

Surfing and wood are Gonçalo's passions
His surfboards are high performance artworks
He sees surfing as a way of connecting with nature

Gonçalo discovered surfing in his 20s when his wife gave him a surfboard. He liked it so much he decided to build his own in wood, a material that has long interested him and his family – he even built a boat with his father once. After studying international relations and business, Gonçalo joined a multinational company, but continued to spend his free time working out the best construction process and materials for his surfboard. “I wanted to create an iconic surfboard that feels good under your feet and is good for the environment,” he says. After experimenting with different woods, even cactus, he chose Cryptomeria, a species found in the Azores archipelago. Today his handmade surfboards have carved a place in the environmentally-conscious surfing world.

Interview

How did your surfing adventure begin?: When I started surfing in my late 20s it was a real discovery and a new passion. To me it was paradoxical to practise a sport so connected with nature yet using materials that are mostly oil based and harmful to the environment. I wanted to change that.
How hard was it to maintain beauty without compromising performance?: Very hard. Beauty alone was not enough as the boards also needed to be technical. I worked with nautical and environmental engineers, surfboard shapers, foresters and even carpenters. Combining traditional woodworking with all these disciplines was key.
Why do you use Cryptomeria wood?: I wanted to use locally grown wood and Cryptomeria, found in the Azores, has excellent characteristics for surfboard construction. I work closely with the local forest authorities from the Azores to ensure all the wood used is FSC certified.
What memorable moments have you had since launching Breklim?: New projects are all about climbing steps, and each step is a memorable one! I think of the first championship won by a surfer using my wooden board against competitors on polyurethane models, or watching a kite surfer cross the Atlantic on a Breklim kiteboard.

Gonçalo Belmonte is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2005 and he started teaching in 2019