Our story
Built from a love of the ocean.
The Drop started with a simple idea — that the best board you'll ever ride is one made by hand, shaped with care, and built to last a lifetime.
How it all started
It started with frustration. After years of surfing, popping up was getting harder — and the stoke was slipping away. Bodyboarding helped, but it wasn't the same. The petrochemical foam and the disconnect from the wave. Something was missing.
Then came a rabbit hole. A Facebook group of paipo and belly board riders. A wooden bodyboard ordered from a master craftsman that arrived and changed everything. Suddenly there was a whole world of prone surf craft — ancient shapes, modern interpretations, riders all over the world carving their own path through the water.
The first attempt was a UK-style belly board. Then a paulownia board shaped from scratch as a birthday gift for a partner. That one turned out well. Really well. The shaping bug had bitten — and it hasn't let go since.
What followed was deep immersion: the history of these boards, the hydrodynamics, the timber properties, the ancient Hawaiian and Polynesian surf craft. Every board shaped taught something new. Every session in the water refined the shapes further. Friends who hadn't surfed in years tried the boards and came back grinning. That feedback said everything.
Something a little different
The Drop is believed to be the only female-owned, female-shaped prone wooden board maker in Australia. Every board is made to order in small batches from Inverloch, Victoria — tested in real surf, on real waves, by real people. No factory. No production line. Just timber, tools and time.
What we stand for
Environmentally Friendly
Foam bodyboards are made from petrochemicals, don't break down and end up in landfill. Our boards are shaped from sustainably sourced paulownia timber and FSC-certified marine plywood — non-toxic, naturally biodegradable and built to last a lifetime if looked after.
Artisan Quality
Every board is completely handmade — shaped, sanded and finished by hand, one at a time. No two boards are identical. Each one is a unique piece of functional craft, built to order for the person who'll ride it.
Australian-made
The Drop is based in Inverloch, Victoria. Every board model has been ridden and tested in different conditions in Australian surf. Proudly local, proudly handmade.
Who we make boards for
The Drop is for anyone who wants to ride waves. Full stop.
- Beginners discovering prone surfing (wooden bodyboarding) for the first time
- Experienced surfers who can no longer stand up but refuse to stop riding
- Experienced surfers who want the unique feel and challenge of riding an Alaia (ancient Hawiian, finless, stand up board)
- People drawn to the origins of surfing and the craft behind it
- Anyone who loves the ocean and wants a fun, connected, sustainable way to be in it — these boards are for everyone
Come for the boards. Stay for the feeling.
These boards are faster, more exciting and more connected to the wave than anything made from foam. Once you've felt it, you'll understand. Get in touch and let's find your shape.