Meet Bongo, local surfboard shaper

Antoine, known to most as Bongo, has been shaping surf culture on St. Barth since the 1980s. What began as necessity, crafting boards from salvaged materials when equipment was hard to come by, grew into a lifelong dedication to the craft. A formative trip to Puerto Rico brought him under the guidance of master shaper Werner Vega, where he refined his technique and learned to transform raw blanks into finely tuned boards.

We recently visited Bongo at his home and atelier in Pointe Milou to observe him at work. Everything here is guided by experience and a deep understanding of the island’s waves.

In a time when mass production defines much of what we use, Bongo’s work remains personal. Each board is shaped for a rider, a style, a specific break. Built locally, by someone who knows these waters by heart, and finished with a level of care that is increasingly rare.

See more of Bongo’s work here.