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Isabela.- Néstor Ramírez Lugo’s journey began at the age of 13 when he first dared to navigate beach waves and practice surfing. This connection with the sea started a promising artisanal career focused on crafting surfboards, ultimately resulting in the creation of Pelícano Surfboards.

That first experience with the water roused Ramírez Lugo’s curiosity about how the foam board that allowed him to float and glide on the ocean was made. Six years later, in 1974, he embarked on his new adventure: learning to make surfboards.

“I decided to buy foam from an American who crafted surfboards in Vega Baja. He would come surf every season and split the house he was renting into a sleeping area and a workspace for surfboard crafting. At the end of the season, he sold off his unused materials and returned home to the United States. That was very common in the past,” said Ramírez Lugo.

Then, using information he read in a surfing magazine, he cut that large piece of foam into the distinctive pointed shape of a surfboard.

“I bought a little book that explained how to make a surfboard. It was in English. My English wasn’t very good at that time, but it had a lot of pictures, although they didn’t provide a clear step-by-step explanation. Many were famous shapers (surfboard artisans) of that era. The rest was an explanation, but it was difficult to understand. With what I managed to understand, I made my board,” recalled Ramírez Lugo, emphasizing that he initially set up his workshop in the house where he lived with his parents in San Juan.

After shaping the board, he moved on to the next steps, which involved incorporating its “backbone,” a piece of wood that provides stability to the floating object. Then, he applied the resin, sanded the board, and added the finishing touches to his creation.

“I could do it. Anyone can shape a board; the board will run. That first one I made was for me; it was yellow. I used the resin used for boats, which was cheaper at the time,” he said.

That is when he decided to create the surfboard brand Taína.

“I made 4 or 5 under that name. There was a person who also made surfboards, but he didn’t have a place to work. He had more experience than me; he had shaped about 20 boards. I invited him to work at my house (in San Juan); then, we decided to make them under a name and that’s how Pelícano Surfboards was born,” the artist recounted, noting that he began studying physical education but realized that was not his goal and shifted his focus to surfboards.

Later on, his partner embarked on a different path, but Ramírez Lugo remained committed to his craft. “I kept making the boards in San Juan,” he said.

In 1979, he decided to fulfill another one of his dreams: moving to the west side. He chose Isabela. There, he started a family with María Casellas. The couple had two children: Iana and Guailí Ramírez, both of whom are also surfers today.

He simultaneously set up a workshop near Jobos Beach in Isabela, where he worked for 15 years until the pandemic hit in 2020 and forced him to move to a space in his home located in the Jobos neighborhood.

He remains faithful to his occupation from the location, where he crafts a variety of surfboards that range from 5 to 10 feet long. His work is customized and will depend not only on the client’s requests, but also on their experience with water and physical condition. “Quality comes first for us,” he reiterated.

Ramírez Lugo said it can take up to eight hours to craft a board. However, he prefers to give it more time to ensure the drying process is more effective.

The artisan gets help from his son Guailí, who manages the resin work. He mentioned that, during the 1980s and 1990s, he was crafting an average of 250 surfboards every year. Over the years, this number has significantly decreased to around 120 boards per year.

We asked why this had happened. “Back in those days, there weren’t as many imported boards as there are now. I used to sell boards to surf shops in Puerto Rico, but that doesn’t happen anymore,” he said.

In fact, he noted that the prices of his boards–which range from $585 to over $1,000, depending on the size–are lower than the imports, but still he is still unable to increase the order volume.

“If 75% of the island’s surfers bought from us, we would need to hire additional staff,” he expressed.

Every board under the Pelícano Surfboards brand is numbered by its creators and has a unique detail: they include a Christian message. So far, they have crafted 7,654 boards.

For additional information, call 939-225-0104. Alternatively, you can find him on Facebook and Instagram under Pelícano Surfboards.