For Josh Williams, creating Core Boards is in the blood

By Kyle Kirves

When you think of remarkable watercraft – from the ships that plied the oceans during the ages of discovery and beyond, to the runabout, caramel-colored Chris-Craft speedboats of the 20th century – they all share one element in common – wood. And no one is a stronger heir to that elegant boatwrighting legacy than Josh Williams, founder and boatbuilder of Core Boards.

Established in 2016 in Longmont, Core Boards specialized catalog includes just a few offerings – a couple of paddleboard types and some traditional cedar stripped canoes – evidencing the wisdom of “do just a few things, but do them well.” Williams' woodworking skills are on fine display in his meticulously crafted and unbelievably beautiful paddleboards and canoes.

Like many great craft stories in the state of Colorado, this one begins in a brewery.

About his company
Core Boards was founded in Longmont in 2016, and specializes in hand crafted paddleboards and canoes. Core Boards relocated to Tennessee in 2021 for more water to play on, but Colorado remains an inspiration in the art (witness the Trout model, named for Williams’ fine appreciation of fly-fishing mountain waters).

“I was sitting in (Longmont’s) Left Hand Brewing with a couple of friends and we were just talking about how the iconic Left Hand logo came to be,” Williams recollects, “and we were talking about paddleboarding and making paddleboards and how I wanted to get started. I don’t know who came up with the name, but it originated around the idea that stand-up boarding really works your stomach – your core. And then we were talking about how you have to layer wood onto the core of a board. And the name just kind of stuck.”

Woodworking is in Williams' blood. He self-describes as a “lifelong wood guy.” His family history – on both sides – includes boatbuilding that goes back to his European ancestry. Domestically, he recounts family members making boats in the northeast and Canada among fur traders and lobstermen. His family also built boats on the Mississippi during the high days of a different kind of paddler – the big steamboats right out of Mark Twain. Where there’s a Williams, there’s a way … with wood.

”We have a picture of my grandparents on their honeymoon with a canoe he built on top of their car. And my dad built our family home.” he said. “Took him 10 years to do it, but I remember that and imitating him just making boxes and things out of wood.”

Williams crafts his paddleboards and canoes using traditional techniques that are long-established and lend themselves to creating work with longevity. Simplified, Williams first sets the board form – an intricate process of putting the interior form together in a “rib system,” to create interior stability. Then, Williams works outward from the middle, applying strips of cedar that vary in length and width to create some bend and flexibility in the board. As the radius decreases, the strips get much smaller to get that tight fit.

The natural pliability of the woods Williams chooses (cedar, walnut, mahogany) means he doesn’t have to steam-bend any of the strips. Once formed, he caps each end with a wooden toe and heel, accounting for temperature fluctuations to prevent collapse or expansion. A lot of effort goes in all of it, contributing to a board that both flexes and breathes.

Then comes the sanding. Lots and lots of sanding.

“I start with a hand plane to get the major bumps out of it,” Josh says. “And that's all by sight, you know, just trying to get the lines right so that it feels right when you run your hand across it. No high spots and low spots. We wrap it with fiberglass and for the paddle boards we use a pretty lightweight four-ounce fiberglass with an epoxy resin.”

Apply some coats of marine varnish to prevent weathering and ultraviolet exposure, then you have a board that will stand up and that you can stand on.

“The sanding will inspire you to be done,” Williams says, laughing about his least favorite part of the process. Between 80 and 120 hours of actual labor goes into making a paddleboard from scratch, and fully half of it is sanding and smoothing.

Add in another 100 hours or so of waiting for the various layers and coatings – between eight and 20 coats – to affix, cure, and dry. Williams knows by sight when a particular board or canoe is done.

“You can just stand back and look at it and say, ‘that’s that,’” he said. “One canoe I have I took on a weeklong wilderness tour and it simply could not have performed better. I would not look to tweak it further.”

Curious to see one in person? Discover one the way I did – walking into Longmont’s St. Vrain Cidery where a Core Board graces one wall like a monument to an ancient surf tribe, yet yearning to be back on the water, both magical and modern at the same time.

Each board is stunning in its beauty, and Willams frequently draws a crowd when taking one of his boards or canoes down from his own roof rack. They may seem more suited to a water-themed diorama in a natural history museum than active use, but these boards are meant to be on the water. They also are built to last and are of heirloom quality and will only grow in character with use, as strong and durable as they are marvels in appearance. They are like fine guitars that must be played to stay in tune.

Williams' work is a testament to the fact that old traditions can be applied in new ways. His work speaks to the enduring connection and fascination of people with water, and is a tribute to the artisans who came before – a legacy of craftsmanship and passion will continue to guide Josh Williams and Core Boards – and maybe you, too – on our journey wherever the currents may lead.