All That Money And Nick Woodman Won’t Buy A Proper Surfboard?

What does success look like to you? 

A decent parcel or plot somewhere beachfront, with a rippable wave out front? Maybe a couple new whips, some shiny new toys, and business class from here on out? 

For GoPro CEO Nick Woodman, success meant pulling the trigger on a mega yacht valued somewhere between $40- and $50-million, one that last week visitors to Tavarua might have seen anchored just offshore.

180-feet of pure luxury: meet Nick Woodman’s beloved Driftwood.

Photography

Amels Holland

See, industry players have been making their rounds on the exclusive island, with big brand heavies in attendance, as well as Julia Roberts and two of the most decorated shapers in the surf biz, Matt Biolos and Jason Stevenson, who during their week-long stays on Tavi watched Mr. Woodman absolutely blasting down the line at Cloudbreak on a soft-top. 

Now, we’ve known of Woodman’s Wavestorm problem from a while now. The fuckin’ guy has like 150 of the damned things, all built in one factory which apparently produces better versions of the World’s Best Selling Surfboard. All of them are stashed in a barn somewhere between Santa Cruz and San Francisco…

But Cloudbreak ain’t Pleasure Point, and surely there’s no honest argument to be made for not having a proper pintail on your yacht for when the surf gets, you know, well, real… 

According to Business Insider, “Driftwood can accommodate 12 guests in 6 cabins and has a crew of 12. She is designed by Tim Heywood and and is said to have an spectacular interior.”

Photography

Amels Holland

See what they mean? “Spectacular.”

Photography

Amels Holland.

Woodman’s beloved ship, cheekily named “Driftwood,” took two years to build, and replaced his previous yacht, Step One.

According to mega yacht heavies, Amels Holland, “Driftwood‘s interior configuration has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests overnight in six cabins, comprising a master suite, three double cabins and two twin cabins. She is also capable of carrying up to 13 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.”

The boat boasts two 1,408hp diesel engines, twin propellers, and reaches top speed of 15.5 knots with a maximum range of 4,500 nautical miles, and freshwater storage for around 17,000 gallons.

And if Woodman’s yacht doesn’t fill you with envy, the guy’s also the proud owner of a Gulfstream G550 private jet, with registration N74VW,” according to Super Yacht Fan. “The serial number relates to Woodman’s 1974 Volkswagen bus called “Biscuit” that Woodman relied on during the founding of GoPro. A G550 has a list price of US  $60 million.”

But while all that’s fine and well, we can’t ignore the Wavestorm assault at Cloudbreak. With Mayhem and JS sitting right there on the shoulder. All that money, and you won’t buy a proper surfboard? 

The yacht is currently docked off Denarau Island in Fiji, according to MarineTraffic.com, who oddly enough keep track of the location of mega yacht’s like Woodman’s at all times. For how long he’ll be there, we know not, but surely someone can drop him a step-up for chrissakes before he bails.