What started as a fun hobby for two naturally talented brothers quickly evolved into a lucrative full-time gig
Written by Alison Pappas | Photography by Pamela Aquilani
For many professional surfboard shapers, their first attempt at shaping does not produce an appealing final product; however, this was not the case for Tom Bracht, co-owner of Brother Surf Crafts. After breaking his hip, Tom was inspired to shape his first surfboard and quickly discovered he possessed a natural gift.
“My brother [Dave] said my first board was incredible and asked me to make one for him. Then, the word started spreading. Next thing we knew everyone wanted their own board,” shared Tom.
While Tom worked to perfect his craft through dedication and mentorship from other board makers, Dave became involved in the process. Combining their skills allowed the sibling team to increase the volume of surfboards they could produce.
“My brother’s gift is glassing the board and making them look amazing. He knew the process but worked really hard to learn every step. Every board we make is touching each of our hands multiple times before it comes out,” said Tom.
With a steady stream of orders coming in, the brothers decided it was time to turn their side business into a full-time endeavor, under the fitting business name Brother Surf Crafts.
“We were so backed up and doing so much on weekends that we couldn’t see our girlfriends or families, so we ended up taking the leap of faith and started our small business,” said Tom.
Tom Bracht works on a custom Brother Surf Crafts board.
Soon after Brother Surf Crafts was founded, COVID-19 hit. Because surfing was one of the only activities permitted at the height of COVID-19 regulations, many people were inspired to learn the sport. With surfing’s growing popularity, Brother Surf Crafts’ business volume increased significantly, and they picked up many new retailers along the East Coast.
“We service from Maine to Florida, so there are a lot of different breaks, age ranges and skill levels. When we make these boards, we are problem solvers,” said Dave. “And we don’t use paint; we do all the colors with resin. It’s the old school way, but it’s the craftsmanship way.”
Dave estimates they have produced over 1,500 boards. Currently, the brothers create half of their boards for retail, and the other half are made to fulfill custom-order requests.
“We have built boards for beginners, but we’ve also made pro-surfer boards,” shared Dave.
You can shop for Brother Surf Crafts surfboards online at BrotherSurfCrafts.com or locally, in-store, at Malibu’s Surf Shop in Ocean City and East of Maui in Delaware. CS