1940s Kookbox “Soda” from Lahaina Maui
$2,250.00
A rare surviving example of the DIY kookbox era, this 11-foot-plus paddleboard-surfboard hybrid was inspired by Tom Blake’s pioneering designs and built during a period when backyard board experimentation was flourishing. Known as “Soda,” this well-preserved example comes from the personal collection of Barry Morrison of InterIsland Surf Shop. Its missing fin reveals an especially interesting detail: the original fin placement, notable because fins were uncommon on kookboxes of the period. A substantial piece of Hawaiian surf history, “Soda” would make a striking display in a home, restaurant, bar, or other space with room to showcase its unusual size and character.
Tom Blake’s iconic kookbox became an unlikely source of inspiration for a generation of backyard builders, with hundreds of DIY enthusiasts experimenting with their own versions of the paddleboard-surfboard hybrids during the 1940s. Each home-built interpretation reflected the materials, tools, and imagination of its maker, making surviving examples especially fascinating glimpses into the experimental side of early board design. The kookbox offered here by Surf Museum Hawaii is particularly noteworthy, having come from the personal collection of Barry Morrison of InterIsland Surf Shop. Bearing the name “Soda,” the 11-foot-plus craft remains in very good condition and retains plenty of visual evidence of its history. Although its original fin has been removed, the area where the fin was once attached is fascinating in its own right, particularly because fins were far from commonplace on kookboxes of the era. At more than 11 feet long, this is not a piece of surf history that disappears into a corner—it is a substantial, conversation-starting artifact that would make an exceptional display in a restaurant, bar, surf-inspired business, or home with enough space to properly showcase it.
| Length | 11'11" (143 inches) |
|---|
