I’ll admit it- I’m always a fool for lovely new surfing accessories and innovations. Other “hard core” surfers won’t readily admit being dazzled by the next new thing, but I love looking at the advancements and creativity in the field of surfing. I just think it’s fun, and it makes it more fun for everyone, hopefully.

Recently, I saw this really nice, fancy pants Save a Surf Box from Ventana Surfboards recently. It’s super classy, unlike me. I thought it had a lot of smart features in it I could emulate in a DIY version. Hey, mine’s not made from the finest Vineyard Caskets in Napa Valley, but it just MIGHT get stolen from the CB Pier Drunk, so there’s that.

I wanted to make one even smaller, with the contained items more suited to me. Here’s the parts:

Leash Loop

Make a paracord leash loop using the tutorial here.

The Container 

I used a fairly small prescription bottle for the container, with a locking lid. Drill or punch a hole in the top of the plastic lid to accommodate the leash loop through the top, without allowing the double knot to pass through the top.

You can either cover the bottle by using stickers, or paint the bottle with paint pens. You don’t have to do this if your bottle is tinted, though. Just remember that you’ll have money, wax and duct tape in this, so you may want to keep direct sun and prying eyes off of it (plus, it just looks less script bottle, kinda). If you paint the plastic, give it a light sanding before painting to help it stick better. Use a sealant coat over your paint job when you finish.

I did put a sticker on the outside of the bottle, but I still wanted to cover it better. Here’s my crocheted cover, artfully crafted while slurping Diet Coke on the patio. It’s made from the finest procured nylon cording Hobby Lobby had on sale….whatevah.

Screws

I didn’t want to just dump screws in here without encasing them in something, so I used a bit of clear packing tape and cut a notch to make an easy tear of each pouch. I put 3 FCS, and 1 single fin screw (thumbscrew head,no screwdriver needed).

Allen Wrench or Fin Key

Self explanatory. You can also use a fin key if it fits.

Wax

I took a small piece of my hardest Tropical wax and wrapped it in a hint of cling wrap. The reason I use the hardest wax is that for modern formulations, I’ve read that harder wax covers more temperature ranges. So, I guess I don’t need to worry about changing it out in the Emergency Kit as often then. We’ll see.

I only could fit a small nugget of wax in the kit, so I warmed it up a bit with my hands to make a small cylinder, like with modeling clay.

Duct Tape

The duct tape I have comes in a little different form. Some smaller hardware stores sell it this way, larger craft stores sell it like this. It’s a “sticker sheet” of duct tape. Quite handy.

Using these sheets, I cut a small rectangle in case I get a ding on the surfboard and need to seal it in a pinch. Nice bright color too, it’ll remind me to take care of the boo-boo.

Alcohol Wipes

If I do get that aforementioned surfboard ding, I’ll need to clean off the board before putting duct tape on it. Alcohol wipes are really handy for that.

They’re also handy if you need to clean a ding on YOUR body. Which brings us to…

Band-Aid

Just one, like in the movie Endless Summer.

Cash for a Big Gulp

I know the classy Save a Surf Box has a beer bottle opener, but if I am without my 64 ounces of heavenly diet soda fountain refreshment at all times, things can get ugly. This is for the safety of the beachgoing public.

I put $1.25 inside, enough for a Diet Coke mug refill, and if I need it, I can use the quarter as a screwdriver for my Beater Board to remove the twin fins if I want.

Done!
So this Save a Surf Kit contains:

• Leash loop
• Allen wrench 
• FCS screws
• Single fin screw and nut
• Piece of duct tape for dings
• 2 Alcohol swabs
• Cash/Quarter coin (Softboard fin screw remover)
• Band Aid
• Wax Nug

Here ya go, ready to stash in da car or da bike. Its a little Martha Stewart, with a little West Coast Rollin’ baby….