Hey guys😎
Welcome to the first blog post! Considering we are still working on our prototype and I have promised a large number of people updates, it’s only fitting that our first post lets you know exactly where we’re at and what's going on.
We have been told since the beginning that prototyping takes twice as long as expected. They were damn right about that. Our official prototyping start date began this past September and it was broken into 2 phases: the mold, and the prototype. Mycelium needs a specific environment to be able to grow and thrive. Our mold is basically a 6 foot mushroom greenhouse; built to carry out the methods we use to grow our blanks, using the most cost effective materials, in the easiest way possible. (It is also technically a trade secret at the moment, so no photos for now, sorry! But check back in soon for more updates). We finished our mold successfully at the end of November, 2023 and now we are working on phase 2- full scale prototype.
Up until this point we have been working on medium size blocks, not using our entire mold. Since we are making blanks, not an end product surfboard, being able to easily shape and sand our product is a top priority. We already figured out the formula to make that happen, so the last thing we need to cross off our list is tweaking the organic material we are mixing our mushrooms with. A bucket of dirt is heavier than a bucket of styrofoam, so our blank was always going to weigh more than the average EPS blank. If we were to use the exact recipe we are making our little blocks with, our blank would be comparable to riding a log rather than a surfboard.
So that’s where we’re at!
Lucky for us, and despite what some people may know about mushrooms- they really can grow around any material with the right conditions. But that does mean we have A LOT to try out. Our goal is to get our surfer and shaper friends testing our prototypes by the beginning of the summer. We’ve been dying to get in the water so we are working pedal to the metal to reach our goal. So far in our prototyping process it has been just myself (it’s Amelia, hi) and my product developer Thomas, but for this last stage we have been enlisting help from mycologists, surfers, people who had a shower thought, and everyone in between.
It’s a niche product but getting ideas on how to move forward from people with all different backgrounds is helping us piece together this puzzle. Mud Rat works best doing unconventional things, it’s gotten us this far, and we don’t plan on stopping until everyone has a mushroom surfboard.
Before the blog ends I wanted to say THANK YOU!!! I can confidently say Mud Rat would not be where it is without all of the support we have gotten from all of you! Being able to connect with so many of you continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my day and I am so grateful to share our space with awesome people like y’all.
Catch ya on the flip side🫡
Very interesting process and I believe you're getting closer each time and things will look good as you progress. Great concept!
David M
How do I sign up to try it out for shaping? Very interested!
Awesome! Do you have to be a good surfer to test a mudrat prototype? Or are you also looking for relative beginners to give em' a try when they're ready for testing.