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Tempting Toys

McLellan Jacobs, known for its upscale carbon-fiber kayak, is applying its smart sense of style to a paddleboard.
McLellan Jacobs, paddleboard
McLellan Jacobs will incorporate similar styling from its bespoke kayak to a paddleboard coming this year. Courtesy McLellan Jacobs

Five years ago, New Zealand-based designers Andy Jacobs and Jamie McLellan brought their idea for an upscale kayak to the Monaco Yacht Show. They showed a select group of people their $25,000 standard model — with gold-plated brass fittings, teak woodwork and custom options — and explained how the ­kayak’s craftsmen were borrowed from a team doing carbon-fiber work on America’s Cup boats.

“We realized there was this gaping hole in making a beautiful craft that complements a superyacht, instead of a fluorescent orange one,” Jacobs says.

McLellan Jacobs soon landed buyers among the superyacht set and added bespoke options. “We’ve done matte carbon with matte stainless [steel] componentry to match a superyacht, wooden inlays in the teak to match a logo on a yacht,” Jacobs says.

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McLellan Jacobs, paddleboard
The goal at McLellan Jacobs has always been to expand their concept into a line of water toys. Courtesy McLellan Jacobs

The goal at McLellan Jacobs has always been to expand their concept into a line of water toys. Both designers are boaters, and everywhere they look, they see styling improvements that could be made.

Hence their new stand-up paddleboard, which will become available this year. “We’re taking the styling of the kayak and simplifying it to make it more accessible for a lot more people,” Jacobs says.

McLellan Jacobs, kayak
McLellan Jacobs have designed an upscale kayak. Courtesy McLellan Jacobs

McLellan also does work for NeilPryde, a top board-surfing company, and is bringing that experience to the McLellan Jacobs paddleboard. “There’s going to be a screw fitting that lets you mount a mast on it and sail on it if you want to do that,” Jacobs says.

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They’re thinking matte titanium and matte black with bleached teak for the paddleboard, whose price point is being determined. It will include a leash plug with a metal detail and the McLellan Jacobs logo.

“We’d love to use these products as a springboard to get into styling some tenders,” Jacobs says, “or maybe even collaborating on a bigger vessel.”

McLellan Jacobs, kayak
The paddle used for the McLellan Jacobs paddleboard. Courtesy McLellan Jacobs
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