The great Hawaiian brand SIC has always been among us. Know its history, and enjoy its present #BOUNDBYWATER
This great Hawaiian brand has something very special. When you hear or read the word SIC, a wide range of sensations come to your mind. Whether it’s enjoying the tranquility of a wonderful sunrise with glassy water, or feeling the adrenaline rush of venturing out to paddle in the vastness of the ocean, this brand simply seeks unique and individual experiences. As SIC says, we are all #BOUNDBYWATER.
To get to know SIC and its origins in depth, we certainly have to talk about the great Mark Raaphors. A windsurfing enthusiast from the Netherlands, who, trying to fulfill one of his greatest dreams, traveled to the north coast of Maui when he was only 16 years old. Ali became a great shaper, making a living repairing boards and learning from great masters.
Before long, Raaphorst had the Ding King Fiberglass Works repair shop. And it didn’t take him long to start shaping boards and building outrigger canoes. It is also worth remembering that during the early days when SUP began to grow, many legendary sea lovers came to Mark and asked him to shape a board for stand-up paddling on the waves and cruising the coast. He then began shaping some of the first SUP boards, which would help the sport take off and begin to grow like never before.
In 2006, Mark created his brand, “Sandwich Islands Composites”. The Sandwich Islands being the name given to the Hawaiian Islands by Captain James Cook, British explorer, navigator and cartographer, in honor of Lord Sandwich who had sponsored the voyages. In 2011, the acronym and logo “SIC” was created, as the brand is known today.
Over the years, SIC has evolved, defining and dominating part of the global open ocean SUP scene, even being the overwhelmingly winning brand in most of the prestigious channel crossing events worldwide. This is how the legend was born.
Their quality craftsmanship and attention to every detail of their design and construction, have made SIC Maui recognized as one of the best brands in the market, both in and out of the water. When we talk about ¨downwinds¨, the word SIC always comes to mind…they are the kings of this modality! We repeat: a SIC board in the open sea opens your mind to understand and comprehend how waves work, winds, etc. No doubt this great brand has taught us a lot, very focused on the world of watermen & waterwoman!
Today, this brand works body and soul in the SUP, specifically in the modalities of Race, Downwind and Touring. They are also very focused on Wing Foil and of course, always present in the world of Surfing. And whether you are in search of a great podium in a competition or just want to go for a ride, they always have the same idea: to have a great day on the water, whatever your level is.
SIC has been official sponsor of the ISA Worls SUP & Paddleboard Championship 2023 in Les Sables d’Olonne. You can see more info about this event in this link.
And if you are up to date with our publications, you will know that SIC is launching some spectacular SUP boards, which are already leaving incredible sensations to many riders. And there are still many more news to come! Don’t miss the next issue of our online magazine Up#45 and our posts to find out about the great news that SIC is offering to the SUP world.