Jim Beam has built a 20ft, 5-person surfboard — you read that right

If you’re anything like me, chances are you’ve tried surfing and wiped out every time you tried to stand up. But, for those who have mastered the waves, you’ll know that there’s nothing better than getting out to the beach with your mates over summer.

But, what if you could really surf together? Like, on the same board? Well, the legends at Jim Beam have worked to make this a reality and have helped build a 20ft surfboard that holds five people. Yep, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you — eight people.

The staggering feat, achieved thanks to the ingenuity and genius of boardmaker Nev Hyman, is not only impressive — it’s a world-record holder. Yep, this board is the world’s biggest surfable board.

Set to debut publicly at the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final Presented by NRMA Insurance iin March, supported by Jim Beam, this marvel, called The Together Board, has been undergoing rigorous testing at Surfing Australia’s high performance centre in northern NSW since the beginning of the year.

But why is a board of this size important? Well, it is the perfect symbol of what surfing is all about. It’s about community, togetherness and experiencing pure bloody joy with your best mates. How better to show that than a board so big you can surf together?

And, let’s be honest, there was no one better to tackle the task than Nev. Having made his first big board over 30 years ago (a 25ft monster to hang over his shop), he went on to break multiple world records for the world’s largest surfboard, first at a monstrous 40ft and then going above and beyond at 42 ft.

But the huge Jim Beam Together Board does what these big boards cannot. All those boards couldn’t properly surf a wave on its own — this one can. Just another incredible feat Nev’s pulled off.

“Not the biggest, not the most amount of surfers on a board, but the most surfable unassisted surfboard.

“It's called the Together Board, so it's basically bringing people together to have a lot of fun”

And a board of this size is the perfect mission for Jim Beam to rally behind, being the perfect articulation of everything the brand stands for. Working closely through their partnership with Surfing Australia to connect & engage, whether through local boardriders or casual surfers alike, this partnership is dedicated to fostering these communities through their shared love for Aussie summer & surfing, because surfing is best enjoyed together.

And, there’s no better way to show off the surfing community than the Together Board, literally uniting surfers on one board to ride the waves together.

You can see the Jim Beam Together Board, crafted by Nev, hit the surf at the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final Presented by NRMA Insurance in Burleigh Heads on the weekend of March 8, 2025. Head here for more details.