live bold | surf cold

Rob Machado has been part of something truly powerful in surfing, not just riding waves, but helping others experience them in a completely new way.

He has worked with blind surfers by using his expertise as a surfboard shaper to design specially modified boards, including a 7-foot “Sunday” model built with extra volume for earlier wave entry and thinner rails so riders can better feel the wave through their feet.

But it doesn’t stop with equipment. He spends time coaching, watching surf sessions, and breaking down footage to help visually impaired surfers improve and build confidence in the water.

Through projects like Beyond Sight, his work with athletes such as Derek Rabelo shows how far determination can go when support and belief come together.