Meet the 16-Year-Old Surfboard Shaper Bringing Purpose, Passion, and a One-of-a-Kind Board to BCMF
There’s something special about a surfboard shaped by hand.
Every curve, every line, and every layer carries a story — and this summer at Barefoot Country Music Fest, one of those stories is coming straight from Bayville, New Jersey.
At just 16 years old, Micayla of Angry Thumb Designs isn’t just chasing waves — she’s shaping them.
Believed to be the youngest female surfboard shaper in the United States, Micayla has spent the last several years turning passion into purpose through her custom handcrafted boards. Now, she’s bringing that purpose to the beaches of Wildwood with a custom 6-foot BCMF surfboard that will be raffled off during festival weekend to benefit the Surfrider Foundation South Jersey and its ongoing beach cleanup initiatives.
Raffle tickets will be available throughout the weekend, with all proceeds supporting efforts to help protect and preserve local beaches. One lucky fan will take home the one-of-a-kind handcrafted board on the final day of the festival on Sunday.
For Micayla, surfing has always been more than just a hobby — it’s been part of her life from the very beginning.
She shaped her first board at just 10 years old after being inspired by her father, a carpenter by trade who shaped boards himself. What started as watching and helping in the workshop quickly evolved into a passion and talent that gained attention well beyond her hometown.
Her work has since earned praise from respected New Jersey surfboard shaper Bryan Wynn and has helped support charitable initiatives both locally and internationally.
At only 11 years old, Micayla shaped boards benefiting Black Girls Surf initiatives in Senegal, Africa — programs focused on creating opportunities for young girls through surfing, education and community. She has also contributed custom boards to fundraising efforts benefiting the David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation, helping support local families facing cancer.
Every board created through Angry Thumb Designs carries personal meaning. Each one includes a tribute to her late grandfather as well as the handwritten Bible verse Isaiah 43:2 — details that reflect the faith, family and purpose behind her work.
And while surfboard shaping may be what first catches people’s attention, it’s only part of who she is.
Micayla is also a highly competitive cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society and plans to pursue child behavioral psychology in the future — a path rooted in helping others and making an impact beyond herself.
That combination of creativity, heart and community impact is exactly why this partnership feels like such a natural fit for BCMF.
At its core, Barefoot Country Music Fest has always been about more than music. It’s about celebrating beach culture, community, creativity and the people who make these coastal towns so special. From the sand beneath the stages to the ocean just steps away, the beach is part of the BCMF experience — and this initiative gives fans a chance to directly help protect it.
So whether you’re a surfer, music fan, beach lover, or someone who simply appreciates a good story, make sure to stop by, grab a raffle ticket and support a meaningful cause during BCMF weekend.
Because this summer, one lucky fan won’t just leave with a surfboard.
They’ll leave with a handcrafted piece of passion, purpose, and the beach culture that makes Wildwood unlike anywhere else.
Learn More about the Surfrider Foundation Here
