Rhode Island company helps break world record

world recordPresident of mouldCAM John Barnitt and Project Manager Bob Steel stand between the two halves of the surfboard that broke the world record for most people to ride a wave. Photo by Andrew Augustus, WPRO News.

Andrew Augustus, WPRO News.

A Guinness Book World Record has been broken with the help of a local company.  The surfboard built at mouldCAM in Bristol, Rhode Island caught a wave with 66 surfers on board for 12 seconds to break the record.

“It was a pretty difficult project actually getting it in the water,” said President of mouldCAM John Barnitt.  “Getting everybody onboard it and getting it towed out to the area to actually break the record.”

After being made in Bristol, the board was shipped out to California where it would be finished and prepared for the attempt in Huntington Beach, California. On Saturday the board was towed through big waves to its starting point with 66 carefully selected surfers were eager to make history.

The surfboard was 43 feet long and weighed 1300 pounds.

As the board caught the wave all 66 surfers were standing as the board glided towards shore. The ride lasted roughly 12 seconds and no one fell off securing the record.

“When they were on the wave it seemed pretty easy, but when they were towing it out to the shore break, I did have that moment where I thought oh boy,” said Barnitt.

In addition to the record for most surfers on a board, the surfboard is being looked at for the record of largest surfboard which will take a few days to determine.

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