In the rapidly evolving world of foilboarding, where mass production and carbon copies dominate the market, Michael McKinley stands as a resolute craftsman committed to the art of hand-shaping. His shop, LavaGoat Labs, tucked away in the industrial edges of the San Francisco Bay Area, has become a pilgrimage site for foiling enthusiasts seeking boards that transcend the ordinary—custom creations that marry old-world craftsmanship with cutting-edge hydrodynamics.

The Craftsman Behind the Brand

McKinley’s journey to becoming the Bay Area’s premier foilboard shaper wasn’t a direct path. A former aerospace engineer with a background in fluid dynamics, he spent weekends foiling the challenging conditions of the San Francisco Bay long before the sport gained mainstream popularity.

“I was constantly frustrated with what was commercially available,” McKinley explains while carefully running a hand planer along the rail of a custom shape. “The mass-produced boards weren’t accounting for our specific conditions—the chop, the gusty winds, the tide variations. Each spot around the Bay has its own personality.”

This frustration led to experimentation, with McKinley reshaping his own boards in a single-car garage. What began as personal tinkering evolved into crafting boards for friends, then friends of friends, until demand necessitated establishing LavaGoat Labs in 2019.

Engineering Meets Craftsmanship

What sets McKinley’s approach apart is his unique blend of scientific precision and intuitive craftsmanship. Each LavaGoat board begins with an extensive interview process, where McKinley discusses not just a rider’s height and weight but their style preferences, favorite spots, and specific conditions they encounter.

“I’m mapping hydrodynamic principles to human experience,” he notes. “The computer modeling gives me a baseline, but then there’s the hand-shaping process where 30 years of water experience comes into play.”

This attention to detail manifests in subtle variations that mass producers simply can’t match. A board designed for the gusty, choppy conditions of Crissy Field features different characteristics than one shaped for the smoother waters near San Mateo. McKinley’s boards are recognizable by their distinctive outline templates and meticulously crafted rails—features that devoted fans can spot from shore.

Local Solutions for Local Conditions

Perhaps the most significant contribution McKinley has made to the Bay Area foiling community is his deep understanding of the region’s unique conditions. The San Francisco Bay presents challenges unlike any other foiling destination worldwide—cold water, strong currents, dramatic tide swings, and wind patterns influenced by the Golden Gate’s unique geography.

McKinley has developed specific designs tailored to these challenges:

“The Berkeley Board,” optimized for the afternoon westerlies that build across the central Bay, features a flatter deck profile and reinforced mast track to handle chop at speed.

“The Tomales,” named after Tomales Bay in Marin County, offers a more relaxed rocker profile ideal for the protected waters and consistent breezes found north of the city.

“The Alameda Express,” with its distinctive step-rail design, helps riders manage the strong currents and tide-influenced chop along the East Bay shoreline.

Building Community Through Craftsmanship

Beyond shaping boards, McKinley has fostered a tight-knit community around LavaGoat Labs. Monthly “shape and share” sessions invite riders to observe the crafting process while exchanging stories and techniques. These gatherings have evolved into impromptu clinics where experienced foilers mentor newcomers, all centered around McKinley’s workshop.

“There’s something about watching a board take shape that connects people to the sport on a deeper level,” says longtime customer Janice Wong. “When you understand the thought that goes into each curve and contour, you develop more sensitivity to how your board performs on the water.”

This community aspect has proven particularly valuable during the sport’s recent surge in popularity. Rather than simply selling equipment, McKinley offers an entrypoint into a culture of craftsmanship and intentionality that counters the sometimes-frantic consumerism of water sports.

Innovations Beyond Shape

McKinley’s contributions extend beyond board shapes to material innovations specifically suited to Northern California conditions. His proprietary “BayBond” construction technique, which incorporates a specialized resin formulation, creates boards that withstand the Bay Area’s unique combination of cold water and intense sun exposure.

“Temperature fluctuation is the enemy of board longevity,” McKinley explains. “You’re foiling in 55-degree water, then the board sits baking in 80-degree sun on your car roof. That expansion and contraction cycle destroys mass-produced boards over time.”

LavaGoat boards are renowned for their durability—most remain in active service years after purchase, often outlasting multiple foil setups. This longevity has earned McKinley a reputation as not just a shaper but a sustainability advocate in a sport often plagued by equipment turnover.

The Future of Craft in a Mass-Market World

As foiling continues its explosive growth, McKinley remains committed to hand-shaping rather than scaling through production outsourcing. He has taken on two apprentices, ensuring the craft knowledge he’s developed continues to evolve.

“There will always be a place for mass production—it makes the sport accessible,” McKinley acknowledges. “But there will also always be riders who want something shaped specifically for them, for their local spot, for their unique style. That’s the space I’m committed to.”

This philosophy has resonated strongly in the Bay Area, where tech innovation meets counterculture craftsmanship. In a region defined by both technological disruption and artisanal values, McKinley’s approach bridges these seemingly contradictory impulses.

For San Francisco Bay foilers lucky enough to ride a LavaGoat custom, the difference is immediately apparent—boards that feel like natural extensions of their bodies, responsive to the Bay’s distinctive moods and perfectly adapted to local conditions that no algorithm or overseas factory could fully understand.

As one rider summarized after testing his custom shape: “It’s like Michael somehow translated everything I wanted to do on the water into physical form—a board that doesn’t just perform well but feels like it was always meant for me.”