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Taksu Boards

Innovative surfboard brand built on a custom web platform that transforms surfboard selection into a guided, educational design experience with direct-to-consumer sales.

Next.js JavaScript
Home page hero introducing the brand.
Home page hero introducing the brand.
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Project Overview

Taksu Boards is a longboard-focused surfboard brand and a custom web platform designed to help surfers make informed, intentional board choices.

The core challenge is translating highly nuanced physical shape design into a guided, educational digital experience. Rather than a generic configurator, the platform leads users through a structured decision process that aligns surfboard shape with personal goals and skill level.

Product Vision

The system is built around a modular surfboard design model:

  • Users define goals and experience level
  • The system suggests base models optimized for specific, often incompatible, performance characteristics (e.g. fast turning vs. nose stability)
  • Then users apply targeted modifications (speed, lift, stability, control) while learning their real-world effects

The goal is not only to sell boards, but to educate users so they can make confident, informed decisions.

Research & Concept Phase

Before technical development, the project went through an extended research and experimentation phase:

  • Iterative longboard shape testing
  • Mapping how geometry changes affect performance
  • Defining a feature taxonomy that can be explained to non-experts

This foundational work was necessary to ensure that the phisical product reflected real, validated shape design logic, rather than abstract configuration options.

Current Status

The project is not public yet and is currently in active content production, with the platform itself fully implemented and stable.

What’s done:

  • Complete application architecture and APIs
  • User flows: board shaping and configuration, order creation, cart and checkout, promo and referral validation, rewards calculation, user accounts, and order history
  • CMS models, business logic, and third-party integrations
  • Performance, security, and validation layers

What’s in progress:

  • Final photography and video
  • Educational content explaining shape trade-offs
  • Marketing and launch materials

The platform is held back until the educational content is as clear, accurate, and intentional as the system behind it.

My Role

I own the entire digital product:

  • Product definition & UX flows
  • Brand identity and design system
  • Frontend architecture (Next.js, TypeScript)
  • Backend APIs, CMS modeling, and business logic
  • Performance optimization, security, and deployment

Surfboard 3D design and physical shaping and glassing are handled by my collaborators.

Architecture & Tech Stack

Frontend

  • Next.js with server/client components
  • TypeScript + Zod for runtime data validation
  • Zustand for long-lived, multi-step state (suggestions, boards, orders, users)
  • Global loading and transitions via Suspense boundaries

Backend & APIs

  • Next.js route handlers for all mutations
  • Validation-first API design with consistent error handling
  • JWT authentication with cookie-backed sessions
  • Optional Redis-based rate limiting for API protection

CMS & Business Logic

  • Strapi 5 as the system of record for:
    • Content and educational materials
    • Base models and board features
    • Orders, rewards, referrals, promos
  • Business logic isolated into reusable helpers (pricing, rewards, specs)

Implemented User Flows

All flows are fully implemented, including validation, persistence, and error handling:

  • Guided board design

    • Goal-based suggestions
    • Base model recommendations
    • Feature combinations with cumulative effects
    • Customization → cart → checkout
    • Side-by-side board comparison

  • Cart & checkout

    • Mixed carts (custom boards + products)
    • Context-aware recommendations
    • Promo validation by order type
    • Guest checkout with optional account linking

  • Accounts & orders

    • Separate board and product pipelines
    • Order history with discounts and rewards
    • Persistent accounts with referrals and reward balances

  • Rewards & referrals

    • Eligibility validation
    • Reward accrual on paid orders
    • Reward application with leftover handling
    • Server-side recalculation on cart changes

Media & Performance

The platform includes an optimized Cloudinary pipeline:

  • Strapi uploads trigger eager transformations
  • Responsive variants generated ahead of time
  • Blur placeholders and explicit sizing
  • Delivery in modern formats (WebP / AVIF)

Results:

  • Reduced Cloudinary bandwidth and transformation usage
  • Faster LCP via priority loading and correct dimensions
  • Improved CLS via placeholders and sizing

Design System & Branding

I designed and implemented the complete brand and UI system:

  • Logo and visual identity
  • Accessible color palette and typography
  • Component-driven system using Tailwind CSS + ShadCN UI
  • Consistent styling across marketing, education, and commerce

All design work was created in Affinity and translated directly into code.

Development Workflow

  • TypeScript-first development
  • Unit and integration testing with Vitest
  • Security-first middleware (XSS protection, sanitization)
  • AI-assisted development using Cursor, with evolving agent-based workflows

The workflow has matured alongside the project, balancing rapid iteration with long-term maintainability.

Launch Timing

Taksu Boards spans multiple parallel tracks:

  • Physical product design and testing
  • Platform testing with finalized content
  • Brand materials and content production
  • Business setup in Indonesia

The platform will go public once the educational content that supports user decision-making is finalized.

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