About
THE BLACK PROJECT STORY
100% Performance Fins & Paddles From the Origin of Stand Up Paddling
Founded and based on Maui Hawaii since 2010, the original home of both standup paddle boarding and windsurfing.
We are obsessed by performance, in a competitive standup paddling world where seconds mean the difference between winning and losing, we work tirelessly to give our athletes an advantage.
Working together with elite athletes we conceive, design, test and build the standup paddle board fins and paddles which will help you exceed your standup paddling goals. We are lucky to live, work and ride in the ideal ocean environment for producing the finest gear.
Through exceptional design and the use of the premium materials we are able to put a little bit of the Maui magic in every fin and paddle we produce.
Our ultimate aim is to help people enjoy watersports and the outdoors more than ever before while promoting a healthy and environmental aware population.
Chris Freeman
Co-Founder, Black Project Hawaii
In the ocean from a young age, Chris has spent a lifetime chasing waves, wind and water-based adventure. Born in the United Kingdom, Chris grew up windsurfing with his family and quickly turned to racing nationally and internationally.
It was his passion for waves and adventure which first drew him to Hawaii in 1995 at the age of 18. Later that year he met Tom who had already been in Maui for a few years. These early years on Maui formed the basis of Chris’ future path.
Chris completed a degree in Economics in 1999, and spent time working in the UK, USA and the Middle East but he found himself flying back to Hawaii to chase waves whenever possible.
In 2011 Chris decided it was time to be in Maui full time and follow his passion while concentrating on the business which he and longtime friend Tom had formed in 2010.
Chris still competes internationally in the waves and has been attending more races when possible. Like others based on Maui, Chris moved into standup paddling at an early stage and splits his free time between standup paddling, windsurfing and surfing.
His passion for the water is as strong now as it ever was and as a result Black Project is a company founded and run by enthusiasts who build what they want to use themselves.
Follow, Like & Share Chris on Instagram @chrisk97
Tom Hammerton
Co-Founder & Designer, Black Project Hawaii
Tom grew up on the English south coast and took to windsurfing at a young age. Tom competed in wave sailing and moved to Hawaii to follow his dream.
Tom’s innovative nature meant that he quickly began fixing windsurfing sails and he would later become the designer for Hot Sail Maui, a leading windsurfing brand based on Maui.
Tom took time off from island life to pursue an Engineering degree on the mainland and later became a flight instructor before returning to Maui. Tom’s passion for speed saw him chasing windsurfing speed records and hence he turned his attention to foils.
With Bart de Zwart as a close friend Tom began working on paddling projects at an early stage in the sports development. Tom splits his time on the water between sailing yachts, windsurfing, standup paddling and fishing.
