Beneath the Surface

Welcome to the thirty-fourth installment of BOTE’s Beneath The Surface. Less storytelling, more product insight. Corey and Sean dive into our newest product - the Breeze Gatorshell and how it is molded with soul and our Flagship of Fun. So sit back, press play, and enjoy.

The thirty-third installment of BOTE's Beneath the Surface Podcast falls on Thanksgiving. This year, amidst all the chaos of 2020—the global pandemic, U.S. elections, and holiday shopping madness—it's especially important to reflect on the good things in life. For some, it is family; for others, it's simple fall routines like football, good food, and shopping. Whatever your joy is, it is essential to remember what we have to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Welcome to the thirty-second installment of BOTE’s Beneath The Surface. From 3:00 am alarms, multiple locations, and everything we make, the BOTE photoshoots are anything but easy. In the end, though it helps define who we are and where we’re going. Corey and Sean sit down to discuss the challenges and the victories of our latest brand shoot. So sit back, press play, and enjoy.

In the 31st installment of the Beneath the Surface Podcast, Corey and Sean take us through some of their favorite places to paddle throughout the United States. In Beneath the Surface: Where to Paddle, the guys recount some of their favorite paddle experiences from coast to coast and tons of (surprising) favorite locales in between. 

Toward the end of the episode, BOTE ambassador Erin O’Malley jumps on to give us her favorite paddle destinations. From the backwoods of Alabama to the Grand Canyon, you won’t want to miss this episode of the best places to paddle in the U.S. 

Links from the Episode

Paddle Bostin in January, or just catch a glimpse in BOTE Presents // The Perfect Season.

Don’t think you can paddle? You can do it. 

Paddle around the statue of liberty virtually via BOTE Presents // Operation Phoenix.

Go beneath the surface of the “most alive” tiny town in the South, Venice, LA. 

Landlocked in middle America? Paddle the Ozarks. 

Can’t decide? Take the find your board quiz.

Get to know BOTE ambassador Erin O’Malley.

Who's in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

Erin O’Malley is a BOTE ambassador and owner of Sunset Standup Paddle in Laguna Beach, CA.

Sound Bites

“The most challenging place has always been... Los Angeles. We have the Pacific Ocean but there aren’t a lot of waterways like we have here in Florida. You’ve got swells, and wind, and waves, and it’s tricky because I like to fish… It’s a whole thing. You’ve gotta pack your car, drive somewhere then carry your board down a cliff. It’s cold.” - Sean Murphy, BOTE Director of Photography 

“The most interesting place was Boston in the wintertime… for a photoshoot called The Perfect Season. I went to school in Boston, in spring and fall it’s easy breezy but in January we were paddling in snow and ice. Man, we paddled through the downtown area at four or five in the morning. FROZEN. It was so cool.” - Sean Murphy, BOTE Director of Photography 

“I’ve got a farm pond that’s on about 10 acres. People don’t think of ponds as being a place to stand up paddle board, they think of more expansive bodies of water like lakes and rivers. But just paddling around the edge of the pond to fish for bass and bream beats a johnboat any day.” - Corey Cooper, BOTE CEO and Co-Founder

Welcome back to the Beneath the Surface podcast. In this episode—the thirtieth(!) installment— Corey and Sean alleviate apprehensions about paddle boarding. After all these years, still one of the most common questions people have about paddle boarding is: “Can I do it?” 

The short answer? Yes. The 25-minute answer outlined in this podcast? Also yes. Emphatically yes. As Corey says, “This sport wouldn’t be so popular if it wasn’t easy.”

In Beneath the Surface: You Can Do It, Corey and Sean detail why paddle boarding is an activity for everyone. Not just that, but why it’s an excellent activity for everyone. They also dive into some of the best standup paddle boards based on people’s interests and ability levels. And of course, as always, they have a grand old time doing it. So sit back, press play, and enjoy.

Links from the Episode

Find the right board for you. Take the quiz. 

Don’t fall in. Get the most stable board on the market. 

Want something a little more maneuverable? Get the paddle board that suits any excursion.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

Sound Bites

“As an inexperienced paddler, the bigger the board you get, the easier it’s going to be in the beginning. However, the downside is: you’re going to overcome that uncomfortable phase real quick. You’re going to acclimate to the board in less than a week. So don’t overbuy to the extent that you’re no longer having fun with the board once you acclimate to it.” – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE 

In this episode of the Beneath the Surface Podcast, Corey and Sean talk about the creation of their newest and most electrifying product (literally): the Power Rac. It’s a new Rac option that started as just paddle board lights but quickly turned into something more. Paddle boarding at night is some of the most epic paddling out there but can be challenging without the right gear, especially when that gear doesn’t really exist.

After a wet and wild trip to the Everglades with a charged up Rover that didn’t quite make the cut, Corey hatched a plan to add power to their boards by keeping it self contained in a Grab Rac. And thus, the Power Rac was born.  Built specifically for the Rackham and Rover boards, the Power Rac consolidates electric power in a super simple control puck, so you can control your LED light, nav lights, accessory ports, and GPS fishfinder all from the same place. 

Listen up to find out how they came up with the idea and why it’s going to be a game-changer in the SUP accessory world.

Links from the Episode

The Power Rac, an powered up take on the Grab Rac.

See how Corey and Sean survived the Everglades with their Rover’s.

The simplicity of our Rac Systems will have you elevating your board in no time.

See what Yak-Power is all about. Spoiler: it’s more than just a badass name. 

Add extra power to your Power Rac with a second NOCQUA battery.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

Sounds Bites

“So the idea, the goal, was 1.) we wanted to get lights on the deck of a board so people can see what’s on the deck at night without having to use flashlights and headlamps and stuff. 2.) We wanted nav lights so you can paddle the Rover at night. 3.) We wanted to have accessory power. So whether it's powering a speaker or a phone or a bubbler like a Livewell, or GPS, a power port that can power, so you have all these options.”  - Corey Cooper, BOTE CEO and Co-Founder

Welcome back and thanks for joining us for the 28th installment of the Beneath the Surface podcast. In Beneath the Surface Podcast: Anything But Mainstream, Corey and Sean reflect on a project that took place back in 2016 in and around the Apalachicola River--what might be BOTE’s most underrated trip so far.  

The Apalachicola River is fed from the Chattahoochee River, starting where the Chattahoochee River is dammed at the Florida state line in Southern Georgia. The river is the Apalachicola Bay’s primary source of freshwater, an essential element to mix with the saltwater coming in from the Gulf of Mexico to make the ideal environment for thriving oyster beds. In this episode, the guys take another multi-day paddle trip down the Apalachicola River to shed light on the oyster fishery and its need for conservation. 

So sit back, press play, and learn a little something about what’s happening along the Gulf Coast with a few laugh out loud moments along the way.

Links from the Episode

Discover Florida’s Forgotten Coast. 

Learn more about why Apalachicola Bay oyster fisheries are in danger.

Enjoy BOTE Presents // Anything but Mainstream, a conservation expedition.

Get to know the mission of the Waterkeeper Alliance. 

Jump back to episode 26 to learn about our partnership with SweetWater Brewery.

The guys paddled the river on Flood and HD solid paddle boards.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

Welcome to the twenty-seventh installment of the Beneath the Surface Podcast. In Beneath the Surface: Loose Program Behind the Scenes, Corey and Sean sit down with BOTE Brand Manager Skye Bailey and BOTE Videographer Thomas Ramsey to rehash some behind the scenes moments of the film project BOTE Presents // Loose Program.

Much like the premise of other BOTE Presents projects, the goal was to capture Ronne Renner’s unique lifestyle from a different perspective that you don’t see captured in X Games and Redbull footage on YouTube. So the team packs up and heads to Ronnie’s home in Central Florida to get unparalleled access to his life--kids, compound, and all. Enjoy!

Links from the Episode

Watch the BOTE Presents // Loose Program film.

Check out the Rover Micro Skiff.

Learn more about Ronnie Renner, MotoX Freestyle Red Bull Athlete.

Our newest camera addition and drone additions.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

Sound Bites

“Everything I do is great and fun for my own self-fulfillment, but when I can pass it on to my kids or share it with my kids or do it with my kids... it just takes life to another level.” - Ronnie Renner, MotoX Freestyle Red Bull Athlete

In episode 26 of the Beneath the Surface Podcast: SweetWater - The Road Trip, Corey and Sean give us a breakdown of their three-day visit to Atlanta, Georgia, while filming a campaign video with SweetWater Brewery and Waterkeeper Alliance. 

You need fresh water to make beer. And you need fresh water to paddle board on. So the partnership between SweetWater, BOTE, and Waterkeeper Alliance to raise awareness for healthy fresh and saltwater ecosystems make complete sense. What doesn’t make complete sense is all the crazy shit that happened during the filmmaking, and that’s what Corey and Sean cover here. 

If you’re looking to learn about clean water, check out the Anything But Mainstream video link in the Links from the Episode. If you’re looking to hear about a mystery bottle of urine in the company van, press play.

Links from the Episode

The beer that launched the 3-day trip, SweetWater Brewery.

Castaway Customs can deck out your BOTE and your boat.

Waterkeeper Alliance, a pretty rad group that helps protect our waterways. 

After listening to Regular John by Queens of the Stoneage, Corey and Sean’s late-night shenanigans makes so much sense.

Watch the Anything But Mainstream video to learn more about water conservation.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

Sound Bites

“We were driving up from here (Fort Walton Beach, Florida) to Atlanta and we stopped at this drinking water reservoir in Opp, AL and it had all the trees kinda growing up from it.” - Corey Cooper / BOTE CEO & Co-Founder

“Oh yeah, and we were driving and I was like ‘STOP THE VAN! THAT LOOKS COOL. We need to shoot there. Now.’ It was freezing, if you had fallen in, you would’ve died.” - Sean Murphy / BOTE Director of Photography

Corey and Sean are back behind the mid for the 25th installment of the Beneath the Surface Podcast. This time, they’re talking about the Aero Journey.  The journey of the BOTE inflatable paddle board is one that may seem like it’s still in its infancy--less than 10 years old--but the growth has been incredible in such a short amount of time. 

In Beneath the Surface Podcast: The Aero Journey, Corey and Sean take us through the lifespan of BOTE’s inflatables, starting in 2013 when Corey sees a need for an easy to transport SUP board. You know the Aero line. It ranges from inflatable paddle boards to kayaks and even couches and docks. Inspired by the original solid SUP board technology and enhanced for packability, the Aero journey is one that’s filled with innovation and technology--just like everything you can come to expect from the BOTE brand. 

Links for the Episode

Check out Corey and Sean’s four day excursion on the Everglades, Surviving the Everglades. 

Don’t believe they would run over an inflatable? Well, they did.

The Inflatable Dock aka ‘the floating square’. Simple on the outside, tech’d out on the inside.

Learn more about the guy who ‘just takes the photos’, Sean Murphy.

Harry Madison, BOTE Ambassador and fixer-upper of SUP boards, knows a thing or two about blowouts. 

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

Sound Bites

“The word inflatable is actually a bad word. It’s more like a compressed air chamber. Yes, it’s inflatable because there’s air inside of it and it goes from not having anything in it to being inflated, but it’s like an air tank. This is air compressor level shit. Tire level stuff. People always confuse the word inflatable and think pool float, rubber ducky, giant flamingo. We came up with a new word, we call it our AeroTechnology.” - Corey Cooper / BOTE CEO and Co-Founder