Machining surfboard fins from recycled wind turbine blades
Most surfboard fins are made from layers of fibreglass and resin. So are wind turbine blades, just on a much bigger scale. When a blade reaches the end of its working life, that material has to go somewhere. We recently helped turn some of it into surfboard fins. We did the CNC machining for the Turbine Made fins, a collaboration between Acciona Energía and Sydney fin brand Bolero Surf.
What is Turbine Made
Turbine Made is Acciona's program for finding new uses for retired wind turbine blades, and the fins are the first product from it that anyone can buy. Acciona launched the initiative in February 2025, and early that year it showed a surfboard built from a decommissioned blade from its Waubra Wind Farm.
Finding the right fibreglass
The fins were designed by Banjo Hunt, who founded Bolero Surf. Banjo spent years trying out recycled fibreglass from sources such as caravan panels and boat hulls. Most of it had weaves that were too loose and too much resin to give a fin the flex and strength it needs. Blade fibreglass turned out to be strong and consistent. Reusing it also removes the slow, costly job of hand-laying new glass, which is helping Bolero move its production back to Australia. The blade material for the fins came from the Waubra Wind Farm in Victoria.
Our part: from blade to fin
Acciona delivered large segments of retired wind turbine blade to our Sydney workshop. The first job was breaking them down into workable pieces. We cut the segments with a water-cooled diamond blade saw, and contained and collected all of the dust so it could be disposed of safely. Fibreglass dust isn't something you want in the air or left lying around.
From there we CNC machined the fins themselves, including double-sided machining to shape both faces of each fin. In a set of fins, small differences in shape show up in how the board feels, so every fin has to match the design closely. The trickiest part was the material. Blade fibreglass is very abrasive, so we had to use special tooling to cut it cleanly.
CNC machining is part of what we do every day, from our Spotted Gum surfboard vents to custom work for other makers. Working with an unusual material for a performance product was a project we really enjoyed.
Tested in competition
The fins were launched at the 2026 NRMA Insurance Australian Boardriders Battle at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast. Darcy Crump, a professional surfer and captain of the Bungan Boardriders Club, rode them there. He said performance was the priority, that the fins felt solid and fast through turns, and that knowing where the material came from was a bonus.
Why it matters to us
Sine Surf started with a simple idea: make surf gear in Australia, and waste as little as possible doing it. That's why this project appealed to us. Acciona expects Australia to have a growing number of decommissioned blades over the next 5–10 years. Turning some of that material into fins that surfers actually want to ride is a good use for it.
The Turbine Made fins are sold through Bolero Surf, to customers in Australia and overseas.