The sale was hosted by John and Bari Denney of Jupiter Paddleboarding in South Florida, which has grown to become one of the largest SUP retailers in the country.
To match its high-end Palm Beach clientele, the Denney’s chose legendary shaper and Maui friend, Jimmy Lewis, to supply their boards. With customer Jimmy Buffett also owning a Jimmy Lewis paddle board and involved with the Everglades Foundation, which works to increase awareness and conservation of the wetlands and natural sources of water in South Florida, the idea came to auction off a board for the charity’s annual gala event, held Feb. 17 at the famous Palm Beach Breakers Hotel.
Attendees included Kelly Slater, Jack Nicklaus, Joe Scarborough, and Dave Mathews. The package to be auctioned included a 10’6″ Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control SUP, a Jimmy Lewis Kanaha Paddle designed by Quickblade, a Jimmy Lewis board bag, and an everglades eco-tour and paddle session with Jupiter Paddleboarding.
Bids quickly rose like the tide and when the gavel fell the board had been sold for $27,500 to an unknown bidder. All proceeds go toward the Everglades Foundation.