In the airy living room, a refinished Chairish-sourced kayak by Little Bay Boards makes a splash above a custom sofa and coffee table designed by Gemma Parker.

Many thanks to photo extrordinaire Kate Headley and summer fun model Quinn Breslin for showing off one of our classic wooden surfboards on the cover of the Summer 2025 Vacation Guide!

Little Bay Boards is excited to share that we've been featured in GMC's November 2024 issue of Boundless Magazine, highlighting the incredible Sierra EV Denali. This remarkable truck combines the rugged capability of a traditional pickup with cutting-edge technology...

Thank you to Jennifer Telek for including us in her latest adventure, “Water Toys for the Lake” where she reviews our paddle board on her popular blog, Wetsulife.com.

To address the talent challenges faced by many local businesses, the 2023 NLEA/DTE Energy Foundation Interns are launching a talent attraction campaign and brand to show what makes living and working in Northern Lower Michigan special. The team’s goal is to target...

Unlock the endless possibilities of a laser cutter. From creating intricate designs on wood, acrylic, and metal to crafting personalized gifts and home decor, the Trotec Laser empowers you to unleash your creativity. Transform ordinary objects into extraordinary masterpieces with ease and precision. Discover the joy of bringing your imagination to life and join the laser cutting revolution. Little Bay Boards – where innovation meets craftsmanship.

On May 19th, 2023 Little Bay Boards finally hosted the much anticipated Grand Opening of their new Showroom at 355 N. Division Rd in Petoskey Michigan. The floor was swept and paddle boards were hung on the wall like fine art.  The ribbon was cut, a raffle ticket was...

Paddle Board builder Jason Thelen gets interviewed on Paddling The Blue Podcast Episode #84 – Canoecopia 2023 – Madison, WI

“I was told it was impossible to have a surfboard company in northern Michigan,” Thelen said. “And that’s all the motivation I needed to do it.”

Jason Thelen, founder of Little Bay Boards, can’t imagine making his eco-friendly, hollow-wood standup paddle boards anywhere else, first and foremost because Petoskey is his home.

We are super stoked that Little Bay Boards wooden stand up paddleboards are now available at Boyne Country Sports locations in Traverse City, Grand Rapids, and Bloomfield Hills Michigan!

Thanks to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for putting this awesome video and article together for us! Three Takeaways: Little Bay Boards Courtney Overbey | Friday, December 3, 2021 Petoskey craftsman Jason Thelen of Little Bay Boards shares his “bottom...

Thanks to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for putting this awesome video and article together for us! Little Bay Boards Petoskey-Based Entrepreneur Showcases Michigan’s Unequaled Economy and Quality of Living Jason Thelen knows the value of his home,...

We are honored that Misty Marcum, fellow Michigander and Entrepreneur, invited Jason to join her for an interview on the podcast "Wave On." Beyond podcasting, Misty is owner of Luna Moon SUP Yoga in Sylvan Lake, MI and loves teaching balance board yoga, slow burn and...

Little Bay Boards, a custom stand up paddleboard shop in Petoskey, is known for their beautiful, locally-grown wooden boards. Jason Thelen, the company’s founder and owner, shared what it took to grow the business from a solo project in his parents’ garage to the...

Petoskey’s own Little Bay Boards recently upgraded its workspace following a move into the old Kilwins candy factory, allowing the paddle board manufacturer to produce even more boards.

Thanks to Candie Conat for featuring us in Michigan Home & Lifestyle!WRITER | CANDIE CONATPHOTOS | LITTLE BAY BOARDS Jason Thelen, the owner of Little Bay Boards, had no idea that by building his daughter one wooden paddleboard, he would end up launching a...

A couple years ago we “threw a rock” now we get to watch all the ripples! Sterling Heights woodworking class making waves with celebrities, breaking stereotypes “What does billionaire Sir Richard Branson, actor Amy Smart, and Spanx founder Sara Blakely have in common?...

Little Bay Boards “Building your dream” …one board at a time.There is no better start of a story then one of a father fulfilling a request from his nine year old daughter who requested a paddleboard...but the request was she did not want one from a store, but...

Thanks to Ross Boissoneau for this great write up on Little Bay Boards…What dad hasn’t wanted to do something special for his child? Jason Thelen loved being on his standup paddleboard, so when his nine-year-old daughter asked for one too, he was happy to oblige. One...

Lake Affect is a shop in downtown Petoskey. It carries clothes and home decor, but its focus is on creations by local artists. It might seem like an unlikely retailer for stand-up paddleboards. Until you've seen the boards made by Jason Thelen, the Native American...

Jason Thelen, founder of Little Bay Boards, can’t imagine making his eco-friendly, hollow-wood standup paddle boards anywhere else, first and foremost because Petoskey is his home.

Written by Sean Miller/ Full article at originally published by News-ReviewWhat started as a project to make an affordable paddle board has turned into a budding business for Jason Thelen of Little Bay Boards. “It really all started because I couldn’t afford to buy a...

Thanks to 9&10 News for this great Video!"It was a crystal, flat day on Lake Michigan that sparked Jason Thelen’s hands and heart. Now captive by his experience, The Petoskey resident works to create functional, wooden pieces of art so others can feel the same...

This is great. We are so lucky to have Taylor “Jetson” on our team. Thanks for the shout out John Russell at The Detroit New!See all the awesome photos they featured on DetroitNews.com to help tell our story!

Emily Bingham put together this wonderful spread for us on MLive.com … Thanks Emily!Jason Thelen's paddleboards are like floating works of art: long, wide planks of hand-milled wood the color of honey, caramel and brown sugar, kept simple with clean lines or adorned...

This month we had the honor of being featured on the front cover of Great Lakes Energy Co-op’s Michigan Country Lines publication…If it takes a village to raise a child, then it most certainly takes one to raise a brainchild. Little Bay Boards, the brainchild of Jason...

Evelyn O’Doherty from Standup Journal put this article together about Jason at Little Bay Boards… “It hasn’t always been rainbows and butterflies.  But then, nothing worth chasing ever is.”  These are words spoken by Little Bay Boards owner/artist & board builder,...

Kate Bassett wrote this great article about us for Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine and MyNorth.comTo Jason Thelen, owner of Little Bay Boards, a paddleboard is not just a paddleboard, it’s a connection to things big and small and channels the life force of the...

Summer 2017 PromoteMichigan.com put together a nice story for us.JUST LIKE HIS CUSTOMERS, Jason Thelen’s hand-built paddleboards are one-of-a-kind. And Thelen, a direct descendant (great, great, great grandson) of Chief Petoskey — the 19th-century French-Ottawa...

Petoskey’s own Little Bay Boards recently upgraded its workspace following a move into the old Kilwins candy factory, allowing the paddle board manufacturer to produce even more boards.

View Original article at JamesPFriel.com By James August 14, 2016 The Bulletproof Businessman Series We would all love as business owners a level of predictability, to understand where our next customer is going to come from. The best way to do this is to understand...

At Little Bay Boards they pose an honest question: Life comes in waves, why not ride them? The Petoskey-based business specializes in all-natural wooden stand-up paddle boards. Each vessel is hand crafted with the user in mind, including their size, what the board’s...

Growing up in Petoskey, Jason Thelen dreamed of being a surfer and riding the big saltwater waves. But fate kept him near fresh water, so he adapted accordingly and began building custom standup paddleboards that "take the big lake’s little waves," he said. "My paddle...