More than a thousand years ago, Alfred the Great did something radical: He used cræft to translate virtue.
England at the time was a land of craftsmen—people who worked with their hands, who gave their lives to a trade. He saw something in that dedication that the culture was overlooking.
The knowledge, the discipline, the relentless pursuit of excellence—these weren’t just professional qualities, they were a reflection of moral character. The quality of the work and the quality of the person were, to him, inseparable.
Then the Industrial Revolution happened. Machines took over the crafts of society. People lost the knowledge and skill to make things with their hands. Over centuries, “craft” became a hobby. Alfred’s deeper meaning—craft as a way of life, a way of being—was quietly forgotten.
But we’re bringing it back, because we found a word that finally articulates and honors what happens in the water.
The wave is our blank canvas. And how we ride a wave is what we make. We bring our body, mind, knowledge of the ocean and the board, to read what the water gives and draw a line through it.
It’s a collaboration between us and our environment. And it takes discipline. Passion. Patience. Courage. Resilience. Wisdom earned through hours in the water and humility earned through wipeouts.
These aren’t just surfing virtues—these are human virtues, the kind Alfred was talking about.
When we pursue mastery on a wave, we can become not just better surfers, but better people.
Craeft Surf Studio is a curated space built on a deep love for surf culture and a belief that it has more to offer than the world gives it credit for.
We bring together surfers at every level, alongside icons of the industry, to learn, to be inspired, and to press deeper into the virtues that surfing demands. To honor what it takes. And to be changed by it.
What’s the mental process of paddling into a 50-foot wave? What are the pipelines in your own life right now, the things that challenge you at your core?
These aren’t just questions about surfing. They never were.
Tommy Tant grew up in a tight-knit surf community in the small town of Flagler Beach, Florida. He was known as a fun-loving and thrill-seeking friend who loyally looked out for those around him.
In 1998, he tragically passed away in his sleep from an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm. His death shook the community to its core. But through the loss, the community gained a deepened sense of the fragility of life and the value of friendships.
A year after his death, the Flagler Palm Coast High School marketing class approached the Tant family with the idea of holding a surf contest in Tommy’s memory. After a successful first year, the community continued to organize and host the event for the next three years. In a multitude of ways, the annual ritual of celebrating Tommy’s life carried the family through their initial season of grief. It rehabilitated the community, too.
In its fifth year, Tommy’s younger brother, Will, stepped into the role of event director. Tommy was a perennial influence in Will’s life, always challenging him to live outside of his comfort zone and strive for his full potential (as older brothers tend to do). Will, a professional surfer at the time, wanted to carry on the same encouragement of the next generation of Flagler County youth.
Over the last 20-plus years, the contest has evolved into an annual tradition that brings together surfers from all along the East Coast. It is often described as “a community event with a surf contest,” which speaks to the unique bonds forged in the peaks and valleys of living life together in a small community.
The continued support of faithful volunteers and sponsors is the lifeblood of the event. The contest has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to local scholarships, contributions to local food banks, and the Marfan Foundation, which conducts research for genetic connective tissue disorders like the one that affects the Tant family.
Creating opportunities for young adults to pursue their goals has always been at the heart of The Tommy. At the 23rd annual Tommy, we made a big announcement: Now, we funnel efforts directly to the local surf athletes.
We granted $5,000 each to four local athletes selected for the inaugural class of our new Fellows Program, designed to help them advance their careers.
For decades, this little coast of Florida has delivered some talented surfers. And together, in continued collaboration with our community, we can see them take that talent where it belongs, representing our love for the waves and friendships on the global stage.
For years, the building across from the pier and the contest site was home to Z Wave Surf Shop, a fixture in the community and a long-time supporter of the contest.
In 2026, when we were presented with the opportunity to move into the space, we saw it as an opportunity to become the new stewards of something with rich local history
Craeft is specifically curated for this community and designed to do year-round what the Tommy Tant has done every fall for nearly three decades. One of the oldest structures in Flagler Beach, standing for more than a century, we are restoring it and giving it new life.
Will and Clarissa Tant are the founders of Craeft Surf Studio and the longtime leaders of the Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic—one of Florida’s most enduring surf traditions, held every fall directly across the street from this studio.
“The Tommy” began in 1998 in memory of Will’s brother Tommy, who passed away at 24, and has grown into a cornerstone of Florida’s surf community ever since.
Will is a former professional surfer with over a decade of experience surfing the top destinations and competitive events around the world. He holds degrees in moral philosophy and theology from Columbia University and the University of Oxford, and has served as president of the Tommy Tant for years. Clarissa brings fifteen years of leadership expertience in writing, marketing, events, and business, and has co-led the Tommy Tant alongside Will since 2021.
They share a passion for cultivating community, deepening the conversation, empowering the next generation, and enjoying the ocean.
Craeft is a place where everything they’ve built, learned, and believed in comes together. Where surfers and ocean enthusiasts of every level are welcomed, challenged, and connected to something bigger than a session in the water.
Sign up to get all the latest fashion news, website updates, offers and promos.
