History
Fatum Surfboards is a custom-board brand in Peniche, Portugal, associated with shaper Gero Tragatschnig. Its history begins with his shaping and repair work on Sylt in 1988, including boards for the weaker surf of the North Sea. The maker dates his move to Peniche and the conception of Fatum to 1996; a later interview places the first factory in Alto Veríssimo in 1999. These mark different stages of the business.
Fatum's 2020 process article describes CNC shaping with Gero's hand refinements, followed by glassing and polishing in-house. That account puts conversations with the surfer at the start of those adjustments. The range spans performance boards, shorter and wider shapes, more relaxed designs and longboards. Materials have also changed over time: its 2022 EcoGold announcement introduced Polyola blanks, so an earlier preference for polyurethane should not be read as an exclusive construction rule.