Lisa's Life (Van Edition): The dream of the ultimate windsurfing van - conversion tips and reality check
SURF
· 31.05.2026
Text: Lisa Kloster
Winter somehow feels different this year. Normally I'm in Tarifa at this time of year, on the water a lot, travelling a lot. This year is different. I'm with my friend in Greece, converting my van and for the first time in a long time I'm spending almost as much time between tools and wooden boards as I am on the water. Although the two complement each other surprisingly well - but more on that later. So I'm currently converting my new van into the ultimate windsurfing mobile, and while I'm sitting here between insulation, cables and half-finished furniture, I keep thinking to myself: "Okay... what did you actually set out to do?"
As much as I loved my old VW bus, there were a few things that limited me more and more."
Anyone who knows me knows that I loved my old VW bus (T4). Built in 2000, completely mechanical, no bells and whistles, nothing digital, and that was the best thing about it. If something didn't work, you could usually solve it yourself somehow. It wasn't that something was always broken, on the contrary, the little engine felt indestructible. But these little situations on the road are just part of it. For example, on Fuerteventura. I was about to enter a roundabout, shifted down into second gear and suddenly: nothing. No gear went in. No chance. Complete stick. So, surprisingly quickly, I was standing in the middle of the action until the Spanish police came by a minute later and unceremoniously pushed me off the roundabout. At the side of the road, I had a look at the whole thing and ended up fixing it with a piece of wire. Not pretty, but effective and robust enough to bridge the time until the spare part was in. And that's exactly what I loved about this car. That feeling that you know how to help yourself, no matter where you are.
More about van conversions:
Bye bye, T4! Hello, Movano!
But at some point I realised that the van is no longer just a car for me. I actually spend all my time in it. I work there, eat there, sleep there and often lie in bed with my laptop after long sessions while the wind continues to blow outside. And then at some point you realise that you don't really have any freedom of movement. Many people have always said that I sleep like a sardine tin - and they weren't entirely wrong. The surfing equipment simply takes up a lot of space. I've developed really good Tetris skills over the years and used every centimetre, but as soon as you're travelling with two people, it just gets cramped. Really tight. And that was the point in the end. Not because I suddenly wanted everything to be perfect or more luxurious, but because I realised: If I want to travel with my boyfriend, it won't work like this any more.
So I was back in Germany over Christmas to pick up my new, larger van. An Opel Movano L4, H2 from 2024. The idea of switching to a larger van at some point had been on my mind for a while. I've been working remotely in digital marketing for almost a year now, mainly in the social media sector for a surf shop. I also occasionally work on windsurfing-related projects. At the same time, my life in the VW bus was pretty minimalist, so I was able to put something aside over time. And when a pretty good deal came up at the dealership, it was clear: it was now or never. I also borrowed a small part of it from my dad. Mainly because he really pushed me in the direction of investing in a newer car once rather than having constant repairs later on.
What I didn't realise at the time was that less than two days later I would be standing in front of this exact same almost-new van with a jigsaw and glue gun in my hand, seriously considering whether I was ready to cut two huge holes in my new car.
The planned upgrades for the new windsurfing van
As much as I loved my T4, at some point there were a few things that limited me more and more in my everyday life. Especially because I spend a large part of my life in the van and am usually travelling with a lot of equipment. That's why it was clear to me that if I was going to rebuild, I would do so with a few very specific improvements.
- More space for material (and two people): Windsurf, kite and surfboards, sails, skateboards, neos. At the latest in pairs, whether with my best friend Elena on the Canary Islands or with my boyfriend in Greece, it quickly became chaotic. In the new van, I am therefore planning a full-length rear garage across the entire width and about one metre high. The aim is to store at least five windsurfing boards plus all the rest and still have enough space to live in.
- Waterproof garage: Wet and salty material is simply part of it. Everything in the T4 was damp after a few days of rain. This time I made a conscious effort to seal the garage as well as possible - with boat varnish and a PVC floor raised up on the sides, which works like a small tub. That way, the moisture doesn't get into the living space or anywhere under the floor.
- Height-adjustable board holders: Instead of storing two boards (only one with a fin) as before, I now want to store several boards on top of each other. I am therefore planning to make the mounts height-adjustable so that I can transport them flexibly with or without fins, depending on the freestyle or wave setup, without wasting space unnecessarily.
- Practical seating and work surface: Working on a small bench or in bed sounds relaxing at first, but in the long run it's just not that comfortable for your back. Yes, I know I sound old, but unfortunately it's time. That's why this time there will be one (or two) sensible, ergonomic seating and working options. The swivelling consoles under the front seats are already in, and that alone makes a huge difference to the feeling of space.
- Standing height & suitability for everyday use: Cooking, changing clothes or simply standing up when it's raining outside - these are little things that make a huge difference in everyday life. In the larger van, this is finally possible. Even though I already know that I won't be able to travel as cheaply and easily on ferries, car parks or parking spaces with the large van, it's absolutely worth it in the end.
- Better utilisation of space: In the T4, I learnt how important every centimetre is. In the new extension, I'm trying to implement this even more consistently: less thick panelling, more well thought-out solutions. In some places, for example, I have glued the felt directly onto the insulation. This not only saves space (10-20 cm across the entire width), but also makes it very cosy. It already feels really cosy, especially in the bed area.
- More technology, more power: I didn't have a second battery in my VW bus for a few years and only charged everything while driving. At some point, I added a solar panel, which was completely sufficient for my technology. I still never had a fridge and, to be honest, I hardly missed it (luckily my tofu lasts quite a long time). But somehow I'm already looking forward to a cold watermelon at the spot. The electrical setup is definitely planned to be bigger this time (approx. 400W solar, 300Ah LiFePO4 battery etc.), so that I am simply even more independent.
- Heating: I never had heating and, to be honest, I rarely missed it because I was usually in places where it didn't get really cold anyway. Up to zero degrees, it was all fine with the appropriate blankets or sleeping bag. Nevertheless, one will come in now. Not just so that my fingers don't freeze to the cold metal casing of my laptop in the morning, but above all to heat the van properly and get moisture out if something does get in.
- Water system: This will also be a real upgrade. I've pretty much perfected the "bottle showers" so far, but a fixed system with a pump is simply a different level. In addition to the sink in the kitchen, I'm also planning a small shower at the rear doors.
I've developed pretty good Tetris skills over the years and use every inch of it."
Reality check - the first steps in the remodelling process
The plan was actually clear from the start: if I was going to install the two side windows, I was going to do it in Germany. Simply because I realised in advance that I wouldn't be able to do this first big hole on my own. Get it wrong once, slip it once, and you have a really big problem. Fortunately, there was someone who not only had the time, but also knew his way around: my dad. What we didn't realise at the time, however, was how much the weather would dictate the schedule. The glue for the windows needs to be above ten degrees for it to work properly. And there were hardly any temperatures like that at the time. In the end, there was exactly one day left when it was warm enough: two days after collection. And yes, that was also my dad's birthday. So we picked up the van and went straight into the project. Of course, we prepared everything as well as we could beforehand. Measured, marked out, measured again, watched videos, thought about how we were going to proceed. Nevertheless, that moment when you start the jigsaw is a very special one. There's no turning back. The stress level was definitely really high for all of us. Once the holes were in, everything went relatively quickly. Apply metal protection, prepare the adhesive, insert the window, fix and press firmly into place.
Camping tips for surfers:
We didn't have much time to celebrate the first step, as we were only in Germany for about a week in total. After that, we were supposed to return to Greece quite quickly. The main reason was actually the temperatures. Many of the next steps in the expansion simply depend on it not being too cold. We also wanted to get back on the water, of course. So a short time later we were back on the road, this time heading south. Not via the ferry, but overland through Hungary, Serbia and North Macedonia. This saves money, but is definitely a little adventure in itself. The van still had no insulation, no heating, nothing. And it got really cold during those very days. One night it was minus ten degrees. So it was less of a cosy road trip and more of an "OK, we have to get through this now". After a rough four-day journey, we were back at my friend's place in Greece. There we basically continued straight away. Instead of arriving first, we were surrounded by a pile of boxes. I had already bought many parts in Germany and taken them with me. We then started with the roof windows, followed by the floor construction and the insulation. And that's when the next realisation came relatively quickly: even things that seem simple on paper take much longer in reality. Planning, rethinking everything a thousand times, cutting, adapting, working cleanly, building everything so that it really fits in the end.
Water ingress at the window - and a creative solution
After the first few steps, I briefly had the feeling that we were well on track. Windows in, skylights too, floor started. It was starting to look like progress. Until the first real rainy day came. After a rainy night, we got into the van in the morning and immediately discovered a puddle at the entrance. Of course, at first I hoped it was from the day before, but then I saw the drops under the side window. We just looked at each other and thought: "Oh no, shit!". At first, it's a really shitty feeling. You've just fitted everything, put a lot of effort into it and then you realise it's not tight. So you do what you do at such a moment: you google it. And that honestly didn't make it any better. Some people say you have to take the window out again completely.
The others say you can somehow re-seal it from the outside. Everyone is arguing in the comments. The problem was that we really didn't feel like ripping the window out again. All the glue off again, all over again. At the same time, I didn't want a half solution where you could later see from the outside that something had just been smeared over it. So we thought about it for a few days and then found a variant that sounded a bit like a DIY solution at first, but worked really well in the end. We used a slightly more liquid sealant and warmed it up in a hot water bath beforehand so that it flowed even better. Then we heated the tip of the cartridge, softened it, pressed it flat and bent it so that we actually got deep enough behind the glass. So we put a real "sealing sausage" in there, deep enough that you can't see anything from the outside, but exactly where the small hole was before. Two days later came the acid test. Water hose, full pressure, held directly on the seam. And luckily: everything was tight. I think it was one of those moments when you briefly realise how relieved you actually are. And at the same time, you learn an incredible amount and use your creativity to find solutions that you won't see in a YouTube video.
Rear garage and humidity
For me, these are the most important points in a windsurfing van. Why the garage is so crucial for me has to do with a pretty wild memory from my childhood: Leucate, lots of wind, really lots of wind. We had a motorhome back then and the boards were on the roof. What sounds normal at first becomes a nightmare in 50 knots. I remember exactly how the wind got stronger and stronger during a session until it was suddenly really strong. We didn't even think about heaving my board back onto the motorhome. Instead, we were just grateful that Balz Müller's family offered to store my board in their motorhome. Trailer to lay. Three people were holding the lid, everything was shaking, and yet one board simply flew off. From then on, I realised that when I eventually had my own motorhome, I wanted to simply pull out my equipment. No climbing, no mess, no risk. That's why my garage now covers the entire width of the van. There's enough room for a few boards without me feeling like I'm stuck under the ceiling when I'm up in bed. That was extremely important to me. Just like the point of wasting as little space as possible. No thick panelling, no unnecessary constructions that simply eat up space. In the T4, I had already learnt how much you can get out with good planning. This time I wanted to do it even more consistently.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I also take the issue of moisture very seriously: wet neos, salty boards, condensation - it all collects somewhere. That's why I've decided to treat all the wood I use with boat varnish (a big recommendation to anyone who is fitting out their own boat). Especially in the garage area, but actually everywhere. The varnish is expensive, but after the last few years I know that it's worth it. The same goes for the PVC flooring, which I want to raise a few centimetres at the sides to prevent water from running underneath it in the first place. Things like that aren't the first thing you think about at the beginning. But they make all the difference later on.
Winter in Greece
Even though a lot is currently centred around the van conversion, winter is of course not just a windsurfing break for me. On the contrary. I'm usually in Tarifa at this time of year, which has become my regular rhythm since I left school. For me, winter means Tarifa. Lots of water time, lots of wind, but honestly also lots of days where you just take what you get. Tarifa can be really good, no question about it. But it's also often choppy, gusty, and if you really want perfect freestyle conditions, a lot of things have to come together. I often just went surfing or kitesurfing because the wind wasn't quite what I wanted.
This winter in Greece feels completely different. I was windsurfing on average four times a week. This is mainly due to the way the wind behaves here in winter. In summer you know the Meltemithe constant north wind. In winter, things are much more changeable. The north wind still comes through, often really strong, for 3.6 or 4.0, but cold. You stand at the spot in the morning, put on your wetsuit and realise from the first gust of wind that it's not going to be a comfortable day. But of course I don't want to complain about it, because I've seen mountains of snow in Germany in my friends' postings.
Between work, expansion and moussaka
And then there's the south wind. It feels completely different. Warmer, softer, often around 20 degrees, and suddenly makes spots work that you didn't even have on your radar. The locals also kept saying that we had an unusually high south wind this winter. So it couldn't have gone better for me. One spot that worked really often as a result was Anavyssos. A bay, onshore wave, not huge, but just right. The waves don't have the raw power of the Atlantic, but rather clean, small kickers. I remember one particular day quite clearly. The wind was stable, the waves were clean in the bay and between the waves the water surface was as flat as a pancake. That was the day I stood my first Airskopu. These are moments that are hard to explain. It's not just the trick itself, but the feeling before and after. You try it again and again, fail, get out again, and at some point it just works. And in that moment, nothing else matters. On other days, I also went waveboarding and slid my first taka, but most of the time I was actually on my freestyle board. Of course, the south wind is harder to predict and can sometimes just disappear again after a rain front. But when it is there, these are often the days that stick. Warm, good wind, good mood on the water.
" The to-do list is still long - but the list of travel destinations in my head is also getting longer and longer."
And that's exactly what makes this winter so special. I work early in the morning, then stand in the van construction site between tools and wooden boards, continue building something and a few hours later I'm out on the water and in the evening my boyfriend's Greek grandma cooks my favourite veggie moussaka and afterwards asks me quite naturally whether the wind was good today. She watched the PWA livestreams last summer and now knows more tricks than my parents. In between, I also edit and upload video footage (thanks to everyone who sent me such lovely messages about our last video "Chaos Club 2025" have sent!). And even though this mix feels pretty good right now, the anticipation of what's to come is growing at the same time. The van isn't ready yet and the to-do list is still long, but the list of destinations in my head is also getting longer and longer. Whether it's the Canary Islands, Morocco or the Greek islands - I'm excited to see where we'll be heading first and will keep you up to date.
