For six months, Lisa Kloster sawed, screwed, improvised and documented the fitting-out of her new van on her blog “Lisa’s life” documented. In the new video, the freestyler gives a tour of her finished home on wheels – complete with an air fryer, an outdoor shower and a huge windsurfing garage.
From a bare-bones Movano panel van to a bespoke windsurfing van: in the two-part ‘Van Edition’ of “Lisa’s life”, Lisa Kloster recounted stories of leaky windows, material issues and a race against time. Following the first few weeks of practical use on Karpathos and Naxos, here is the detailed video tour. In it, Lisa shows how the many ideas from the planning and construction phases were ultimately put into practice – and where a little more work still lies ahead.
A living space with room to work and play
In the front of the van, Lisa has opted for a flexible layout. The bench seat can be pulled out and combined with the swivelling front seats to create a large seating area. At the fold-out table, Lisa can not only work on her laptop – there should also be enough space for a larger game of Catan.
There is additional storage space hidden under the bench, in the wall cupboards and in several floor compartments. There are also numerous power sockets, USB-C ports and various light sources. One special feature is the so-called ‘mouse house’: a small structure at the transition to the bed that combines the heating pipe, a shelf and a decorative surface. Only the heating itself is not yet fully connected – so for the time being, there remains a small question mark over the title ‘perfect winter van’.
Kitchen with a large fridge and an air fryer
Having plenty of worktop space was particularly important to Lisa when planning the kitchen. Cooking is done on a two-burner gas hob, next to which there is a sink and a solid oak worktop. During the fit-out, the bamboo originally planned was swiftly replaced with oak due to a lack of availability – and it has since become one of Lisa’s favourite details.
An 85-litre fridge with a freezer compartment, a kettle and – perhaps the most unusual extra – an air fryer ensure a significantly higher level of comfort than in the old VW bus. Food, crockery, spices and cooking utensils can be stowed away in bespoke drawers and several storage compartments in the base.
The centrepiece: the windsurfing garage
The most important area is behind the rear doors. The garage, which is just under a metre high, offers space for up to five windsurf boards, numerous sails, masts, booms, kite and surf gear, as well as skateboards, camping furniture and wetsuits. Thanks to an adjustable shelving system, Lisa can change the layout depending on the spot and the equipment she needs.
A special solution was also found for the 2.70-metre-long longboard: it extends from the garage right up to under the bench seat in the living area. PVC panelling and waterproof partitions are designed to prevent wet gear from coming into contact with the electrical system or the sleeping area. There is also a shower by the rear doors and a storage box where Lisa can change after her session and store dripping wetsuits.
Above the garage is the bed, which is 1.55 metres wide and two metres long. A ventilation system under the mattress and a roof fan are designed to prevent damp and mould. This means the van has become exactly the compromise Lisa was looking for: a comfortable home, a mobile workplace – and, above all, a windsurfing base with plenty of space for equipment.
Julian Wiemar
Editor surf
