What Happens When You Build A Massive Wooden Bowl In Your Backyard?

Known locally as “Nic and Gabs Bowl” this bowl is massive!

AN INTERVIEW WITH GABS BROWNFIELD

We originally met Gabs years ago during the Vans Girls Pool Party days. These were the days when there were not a ton of contests just for girls and women. Women from all over would come to compete and have fun. Gabs was always a favorite and a standout with her speed and style in the combi. Throughout her life she has always found ways to merge her love of skateboarding with family and community. From her wedding day, to building an insanely big bowl on her family property, to hosting a women’s skate weekend, so women from all over can come skate the bowl with her! Did we also mention she also comes from a skateboarding family?

Gabs personifies everything we love about skate community. Read on to hear more about her skateboarding history, her family, building that huge bowl and what’s next!

Hi Gabs! Thanks so much for doing this interview with us. A lot of people in the skate community know you and the bowl, but many don’t so let’s give them some insight!

When and where did you start skateboarding?
I grew up in Canton, OH and started skating in 2004

How old were you?
Well, the first skateboard I have ever had was when I was five, but didn’t really get into it until I turned eleven.

What attracted you to skateboarding?
My dad. He’s been skating on and off for forty years and was always building ramps so I’d tag along when he was working on them 

Gabs at Vans Girls Combi

How many times did you come out to California to skate Girls Combi ? BTW you ruled that pool!

Thanks! Three years.  From 2017-2019 I loved that bowl and grew up watching it on YouTube with my dad and always wanted to make it out there. 

Gabs and Nic

Tell us about your wedding, your skater husband and that pre-wedding photo shoot we love so much!
We did not get married on skateboards, but we did a doubles photo for our “save the dates.” We actually met about sixteen years ago, but he’s five years older so we just were friends who skated at my local skatepark a couple times a year. We didn’t see each other for like four years and we reconnected when I was twenty-one

When you decided to move outside of the city together - was it with the intention of building a huge bowl?
Actually no. We originally wanted to build a vert ramp because we didn’t have one closer than three hours away from us. We both agreed though, we enjoy round walls a lot more than back and forth. So that’s why we made the bowl the depth/amount of vert that we enjoy. 

Was the idea to build due of lack of places to skate where you lived? 

Yes. There is some transition around now, but at the time there wasn’t anything over like 8ft/9ft tall and not much vert. 

Can you tell us how the build was from concept through the actual finished bowl?
It was frustrating, rewarding, exhausting yet fun from start to finish. We saved for four to five years before we started building it in 2022.

Building “Nic and Gabs Bowl”

How long did it take and how much help did you guys have in making it happen?
It took about ten and a half months to build. We did it ourselves - if we paid a company it would have been done sooner. 

Dad and I worked on it just about every day, then my husband Nic, would help after work/weekends. So most days it was just two to three of us. We had a few work days where we invited friends to help which was awesome and so helpful. 

That is a massive project! Did you and your husband have prior ramp/bowl building experience?

We knew a bit here and there. My dad was the foreman of this project. He’s the reason we have what we have. That was mine and Nic’s first time building corners/hips. My dad taught himself on other bowls he’s done. 

We know by the photos that it is huge - can you share exactly how big it is?
It goes from 8ft to 11.5ft. There are 10ft transitions all around. The deep end has about a 1.5ft of vert. All pool block.

The finished bowl

Why do you think more people don't build vert ramps or bowls much anymore?

Time and cost I’d say, but also, I feel like it’s far in-between of people who know how to build corners or hips/big ramps with wood or concrete. That could also steer people away from taking on a project like that. 

How do you deal with wet winters and keeping the bowl from being ruined?

So, we ended up doing a lot to help keep this beauty around as long as we can. The year we started, we had all the plywood on but no final layer yet. Before winter hit, we put a coat of paint on to help a little. When it snowed, one of us shoveled at the bottom and we had a bucket so we would fill it up and dump the snow. We also water sealed it and used treated lumber for railings and such. Before we put the final layer on, we put Grace Ice and Water Shield under everything, as well as Tar paper. We strategically overlapped everything, that way it would help the water not penetrate the  plywood and to help make its way to the seams and then down to the drains. There are about nine drains total. Four that are 4in diameter and then on the flat bottom in certain areas, we drilled small holes in between the seams. It’s helped a lot. 

This bowl has every feature you could hope for!

What features did you make sure to include that you knew you'd want to skate?
The vert itself for sure. A pointy hip which is based off one I learned on growing up. The waterfall as well as the pool block because we don’t have enough places with it. 

What's the best part of having a bowl this size in your own backyard?
I guess one thing is, knowing how much hard work/time sweat and everything else that was put into this, is now being shared with friends and family who enjoy the bowl as much as we do. 

Gabs doing a nosepick in the bowl

So… what's next? Anything exciting you’d like to share?

Yes! I’m having a big skate jam at the house this year for women/trans/nonbinary. It’s for quad skaters and skateboarders. I invited people who enjoy transition as much as me. I didn’t want to do a contest. Most do not like them and I honestly understand. There is no pressure at all. So I wanted to just have a sesh and have fun with it. A safe space for all.  Some people are bringing art to sell. Some are camping in the yard and it’s about having a good weekend. There’s not a lot of events he Midwest, or they are so far in between, so most are friends coming are from nearby states. We are expecting 70-90 people that weekend!

Last thoughts?
I think the one thing is, we are not rich. We busted our butts saving. We started from saving change in a Vans shoe box and kept going. We found ways to cut down on cost and it was a beautiful experience to be able to build along side my dad and husband. I will cherish the time we had together on this project. I’m stoked to keep sharing it with people.