Aloha, I have two guys that want to try the Alaia experience, 150# and 180# in small beach break surf with little power.
Any starting suggestions? I will try to finish the boards in two days.
a 6’ 6" and a 7’6" ??
All experienced input much appreciated. Mahalo
Here is what I came up with so far for the 6’6"
A bit wider tail perhaps???
wp about 16.5
Looks good ! A bit wider in the tail would help for a first time alaia surfer. Either that or just deepen the concave, in the back 3rd of the board. 16.5 WP matches well with a 15 inch tail.
Cheers,
BJ.
I messed around with the outline a bit; move the wp forward, etc. It’s on center in the pic above. Finally went back to the original.
I didnt like the outline at first but it was a compilation of good numbers and I figure I will make it for me - let the guys ride it, then let them decide on adjustments for their boards.
Speaking of boards, I will use some rejects for this one, pretty knotty cedar boards layin around. I notice I’m straying from the original Alaias maybe but i’m thinkin a 1 inch nose and 1/2 inch tail rocker. What are your thoughts on rocker built in to the boards?? My reasoning is with my semi hollow middle section after gluing up the planks top, middle, bottom, i’m coming out with a much stiffer board and won’t get the same flex as if it were done by just the three boards glued together. I will be adding some weight to it also because of the extra glue.
Anyway back on track, got the outline cut out and should be cutting some wood soon, Yee-ha. Promise some pics tonight or tomorrow. Should look something like this, 
The extra boards here aren’t long enough to cover the length so I will use that competition band to conceal butted scarf joints. That’s the deck the bottom will be a different animal so to speak. Kinda looks like a Havanna.
rained out for a day
no matter what input you get
you are you and you will ddo
what you find comfortably
familiar and …get it?
so just make the first one
pop your imagination’s cherry
information space is free fall
there is no gravity
take the durn thing to the beach
and ride it… like struggle
to make it work
and then and only then
will you be able to accept
real change like a `2’’ tail block
[as wide as two ovehanging thighs]
what is necessary?
ready?
what is necessary is what is necessary!
know brainer.
sek and you shall indeed find
yoou wont know till you look.
look at the durn thing and go…bitchin.
and then ride it and say whadda miss
I gotta make it wider
the reaal bitchin deal is that you dont have fret
just rip it down the middle add a new center lam and re template it
worst possible scenario you gotta make another piece of pine your new victim.
better than a clark blank or your moms built i ironing board.
…alaia 'oe…
anchors aweigh
huzzah !
hip hip hooray
wanna finish it by hightide
start now ride it in an hour
melt parafin and soak it who needs
linseed
go daddy …GO
…ambrose…
nothing ventured
no unbelievable
back door tube
on pine shelving
wake up
and smell
the sawdust.
oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh pine
Dlock
How did these turn out? Those templates look a little too curvy. I also wonder how putting rocker into it went.
The one on the right is thin, a beam that was re sawn, couple a knotty woodies fo sho,
[img_assist|nid=1042165|title=2 alaias|desc=my alaia your alaia|link=none|align=left|width=52|height=100]
count zeppelin - graf chocula, this one will be rich dark at finish
For some reason I hear that Fijiian boy in endless summer 2 laughing alot at the most obvious moments, you know the boy droppin coconuts on heads. Yeah take an Alaia out and make sure the local crew is around, small choppy waves will guarantee a few laughs. Did for me anyway. One thing about goin alaian is you will be face to face with respect for hawaiian watermen of yesterday today and tomorrow. ok two things, you might get humbled unless everythings firin perfectly. so maybe a third thing, you should have brought an olo also.
Waa t eva,
ride reports for a couple woodies, the thin one floats me to my chin, (insert- ahhh ha ha, ahh ha ha ha) yeah so what I donna care, im surfin this puppy windslop er knots.
I hear him again.
ahhh ha ha, ahh ha ha ha.
First two attempts to catch some slop and im too far back like a goon ball stuck on the tail afraid or somethin, ok I adjust, no need woory bout pearl on a stiff no rockered plank right? the kid laughin again in my head, what is his name? Eddie or something. No wax, pure oil (vegetable of course), a mixture I whipped up with some secret ingredients which happens to be gettin the job done better than I by the way, ok here comes another bch brk mush slop ball, wow I actually got this one, goin up? Hull yeah my body responds, whoa, wha happened to the tail??
I play for a while then address the gathered crowd, Wanna try it? Silence if eddie weren’t laughin. Wow I get a taker, a friend katsumi, he sits back on the tail for his first two and misses just like me, oh well, he rides one prone and is smilin at least. Then the big dogs want a piece, owner of a surfshop down the streets been droolin since I led the woody to water and steps up, same thing, too far back for the first two, strange thing maybe the best surfer there except for me and maybe eddie of course 
came up with the smallest wave count, then the homegrown local wants a shot, same thing, good fun any way.
This thin one needs more juice to push my overweight sash but hey, eddie n I will be laughin when the size comes up right? I know he will.
I made this one for hollow beach pits, slight hullish belly bottom to concave back 1/3, just over 1/2 inch tick. http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs007.snc1/2840_90961502912_523077912_1823176_2020220_n.jpg
This one is slightly more user friendly with less than firing conditions. Liddle flatter bottom n more girth all around. floats me to the chest.
Ive ruined it!
Not exactly. I thinned out the tail and have a slight reverse rocker in the last 24 inches. The thing flies now, I have never experienced such a dramatic change in performance. The balance point of the board is now an inch + ahead of center, the tail flattens with the riders weight and I’m not touching this board with any more shaping tools.
Time to finish the chocolate one.
I would like to hear from other Alaia riders about their balance points if ya care to share or even find out if you dont know already. Wave catching ability improved as well of course.
dlock - I too have had postivie experience with reverse rocker in the tail, faster and better hold. With Alaias the temptation is to constantly tweek, but when you get something right (whether accidentally or on purpose) leave it alone at least until you understand why. That is why all my boards are “work in progress”. -Brian
I had no idea these alaias could be so thin, Ive thinned one down under the half inch mark and after ridin it today I could maybe get one or two more mm off of it.
If I were using pine or a hardwood like oak, mahogany, maple I would start them at half an inch maybe. Anyone try a birch alaia? Birch is quite dense if I recall and we have all heard of the indians love of birch watercraft. The middle of the board is hovering around half an inch and thins out at nose, tail and around the rails - thickest part of foil in front of center near widepoint, real thin taper towards the tail.
A 12’ 2x4 ripped in half (thickness), three 6’ stringers, Id use a dark wood 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, would make a sweet ride for any up for a challenge. I’m close to 200# 47, Hey, the things just feel good, yeah I can’t surf um as well as I want but it put that “gotta go surf” stoke back in my heart like the early days. Yeah Ive been drinking salty water more than usual but I ain’t whinin.
I’ve been belly sliding mine for the past couple of days in the small but hollow dribbel we have around here and it’s a BLAST!
definitely lots of water in your face…haha
Had a wild hair one day so I grabbed the widest board I had in the shop and…
Haven’t had a chance to ride it yet. No finish except I had a half can of spray polyurethane that I emptied on the nose and tail. I figure I might want to shape it again anyway. If I ride it enough and It doesn’t get any checks I won’t put any finish on it.
6’-1" , 14", 1" Poplar
that thing looks like a ripper if you can catch the waves with it, is it tapered nose and tail???
Here is the outline I went with, it is actually working perfectly for me for belly sliding, we haven’t had much size yet this year prohibiting me from getting erect.
It is amazingly sensitive to weight and rocker while in trim. Near the end of a ride just tapping the nose or pressing it down lightly with finger tips gets me to the sand. It turns extremely well and is very controllable.
Like I said, not much size here yet so only from a prone point of view, I can highly recommend this outline for any who want to try some fast fun belly trimming and turning. Start at a fat half inch and taper the nose and tail slightly from the wide point, get the balance point close to the wide point, at least at or in front of center.
Very responsive and fun to turn,
Mahalo
I took it out two weeks ago. It’s made of poplar. A fairly light piece, but not enough. It did kind of feel like trying to surf shelving. The day I had it out the tide was to high. So I ended up just floating and freezing my ass because I don’t have a suit. Main problem with it is it side slips while paddling. I’ll try it again as I’m curious about the shape. The rail are parabolic. I want to try it with a more buoyant wood too.
I like your outline. I will probably do one like that after I stop fooling around. I like doing these because it’s simple to do, inexpensive and seemingly wide open from a design standpoint.
Here’s a picture of the nose. Pointing to where the concave starts. Very hollowed there.
The outline I posted might be working so well for prone riding because it is basically a similar taper to a prone body shape, turning is really so easy, just turn your head and the thing responds, lifting a foot, pressing a knee, will both work also. I turned it once with my stomach muscles, or maybe the left over beer from winter sloshin around. I have the most success catching waves with one arm extended and my fingers curled around the nose, keeps the board in front of my body, a bat tail or fishy tail cut provides a slot for a foot to keep the tail from drifting out. Mine slice through the face and rarely tail slip.
The straight rails on yours might be better for stand up surfing, I will make one and try it.
Three days at low tide should be enough of an initiation period. You might consider thinning yours down some. I started at over an inch and soon realized if I cant paddle well at an inch at least catching waves at half an inch is an improvement even if I still cant paddle it well. The ability to bend the board and change rocker really increases the fun factor.
Hadn’t considered that. That’s a good idea. Maybe it will stik to my front better. It’s funny to see people watching me try to get out.
Are you re-sawing all your boards? They most all seem to be matched.
If I knew all I needed was 1/2 inch I could have re-sawn. The ones you see are one piece cedar boards 4 meters long cut in half then glued together. The real knotty one was a beam 2 meters long then re sawn.
Kind a cool, surfin on a door, a door to the underworld. I won’t be makin any more unless some balsa drifts my way, only hybrids for me now
update: Jeesh, unreal but true. We had a bump up in size today and I’m sore and kinda speechless, these things rip and the turns are exhilarating - carving through the face. don’t give up on these alaias, I haven’t surfed prone for decades and its still got my head spinnin. Did the ol tap on the nose caught the reform on one and did a sandy beach slam before I knew I was runnin low on water.
I even got to my feet today. They are hard work at first but the pay off is there. No fin carves and cutbacks at real speed are unforgettable, ok with this note maybe retire this thread and tend to the sand-berries on my back and encourage all to experience the thrill of the alaia. ps. I’ll probably be on mine tomorrow at low tide.
doing a balsa hollow alaia
3/16 layersx3 glassed and sealed interior
waffling on lammed bent or cut reils
6’ kauai balsa scrap wane cut
makes the deck
interior rib supports lattitude supports
with drain considerations
to allow for water intrusion
and adequate evacuation.
nifty bisquits to fix perimeter pieces to
latitude interior pieces
this process is a cool first
attempt at hollow woodie.
today commit to deck
lam full pieces or lam scraps…
milling the old door would be a sterling source of clear lumber
the tigt grain would allow for a finer veneer of decking and bottom
pieces and rib/internal supports deriving a lightweight rendition
to challenge the balsa yet to come… weight saving by the use of
2oz cloth add to the intriguing nature of the door salvage materials
taking for granted that it was a toungue in der cheekie hypothesisie…
a more than doable project…
the highest application on this alaia front as far as I now believe
is the oppertunity to examine first hand this hollow construction
potentialities while side stepping the over commitment
to making a full scale board subject to the rigors of wave testing in a
highly developed land of blistering criteria and critix.
the parrallel universe of the alaia is a welcome relief to
the brazen comp-performance attitude that has become stale
and wan. where is that camera?
