I’m thinking of making an alaia, but I’m not sure what wood to use. Paulownia is out of the question as I can’t get hold of it (I’m in the UK). The Hawaiians used koa to build theirs out of, and from what I can gather this is a pretty heavy wood. I’m toying with the idea of using oak (it works in boats). Has anyone got any experience of using oak as a surfboard material? Any thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Don’t fret about using oak, my best advice would be to use local possibly recycled lumber. Weight in an alaia is not a bad thing. My two shekels.
Where abouts are you based in the UK. I’m in Bristol and doing a similar project, I’m currently still sourcing adequate timber, there are 2 companies locally, (both this deliver) that do western red or yellow cedar but its expensive at between £70-100 for enough timber for 1-2 alaia.
I was thinking of trying to find knot less pine or spruce as used in boat hulls. PM me and I’m happy to share info.
Woody
I’m in Cornwall. Seeing as its a first attempt, I think I’ll just use whatever I can get hold of that’s cheap. Is Robbins one of the companies near you doing the cedar?
Yep thats right, really helpful and can do more or less anything you want but they don’t come cheap, they quated me £100 with planning, but another company quated me £70,
I’m not 100 % sure where I read this maybe wegener’s extended online interview at Surfing http://www.surfingthemag.com/news/surfing-pulse/2009-shaper-of-the-year-tom-wegener/index.html
. but the one difference between old school koa and the Paulownia boards that he is shaping is that the koa boards had to be shaped a lot thinnner to get similiar flex But that may not really be a concern on your first board.
Hope that helps,
Chris
I’d be interested in how this works out. I’ve been wondering about trying one this summer and was thinking about cheap pine run through the inlaw’s thickness planer. I was wondering about willow too. Lightish, seals well with linseed, it’s pretty impervious to water as well I think? Had a quick google and couldn’t find any timber merchants listed selling it.
I use cryptomeria, cheapest pine I could find. Works just fine. For your first alaia, I’d recommend trying not to think about your regular boards at all. Keep the board narrower and the rails sharper (like a knife edge) than anything you’d have on a standard board. You can make the boards thicker (2") to get the hang of it more quickly but you will lose flex. Riding alaias changed everything I thought I knew about the motions of the wave. I realised that I didn’t know the ocean motion at all just how a finned up poly responds to the wave. The first 20 mintues in the water is the worst, you start thinking of cutting the plank up into shelves that are at least usable or functionable in some way, gets a little easier after that though, just like when you first paddled out really. If pine trees had covered ancient polynesia, I guarantee they’d have turned them into some kind of surf craft. I’ve really toyed with the idea of using local oak it’s protected where I am so expensive. But if anyone has tried it I’d love to hear how it went.