Hi, I want to build a paipo type board and was looking for input on fin and bottom configuration. Was kinda thinking of bonzer type bottom–(the ones i have owned have been really fast boards), but I am not locked into the idea-degree of difficulty will certainly play into the decision process. Anyway, any info on paipo board design would be appreciated. Thanks, flojo
3’-3.5’ long by 20" wide 1/2 inch thick, semi rounded nose, finless square tail (check Jeff Chamberlin’s Parmenter belly board in the new photo archives for a nice outline). Not too much outline curve. Use 1/2 inch plywood, surform the edges for splinters, varnish and go. Maybe wrap it in 4 oz cloth and sand coat. It’ll fly but don’t try turning. If you want to turn and make it a more predictable steed, add some shallow keel fins to the rear corners, no toe, no cant. You will immediatley notice that it is much slower with fins, so start sanding the fins’ depth until you get a nice compromise. Hold it out in front of you like a kick board and head out to some dredgeing beachbreak death peaks. Kinda like drag racing; it only lasts 5 seconds but jeeze what a rush!
where are you? we have a few old kneeboards, including a 5’6’’ Bing Bonzer(Eaton?). I’d be happy for you to check 'em out. There a fella here in Santa Cruz(and a swayaholic) who builds paipos out of broken longboards. Good luck
Where am I? Actually about 50 miles north of Santa Cruz–Pacifica where the waves are crumbly and I am stumbly Maybe I used the wrong term–I was thinking of a small thin bellyboard made of standard surfboard foam but with a concave deck and a yet to be decided bottom plan–or perhaps a bodyboard similar shape but out of foam and glass with a fin or two- flojo
Steiney, thanks for the reply—are you in cruz and do you own a shop or what??? I could be interested in an old kneeboard— flojo
It depends on what you want… hard foam/glass, wood, closed cell flexible bodyboard foam, mostly glass or a combination of all? An inflatable deck? How much time and money are you willing to invest? How about flotation, manner of use and the waves youd like to ride? A very simple 1/4" plywood paipo, flat, finless, sensitive and flexible, roughly 42" long x 24" wide, a rectangular template with four 12" dia. rounded corners, sanded edges, entirely waxed with a buffed bottom. Itll get you outside and flying across some radically heaving peelers in an hour or so… experiencing a myriad of new sensations for less than $10.
no, I don’t have a shop- just a pile of boards. No kneeboards for sale right now. Check Pleasure Point the first weekend in Nov. for the Kneeboard Contest-should be all sorts of amusement there. I’ll watch for a broken board for you to reshape. Email me at and you can visit
flojo- Rod Rogers’ website is loaded with great paipo info… http://www.rodndtube.com/paipo/MyPaipoBoards.html 
OK, Thanks guys, I found a piece of plywood in the backyard, and while Mrs. Flojo rolled her eyes at this latest compulsion, I hacked out a board based on the info you guys gave me and went surfing–a new swell arrived today complete with 20kt onshore winds–I found a beachbreak that was closing out but at least made a little sense and paddled out with the butchered piece of plywood. (Hmmm this thing is pretty hard, think I’ll wear a helmet). It took a few attempts before I could figure out how to catch the wave but when I did-----------YAHOOOOOOOOOO! A few more waves and I was angling and it felt very positive, I guess the thin rail really holds in when put on edge–Anyway, a new toy. I love the simplicity of it. I was out for about an 1.5 hrs, got a bunch of waves and quite a few questions when I came back into the beach. More tired than usual cause there ain’t much flotation but that’s allright with me. thanks again, flojo
Dale: I was wondering about the phrase “an inflatable deck”. Would this be a mat with a hard bottem or a spoon with inflatable rails? I always imagine a mat for the bottem and a hard deck. What is the correct image? Thanks. Patrick
and what about fast food trays? I use to read trayer and traying but now that i’m older I only read Trayer’s Journal
Patrick, I was referring to a simple, flat paipo design, but with an inflatable deck and upper rails. The running surface could be made of a thin flexible glass laminate, a thicker closed cell bodyboard foam or even resin-prepped 1/4" to 3/8" plywood. The inflatable deck is a nice experiment because it allows a hard bottom surface with variable buoyancy, offers a thicker downrail contour and encourages the underside of the board to flex (especially if the base is composed of fiberglass laminate) without being as inhibited by the rider`s weight.
Dale: Thanks for information. It sounds like a Greenought/Solomonson fusion board-interesting concept. Take care. Patrick
Flojo, If you got a kick out of a plywood paipo, check some of these links. http://www.vagabondsurf.com/WaylandGallery.html http://vagabondsurf.com/WaylandHydroTubesPaipo.html http://vagabondsurf.com/PaipoHome.html In the next couple of weeks I hope to get a photo up of a plywood version of “Velo” which Roger Wayland made after visiting that exposition down in Huntington. Nels
My brain is still spinning!! These are things which youll never learn aout in surf school!!!! The very fine website of Mr. Nels Norenes (www.vagabondsurf.com)!!! 
Hi Flojo, When I was a kid surfing the Point at the Lane (along time ago) I used marine ply with a couple coats of marine varnish. Basically a 3.5’ x 18" round nose tappered slightly to a square tail. That thing would plane acrossed the barrel sections like it was on a rail, hanging in on steep wave faces where most everything else would break loose. Alot of fun.
who made that blue board that is pictured in this link? How does it work? flojo
Steiny, I tried the fast food trays already but I had kept losing control–every time I tried to crank a turn, I would slide around in the greasy french fries and couldn’t hold an edge–plus my cholesterol went way up-- flojo
Tray Bien!