TOM WEGENER: THE ALAIA PROJECT

General Discussion
21

Hi Brian,

Is this you? I’m looking forward to making an alaia for myself sometime soon.

Regards,

Michael

22

rode a wegener alaia tonight. soooo fun.

23

Mike,

Yup that’s me. Still fighting a cold, and working on the 7’ 8". Will try to post pics soon. I enjoyed talking to you that day. Will call you when I take the alaia out next time.

You should post a pic of your neolithic paipo.

-Brian

24

Photos? Anything new to report?

25

http://www.tomwegenersurfboards.com/article_bottom_curves.htm

Photos: Josh Kimball

26

So how do you keep the nose from digging into the wave with those things? Especially with flatter waves it seems that it would be really hard. Also, is turning done just by edging, as they have no fins right? I was thinking about what he said about the oiled wood vs. glass finish, is the oiled wood really faster? It seems as if the amount of prep and level of polish would have more to do with speed than the material.

27

That board looks amazing!! I’m quite intrigued by these alaia’s and plan to make one myself. Do you use swimfins to catch waves?

greetz from Holland,

Eef

28

Here is an update…

Last weekend took out the 7’8" alaia and got first stand-up ride, what a feeling, so slick. Still it seemed too wide and the rails too eggy. This weekend re-templated it, and will do the rails this weekend.

My experience is the board does not drop down the face like a finned board, instead it slides sideways until the rails start to catch, then the board trims down the line. I have had most success popping up right as the board starts to trim.

I every time I go out I try to catch waves 3 ways, paddling, pushing off the bottom, and with fins. Depending on the waves one of these ways usually works great.

This has been a really fun experiment. The oiled finish seems fast, don’t know if it is faster.

-brian

29

I would like more of these reports, please!

What I would really like–I would like to sit behind a group of the top 10 shapers designing finless surfboards with the top 10 surfers’ (I decide! ;)) input

wood, foam

this is the stuff is what I live for

30

bantab: your template looks sweet.

31

i finally got around to youtubing some footage of wegener alaias in action. see this thread:

http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=303373;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

32

What kind of wood should i use for an alaia board i dont have any access to paulownia wood so wut is the next best wood to use?

33

Josh,

Paulownia is best, from all that I have read.

You can try worldpaulownia, they are located in Georgia, and have a website. I got some boards from them, and they were reasonably priced and pretty quick on the shipping.

They have random lengths of varying thickness, or starter packs of 5 boards, ( 1" x 4" boards each in lengths of one foot increments from two up to five feet).

Alternatively, you could contact Jon Wegener in Hermosa Beach, CA. His brother Tom arranged to have a container of blanks shipped from Oz. The Wegener brothers blanks are 19-20 mm thick, 17.5 inches wide, and available in lengths up to 7’11". They go for $200, and include a shaping instruction manual and template.

If you can afford it, that might be a better way to go. Already glued, (tongue and groove), and a good starting size. Information is available on their website.

Good luck on your board, whichever kind of wood you use.

34

Whats there website?

35

How do you get in touch with john wegener

36

Definitely the man to talk to about paulownia on the west coast.

http://wegenersurfboards.com/contact.html