Maybe, maybe not...However I thought it might be an interesting concept. I've enjoyed making ASymm surfboards, so why not apply it to the most ancient form of wavesliders? I'm a goofy footer, and can ride alaias pretty well frontside, but I definitely need some help going backside on it. I decided that unlike foam surfboards, where most ASymms have the toe-side rail longer than the heel-side rail, alaias should be opposite with the toe-side rail shorter than the heel-side rail. I think that having toes on one rail really increases the ability of the surfer to create, maintain, and subsequently break the 'suction' created by the finless, hard rail line of the alaia. Heelside this ability is sharply reduced, so having a longer, straiter rail with a bit of a pintail may help to create this same type of control. In addition to the assymmetrical tail, I've also created assymetrical parabolic rail curves, with the heel-side rail having a longer, shallower parabolic surve and the toe-side rail having a shorter, slightly deeper parabolic curve, for the same reasons as stated above. What do you think? I may even add some little paulownia finlets at some point...
Nice! That looks fun. That's my next project, making a foam alaia and figuring out how to capture the flex of paulownia with the better float that foam provides. How did it ride?
I vac'd biaxial cloth to both sides and it flex's like crazy. i used 2" insulating foam for the blank so the rocker is flat like the traditional ones. But the flex helps it make the drop for sure. It's over 20" wide too, and that helps with paddling. I was going to stay around 18" like a wooden one, then i had the thought, " alaias are only as wide as the tree they came from, and since mine is foam, I'll stay wide and shave it down if necessary?" But I love the end product. I was working on it when Hurricane Irene wiped out my factory and all my tools. I had just done the hotcoat the night before. I had nearly 4' of water in my shaping room and factory, but the Alaia made it. I rough sanded the taped edge and took it out the day after the storm in some perfect headhigh waves. Lost it a few times, b/c theres no leash, but then I started to figure it out. Slide into em sideways, get low like Machado and Rasta, but my favorite way to surf it since it flexes so much, is to have a narrow stance right in the middle of the board and to allow the tail and nose to bend to the wave. It was nice to have something to take my mind off the island getting trashed for a few hours...
not assym but have been dabbling if foam finless and less-finned version with a bit of alaia about them for a few years…be interested to understand the reason for the assym tail and how it goes…good stuff…
unglassed one is a rehsape from a mal blank that a pro longborders did, he has asked me to make him something fun…the other board is now also owned by same longboarder…
I'm regular footed... I had the same thought as you about putting the wide part of the tail on my heelside, but I had made one before with a wide tail and i kept banging my front foot on it when I'd go to stand up. So if anything, i like having a round tail on that side to save me some bruising.
Have you tried the assymetrical alaia yet? Backside is difinately harder to ride. Still trying to figure out the dynamics of why myself. To the guy with the foam alaia: hows that board ride? Have you ridden both paulownia and foam alaias? Which one do you think is more fun?
I've never ridden a wooden one. I'm on the Outer Banks in NC... We're the last ones to get anything abstract like alaias... I love the foam though. catches waves like crazy, lets you go wider with the board for better planing, and paddles amazing.. I've had it out in well overhead waves and its a blast to ride.. The best part is when you're about to take off, you don't know what's going to happen. Meaning you'll surprise yourself and so will the board. Just stay low and on top of it.. I've had it out on days where only single fins could catch waves ( very small), and I was getting longer rides and as the waves approached the beach and the wave got even smaller, the board was still engaged and had some push to it. Great to drop in late or take belly rides on too. Of all the weird boards I've made, I will keep this one in the rotation regularly. Everytime I ride it its a learning experience. One wave in particular stands out to me. I took off backside, placed my backfoot on the tail, cut back like on a regular board, then rode it against the breaking wave. So weird, maybe it's that theres no fins, it'll let you go places a regular board won't. (against the grain).. Also fun to drop in on your friends! Alaias don't ruin the wave for the guy behind you. But if they drop in on you, you're gonna fly by them.
That’s cool. I’m down in Wilmington. I surf at Wrightsville Beach mostly. Not too many of us alaia riders that’s for sure…
I hoping to get up to Buxton for some lighthouse action this winter. I love it up there. I’m looking for a big Nor’ easter so I can surf some bigger stuff on the alaia.
I haven't finished cleaning up my paulownia asymm alaia yet. Hopefully will get it done this weekend and give it a test ride.
As far as why its harder backside to ride, I think it's becasue front side you have your toes and the front of your foot to help engage the rail and make small adjustments to how the board planes, and when your backside all you have is your heel to make these fine adjustments. Its like using a scalpel vs. a butcher knife...
