I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Flat Wooden Planks as Function Instead of Fashion
March 14, 2009, 12:20 PM
By: Jon Coen
So we all know how incredibly popular this Alaia surfboard movement has become — basically hand shaping a rockerless, finless, piece of redwood, cedar, or pine and riding a wave on it.
If this economy keeps tanking, we might take a lesson from this guy.
One one hand, I think it's a cool movement toward being a more minimalistic part of society. But I doubt we'll see the day when anyone's quiver consists only of a 6 foot plank of cedar and an old front door.
On the other hand, dudes geeking out unnecessarily over them is just weird. I tried riding one last summer when my friend Ben McBrien and his family stayed at my house. He's an actual woodworker and built a sweet 5-foot cedar ride with a big swallow tail. We had a blast in two-foot beach break, but soon the phenomenon will get out of hand. (Plus SIMA can't be too jazzed.)
Anyway, I checked this cool little spot down here in the Caribbean yesterday, a mellow reef with a peeling right, and there's a dude out on a piece of plywood. This wasn't some traditional Hawaiian revival thing, nor a labored-over precision 9'0 Wegener wannabe craft. It was a piece of plywood like the kind you use to sheath your house.
No one was filming the next Woodshed Films release. The dude simply wants to ride waves and a plank is the easiest way to do it. It was much cooler than those of us milking each section on foam and glass or bodyboarders who ride this wave of no consequence. He had it planing, and stayed in the pocket all the way down the reef.
I started calling this guy Jimmy Splinters. He thought that was funny. I asked if he ever stood on the board and he said indeed he did.
This 'aint some hipster retro model. Think they sell wax at the lumber yard?
Didn't talk much, that Jimmy Splinters. But man, could he ride that piece of plywood!
PaulJensen...
Reality is only the starting point before imagination takes over...
Question everything...Challenge assumptions...Defy convention...
www.hollowsurfboards.com
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
LMAO! Have to wrinkle my nose at those 650.00 planks out there, I shaped one out in 30 minutes using my longboard skate deck as a template....
You can't buy cool.
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I'm waiting for the delivery of my first plank of paulonia, and can't wait. I'm not interested in trying an alaia because it's the next fad to hit the scene, or because of some kind of minimalist concept of conservation, or becuse I'm into the historical part of it all. Those are all really good things, but not my motivation. For me, it looks really hard and I want the challenge. I want to see if I can even catch a wave on the damn thing. I picked paulonia because it's supposed to be the best choice, and maybe it will give me a fighting chance. And if all else fails, it's a whole new set learning experiences.
We could all use a few of those.
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
That's a good one.... Didn't realize ESPN had surf content on their website, I guess that means we're mainstream now. (I think I liked it better when we were outcasts)
As an aside, when price comp from overseas boards started to affect things a few years ago, a company I know jokingly prepared an ad (which never ran) featuring a plywood ''shortboard''.
mike@coilsurf.com http://coilsurf.com
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I think i might know where you are in the Caribbean, looks familiar.Looks like home.
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Forgot to add, have fun enjoying that north swell.
Re: [nj_surfer] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
i just use an old ironing board for my blank.............lol.
cost.............0$
herb
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evil prevails where good people fail to act.
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Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Don't really get the alaia thing ( apart from being an important link in Hawaian culture ) . When I was a kid we all rode plywood belly boards and used swim fins -- they went just as good as alaia's do now.
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
You will never "get" the alaia unless you try one
You will never "get" the alaia if you think it is about being cool
Herbs ironing board would probably fly (even better with superchargers?) with a little tweaking
It is exactly about the fun you had as a kid on the paipo with your older brothers fins that didn't quite fit right
The movement will never take off because most surfers have too much ego to start over.
Any shaper who can shape his way out of a paper bag could make one
I am perfectly happy in the pocket on waves no one else wants
Re: [bantab] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Amen, brother...
Re: [bantab] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
NEVER HAD A REAL PAIPO......back in the days.......WE'D STEAL THE KOA SERVICE TRAYS FROM THE MOTELS IN WAIKIKI.SPOON DECKED AND ROCKERED IF YOU GOT THE GOOD WARPED ONES!they rode great!
I LOVE MY IRONING BOARD JOB........IT's solid PINE,AND FLOATS GREAT.........AS FAR AS SCs go ? i don't know? why not !
excuse me my keyboard is haunted.
herb
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evil prevails where good people fail to act.
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Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Bantab , I like to see people havin fun, no matter what they ride . But , regarding alaias , they are nothing new , in fact, they are very very old design-wise . Thier performance would be greatly enhanced with a pair of fins placed on the tail without doubt . If you wanna be a purist ( which IMHO is an extremely valid and honourable thing to be) carve your alaia from a solid piece of koa. Apart from that , I'll back my plywood belly-board against any modern alaia !
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Now who is the shaper behind Jimmy Splinter's board? I have to order one ASAP! $650 is a killer deal for the next hipster expression. Has anybody got any dims for this design??? Is that 5 or 7 ply AB fir marine?
Anyway, I'm having a blast figuring out my alaia, but would definitely give the scrap plywood a try if I found a piece on the beach. I think the alaia craze has been more about what Jersey is preachin' - the challenge. Same here, and next time I find a piece washed up on shore, I will proudly rock that ply . . .screw it, I'm using MDF . . .
www.torressurf.com
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I think every "surfer" should be required to surf an Alaia. Made from plywood or koa or anything in between. It will make better paddlers out of you at least. After standing on one bouncing on a piece of foam just isn't the same.
all natural surf
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I don't think anyone needs to ride an alaia to see what's goin on here . I,m not tryin to be negative about alaias , I just don't think there's anything new about them. It amazes me to watch surfers on boogie boards in big hollow waves . I don't think alaias can do that........maybe if they had fins...........if you ride one just enjoy it !
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I ride ply bellyboards and both stand-up and prone Alaia's, and the ply board, while awesome fun, doesn't come close to the alaia in performance. (especially once the waves get a bit bigger) But having said that, I'm in no hurry to see the super shallow reefs and sandbars I enjoy alone become filled by others who catch the alaia bug! Keep it quiet I reckon!
"Bring forth the Mollusk...."
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I've also tried adding fins to alaia's, and it doesn't really work. If you add fins you really need to put a bit of rocker in, and then its not an alaia.
"Bring forth the Mollusk...."
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
My point exactly ,Idler , you put on fins.......then add rocker .......then play with the planshape etc etc.......alaias been around for 100's years, theyre nothin new , if you ride one and like it , I say that's a good thing ! I had single fin in my old ply bellyboards as a kid......theres belly-boards and theres bellyboards
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
now the I hope the next big thing is the Hot Curl. there was some attention to those a few years back but it faded quickly. I would be very interested to have a good look at one of those and perhaps try a modern day version perhaps even making a PaulJensen style hollow one...
Re: [kayu] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Kayu,
check this boogie/alaia video out.
http://surfinggreen.com.au/news/Chad-Waldrons-Momentary-Film-Regarding-a-Wooden-Board
towards the end there is some good tube action in some hollow waves. the pro boogers are just getting into the alaias now. stay tuned!
Re: [kayu] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
please don't take me too seriously when I say
fins = training wheels
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Surfer Dave , now thats a good point ! Bring on the hotcurls !!!!
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
If you compare the bottom contours of an original alaia to the contours of some Bob Simmons gems , you will find similar dynamics happening , and there is plenty poeple in this forum, who would know much more about that than myself . I just wish people would appreciate the history of surfboard design a bit more , and stop trying to create the "next big thing" endlessly , just enjoy the ride .
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Rod Morgan's fin-less hotcurl..( 2007 ?)
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
Lest we forget in Endless Summer 1 where the young man from the fishing village is riding a plank found on the beach. Everything old is new again. It's all about the stoke.
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
this door is hanging on the wall.
but thats nothing new
all natural surf
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
I met a bunch of guys in Barbados who were serious about there plywood boards. Heres one outlined with his personal artwork, something that all local riders personalized. These guys got down in some big surf and were a blast to hang out with in the water.
Re: [PaulJensen] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
You know what is missing from my alaia experience? Waves.... SE USA doesn't have long, or even semi-long, breaking waves. I have been overjoyed riding the alaias prone when it's small and glassy here. I can tell things are right and wrong, but don't have enough surfable waves for an extensive test. I really want to ride some of the Simmons inspired boards that I'm seeing people create here and T2S. Again, without a decent point-style wave I feel super guilty for propagating the hype/cliche. I'm still enjoying the slide. No matter how kooky the rest of the industry tell me I am.
steven
Re: [surfsidesurfs] I Got Your Alaia, Right Here
You know what is missing from my alaia experience? Waves.... SE USA doesn't have long, or even semi-long, breaking waves. I have been overjoyed riding the alaias prone when it's small and glassy here. I can tell things are right and wrong, but don't have enough surfable waves for an extensive test. I really want to ride some of the Simmons inspired boards that I'm seeing people create here and T2S. Again, without a decent point-style wave I feel super guilty for propagating the hype/cliche. I'm still enjoying the slide. No matter how kooky the rest of the industry tell me I am.
steven
i hear ya man. im in the northeast. only time i could think an alaia would be sweet would be during the summer seasons when the beaches are regulated to where you can surf. a surfboard is defined as an object with a fin( i'm guessing) so i could ride it anywhere i want. i agree we dont have many long point break waves. and when it gets big around here its quick and go.
ill definately have to just rough shape some plank of wood sometime i get stuck in a wave ridden place with nothing to ride.
Yes I live in Amish country, no I'm not Amish