Jeff Beck at Nine Light surfboards brought by his latest surfboard design using epoxy composite construction to build a unique design extension of the Alaia for those that want to experience the Alaia ride with a little more float.
These composite foam and wood alaias let you have the amazing trim and speed that alaias get without the difficultly in paddling. They are completely hand made out of lightweight EPS foam and epoxy, with a 1/8″ layer of balsa wood on the deck. The wood on the deck acts like a stringer oriented horizontally, so it flexes with the board instead of resisting it like an I- beam. It also makes the deck very strong and resistant to pressure dings. The parabolic shape helps the board set trim and stick to the water while turning, even without the addition of a fin. This combined with radically pinched and chined rails keeps the board feeling relatively secure for having no fins.
Riding them is a bit different then a normal alaia. The slightest body movement engages the board, so you have to surf more reserved. Meaning you can’t push it as much. You stay low, on top and centered on the board and turn your shoulders in the direction you want to go. The board will follow. If you’re used to alaias, the adjustment shouldn’t be too hard.
"turn your shoulders in the direction you want to go..."
The roots of these designs originated with the ideas of Bob Simmons then George Grenough, and the surfing of Nat Young and Wayne Lynch. They evolved from the first Keyo surfboard while Greg Liddle watched Nat Young ride at Malibu in 1968. Over the next twenty years the shapes were modified through trial and error to fit small point surf and other waves in Southern California and elsewhere. The rocker was actually developed after copying the rocker from one uniquely fast board that Greg shaped. He had Paul Gross make a rocker template rocker that is still in use today. The board still evolves has a unique place in anyone’s quiver, especially those that like to surf point breaks.
The templates evolved from trial and error by friends and customers; Steve Krajewski, Andy Davis, Dave Lloyd, Kirk Putnam, Paul Gross to name a few and many others. The feedback resulted in design changes to create an array of templates for different wave and different styles. Construction
Stringer material is usually an exact 1/8" cedar. All the blanks are glued up with my own custom rocker especially designed for these boards.
Fabric is 6 oz. flat weave volan and 6 oz. flat weave silene in combination. Bottom is a single 6 oz. volan . Deck is a 6oz volan in combination with a 6 oz silene layer on top that free laps onto the bottom. This weave also has higher tensile strength than the same weight of cloth with the standard twist weave. The flat weave holds less resin and gives the board more flexibility and life. In small and or weak surf this is particularly important to feel the wave.
UV cured ortho/iso combination laminating resin and the standard finishing resin on the deck and the bottom.
Fin Placement
You can get used to the fin in any position but to maximize the acceleration of the board out of a turn placement is critical. Start with the fin 12” up from the tail block to trailing edge of the fin. There should be small marks along the fin channel used as reference points. Ride the board a bit to get the initial feel and then move the fin forward 1/2” and ride it again; ideally in the same conditions. You can become sensitive to 1/4” movements.
Check out these one of a kind Rainbow Fins. A little pricey at $100.00, but well worth the head turning or for a super unique gift. I have to give credit to Rainbow for coming up with a great idea. Here are some other cool designs. Every week they change as we sell each individual fin.
We just received another batch of Mini Simms. If you haven’t checked out this board, you should. It was featured in Surfer’s Journal. Hand shaped by Joe Bauguess, glassed in Epoxy, and featuring Gephart had foiled wooden fins. We have sizes from 5′8″ - 6′2″. We sold out of our first batch and reports back are that these boards are really really fun.
These composite foam and wood alaias let you have the amazing trim and speed that alaias get without the difficultly in paddling. They are completely hand made out of lightweight EPS foam and epoxy, with a 1/8″ layer of balsa wood on the deck. The wood on the deck acts like a stringer oriented horizontally, so it flexes with the board instead of resisting it like an I- beam. It also makes the deck very strong and resistant to pressure dings. The parabolic shape helps the board set trim and stick to the water while turning, even without the addition of a fin. This combined with radically pinched and chined rails keeps the board feeling relatively secure for having no fins.
