Mistake or masterpiece???

[shiggydiggy]

Hi friends,

Trying to get some feedback on what I've done. I am a novice surfer, only taken a couple of basic lessons. My experienced surfer-friend at school got me hooked on the idea of shaping my own board, which I did.

What I need to know is if this thing would actually function, or if any of you have seen an alaia like this in the water. For reference, I'm 6'1, the board is about 7'2 tip to end of the tails. It's been sanded down to ~5/8" in thickness.

It's two pine planks bonded together and """shaped"", has been treated with boiled linseed since this picture was taken, and is currently sitting in the storage locker I left it in after the school-year ended.

I realized after I went through hours of shaping that the board looks wonky at best, idiotic at worst, and only vaguely resembles 'experimental' board designs. Just trying to test the proverbial waters on this.
(please no comments on the posing of the picture, this is serious business!!!)

[Lebowski]

Honestly I have no idea how that would perform, but being a novice surfer I'm guessing you'll have a very hard time surfing it, and be spending most of the time swimming back to the beach to collect it.

Plus, those sharp edges look pretty dangerous. You should curve them off I think.

[Big H]

Put a handle and hinges on it and it would perform just fine.

[oldmansurfer]

If it doesn't work out it looks like it might have a good place as a sign pointing the way to some business.

[shiggydiggy]

The edges are rounded, so it would be more of a blunt-trauma wound instead of a cut

I'll try it out in a few months and let you all know how it goes.... Should be exciting

[waikikikichan]

Outline, nose and tail look fine. But you're not showing the bottom contours and edge on the rail. Rounded edges near the tail will not work. Is the bottom just flat across or with a V in the middle or two bumps sorta like a butt ?

Alaia's are harder than even a short board to paddle. It's like trying to swim in wet business suit. There's "stick on" leash plug mounts you can put on, but it won't matter since you're not going to make it 50 feet off the beach.

[shiggydiggy]

Is the bottom just flat across or with a V in the middle or two bumps sorta like a butt ?

I sanded in a concave from the tail to about 3 quarters of the way to the nose. Gave it a good edge as well, it's very butt reminiscent.

With regard to the leash hole, I bored one into the tail about 4 inches into the body from the side, then reinforced the sides of the hole by burning it out and adding woodglue. It's pretty solid.

I recognize it'll be a total jackass move to try and learn on this thing, but I just wonder if that'll make me a better surfer later in life.

[dtc]

Well, you can only be a better surfer later in life if you learn to surf first. If you can manage to learn to surf on that, then I imagine regular surfboards will be easy.

Is there any rocker (curve on the nose)?

[oldmansurfer]

The old Hawaiians learned on wood boards. The majority of them never made it past riding a wave lying down. More advanced surfers got up on their knees and only the best stood up. Just to stand and ride a wood board makes you very good at it. So I imagine it will take years.

[jaffa1949]

The Feng Shui of the whole thing and the materials suggest it would be a great bench top!
Pine absorbs water readily, even with the linseed oil treatment and there is pretty severe point danger in nose and tail in a wipe out and being a total novice you are in the firing line.
Wood glue, I hope it is a waterproof type or you will have a mid line conversion to water skis .

Actually it is very reminiscent of 1950 Popular Mechanics magazine board designs although they were hollow ply boxes.
Now some practicalities Paulownia is a great wood for this sort of project and doesn't need linseed or waterproofing.
The Feng Shui also needs to be correct for the angry corners ( poison arrows) of the nose and tail there is no way I would be leashed to your bit of plank.

Rest assured that should you enter the surf no one will be anywhere near you, their self preservation.
Cruel critique but true

[RinkyDink]

Throw some footstraps on it and take it to the air field. Guaranteed to get you swarmed by sky diver babes.