Alaia
Encyclopedia
An Alaia is a thin, round-nosed, square-tailed surfboard
ridden in pre-20th century Hawaii
. The boards were between 7 and 12 ft (2.1 and 3.7 m) long, weighed up to 100 lb (45.4 kg), and were generally made from the wood of Acacia koa. They are distinct from modern surfboards in that they have no ventral fin
s.
Modern Alaias are 5’ to 12’ long and are the larger version of the Paipo board, used for knee or belly surfing, and the smaller version of the Olo board, generally between 18’ and 24’ long. All of these board types are similar in that all are made of wood and are ridden without a fin/skeg.
Alaia is a Basque girl's name meaning joy and happiness.
“In Hawaii the board was called Alaia. In Japan it was called Itaka. There is evidence of early surfers riding this style from all around the world but in the early 1900’s this style vanished.”
Alaia boards began making a comeback around 2006 when surfboard-shaper and experimenter Tom Wegener tested prototypes made of Paulownia wood among pro-surfers. The first contemporary professional surfers to master the skill of riding an Alaia were documented in the Thomas Campbell surf film The Present. This appearance dramatically increased the popularity of the Alaia board type.
and wiliwili.” Modern Alaia boards are made of many types of wood, including Redwood, Cedar, Pine and Balsa. Typically, commercially sold Alaia boards are made of Paulownia
wood.
Paulownia wood is optimal for crafting surfboards in that it has a good weight to strength ration being lighter than a hardwood but more durable than balsa. It also absorbs less salt water than many other types of wood and therefore does not require a hard resin or glass finish.
Paulownia Alaia boards are most often finished with a seed oil to further prevent water absorption and to prevent damage from the drying of salt and sun associated with surfing
.
and epoxy
surfboard
s are known for their many pollutants and long decomposition time.
Beyond avoiding fiberglass and epoxy resins, modern Alaia boards have less impact on the environment based on the way the Paulownia wood is harvested, used and recycled. “Paulownia is plantation grown… The trees grow like weeds, about 25 feet in three years and they are never from an old growth forest. Just sustainable tree farms…the leaves and flowers, is either fed to cattle or the dust and shavings are mulched… Paulownia dust [and shavings] is very good in the garden and breaks down quickly. Worms love it.”
Shapers also appreciate that Paulownia wood is non-toxic to humans, where as resins, fiberglass and foam are harmful to the lungs and suspected of increasing the likelihood of cancer. Even “balsa wood dust hurts your lungs.”
After construction, Paulownia boards can be reshaped and repaired without use of more toxic materials. When cared for properly the boards can last a lifetime requiring less manufacturing, and when their usefulness has run out, simply discontinuing oil treatment to the board will allow it to decompose quickly without releasing harmful toxins found in foam and resin into the air and soil.
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
ridden in pre-20th century Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The boards were between 7 and 12 ft (2.1 and 3.7 m) long, weighed up to 100 lb (45.4 kg), and were generally made from the wood of Acacia koa. They are distinct from modern surfboards in that they have no ventral fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
s.
Modern Alaias are 5’ to 12’ long and are the larger version of the Paipo board, used for knee or belly surfing, and the smaller version of the Olo board, generally between 18’ and 24’ long. All of these board types are similar in that all are made of wood and are ridden without a fin/skeg.
Alaia is a Basque girl's name meaning joy and happiness.
History
The Alaia’s roots span back a thousand years. La-La is the Hawaiian word describing the action of riding an Alaia surfboard. La-La is an ancient word found in the Hawaiian dictionary meaning ‘the controlled slide in the curl when surfing on a board.'“In Hawaii the board was called Alaia. In Japan it was called Itaka. There is evidence of early surfers riding this style from all around the world but in the early 1900’s this style vanished.”
Alaia boards began making a comeback around 2006 when surfboard-shaper and experimenter Tom Wegener tested prototypes made of Paulownia wood among pro-surfers. The first contemporary professional surfers to master the skill of riding an Alaia were documented in the Thomas Campbell surf film The Present. This appearance dramatically increased the popularity of the Alaia board type.
Materials
“Ancient Hawaiians made their boards out of local woods–‘ulu, koaKoa
Acacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations are on Hawaii, Maui and Oahu...
and wiliwili.” Modern Alaia boards are made of many types of wood, including Redwood, Cedar, Pine and Balsa. Typically, commercially sold Alaia boards are made of Paulownia
Paulownia
Paulownia is a genus of from 6 to 17 species of plants in the monogeneric family Paulowniaceae, related to and sometimes included in the Scrophulariaceae. They are native to much of China, south to northern Laos and Vietnam, and long cultivated elsewhere in eastern Asia, notably in Japan and Korea...
wood.
Paulownia wood is optimal for crafting surfboards in that it has a good weight to strength ration being lighter than a hardwood but more durable than balsa. It also absorbs less salt water than many other types of wood and therefore does not require a hard resin or glass finish.
Paulownia Alaia boards are most often finished with a seed oil to further prevent water absorption and to prevent damage from the drying of salt and sun associated with surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
.
Environmental impact
Many environmentalists are enthusiastic about the use of Paulownia Alaia boards because of their minimal impact on the environment, while fiberglassFiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
and epoxy
Epoxy
Epoxy, also known as polyepoxide, is a thermosetting polymer formed from reaction of an epoxide "resin" with polyamine "hardener". Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including fiber-reinforced plastic materials and general purpose adhesives....
surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
s are known for their many pollutants and long decomposition time.
Beyond avoiding fiberglass and epoxy resins, modern Alaia boards have less impact on the environment based on the way the Paulownia wood is harvested, used and recycled. “Paulownia is plantation grown… The trees grow like weeds, about 25 feet in three years and they are never from an old growth forest. Just sustainable tree farms…the leaves and flowers, is either fed to cattle or the dust and shavings are mulched… Paulownia dust [and shavings] is very good in the garden and breaks down quickly. Worms love it.”
Shapers also appreciate that Paulownia wood is non-toxic to humans, where as resins, fiberglass and foam are harmful to the lungs and suspected of increasing the likelihood of cancer. Even “balsa wood dust hurts your lungs.”
After construction, Paulownia boards can be reshaped and repaired without use of more toxic materials. When cared for properly the boards can last a lifetime requiring less manufacturing, and when their usefulness has run out, simply discontinuing oil treatment to the board will allow it to decompose quickly without releasing harmful toxins found in foam and resin into the air and soil.