Makaha 2009

Russ K. holding and riding a board that has been around since the 30's. He switched foot a well overhead set wave and came out of a tube going full throttle. It was hanging above the entrance to a old shower, bathroom at Makaha for decades.

Makaha 2009

Buffalo Big Board Classic. This was the first year this contest had a alaia riding division. We sent some finished boards and some alaia blanks one month before the contest. By the time we got there the local kids were surfing like they had been riding alaias their whole lives.
They even let me get a few. Being there, showing what we knew about the alaia, and the reception the Hawaiians had for the boards was a great experience.

Summer Session comming to a close?

Hopefully summer is not totally over. Winter seemed to last from 2009 until July 2011. I will miss the mild summer weather we had the last 2 months.

Behind the scenes

We would grab a surf before and after class. I do not think I went to sleep before 1:00 pm the whole time. We were working on boards and getting the Grain factory ready for the event. Joe Hodnicki, left, had work in the art show. John and Mike organized glued and polished boards.

Thoreau moment. I slept here, but not much time to think.



The finale was a huge bonfire.

Alaia Class At The Grain Factory

The class went great. Five students were enrolled. None of them Had tried an alaia before, but were very interested in riding one. We had two days to finish the boards. Everyone finished their boards, and was able to ride them on the Saturday morning of the Re-evolution demo day at the beach.
I flew in a couple of days before the class to mill and glue the wood into blanks.

The students did not have a lot of wood working experience, but quickly padded the floor with shavings.

When we were creating fine dust, the racks were moved outside.

Five new alaia riders on the East Coast. They were super stoked with their boards, and all had breaks in mine that sounded perfect for alaia riding.

Green Flash

Matt's 8'8''. When he picked up his board he dropped off a pint of home made honey from his bees.

Pizzaz off the Rail

7'6'' Wood epoxy. This is my first finished board to come out of my vacuum bag. It has wood on the deck and bottom and wood on the rails. Recycled epoxy foam in the core and bio resin. The wood on the rails reacting with the rest of the wood creates fluid momentum. It springs out of turns but smooths out any rough transitions. I am pretty happy with it.