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RalfsB wrote:I built my own alaia but I am very far from doing tricks. I am ashamed to say that I even added some front straps for easier waterstart. I really appreciate the low end/upwind and it feels fantastic in flat water, but it gets very tricky in chop and when I try to get through breaking waves since the nose is digging in.

You should be able to go through small beach breaks. bigger waves is a little harder.

Here the option of making it myself was way more expensive than buying the naish one.
Just the blanks were over double the price...then the alaia has a really nice concave on the bottom, that helps a lot compared to a completely flat one...and it is glassed for strength.


How did you make yours?

tautologies wrote:You should be able to go through small beach breaks. bigger waves is a little harder.

Perhaps I should work more on my technique. But I am also thinking about adding some rocker to the nose part.

tautologies wrote:Here the option of making it myself was way more expensive than buying the naish one.
Just the blanks were over double the price...then the alaia has a really nice concave on the bottom, that helps a lot compared to a completely flat one...and it is glassed for strength.

How did you make yours?

I used an inexpensive firwood blank, did not want to go with anything fancy since this was my first experiment. The shape is very similar to Naish alaia but few inches wider. Instead of one bottom concave I created 2 channels with steeper edges, something like this: _/---------\_/---------\_ . I did not use any glassing, just linseed oil so that it would be easy to modify the initial shape if I need it.

What kind of lightwind capability does the Alaia have?

Will it go as early as a 135X47 TT? ...as a skimboard? ...as early as a Sector ...a big surfboard?

This thing intrigues me, but I did not think it would plane super early.

Like a plywood door it will go very early especially in flat water or if keep your feet on it in the chop.

Less width but more area than a skimboard, with a similar relatively flat low drag rocker.

jakemoore wrote:Like a plywood door it will go very early especially in flat water or if keep your feet on it in the chop.

Less width but more area than a skimboard, with a similar relatively flat low drag rocker.

and also a long straight rail that you will not find on a skim, matters when you go upwind. I dislike my skim board for kiting (I know it is not made for kiting), I like the alaia.

Didn't think long and narrow would get it.
I made a plywood door board years ago.
Have owned door boards.
Have a couple skims, just OK..not that much fun.

I'm getting bored with light wind Alaia tricks does anyone have any trick suggestions to work on?

Is anyone planing on doing an AlaiaStyle DVD/BlueRay?
I would preorder

Hi Everbody,

for some inspiration on tricks and riding check this video:
[vimeo]http://naishkites.com/items/episode-twe ... -kite-bum/[/vimeo]

also you see, you can have a very cheap solution to get the "sort of Alaia" feeling....
Cheers

torto wrote:Hi Everbody,

for some inspiration on tricks and riding check this video:
[vimeo]http://naishkites.com/items/episode-twe ... -kite-bum/[/vimeo]

also you see, you can have a very cheap solution to get the "sort of Alaia" feeling....
Cheers

the bic board costs more than an alaia. It might not look it after Tony took the torch to his board
Also it is not that easy to ride like Tony. His board is really friggin heavy.