Palaoa

5’10”x21 3/4” and 6’6”x22.5”. Built for max fun in waves head high down to ankle slappers. Single concave nose to tail with v-panels where the fins are. Design is based on a combination of the alaia, the incredible “Nohu” model and the CI “Sperm Whale” model. Low rocker – 3” nose and about 1” in the tail, and relatively straight rail lines – along with 4 fins equals super speed and planing in all conditions. Won’t be the most vertical board in the lineup but it will be the most fun.

The Shop is Open!

I’m back after a busy summer working my real job. Behold the Palaoa! In a 5’10” model and a 6’6”, both about 22” wide with noses and tails not much less (17” nose, 18” tail) and low rocker. Basically, take your basic 9’6” longboard and lop 18 inches off the nose and tail. All the advantages of a longboard – easy to paddle, catches waves practically by itself and rockets along on even the smallest swell – along with the maneuverability benefits of a shortboard. They will be quads. Bottom line – maximum fun with minimum effort.

The Kahana

9’7” x 22 3/4”, a very full tanker shape with a large concave in the nose to almost the halfway point and double concave/vee tail. Double 4oz bottom, triple top; 2+1 fin set-up, about 3” thick. This is designed to be a great summer board for waves up to about head high, with plenty of float for taking a little one on board or doing push-ins at Baby Queens. Both are for families with little ones (note the baby footprints on the rainbow fade board) and hopefully Kahi and Brenten will be riding their first waves on these boards.

The Papio

A junior sized shortboard. 5’3” x 17.5”. Light and thin, a true performance shortboard for a young lady. Airbrushed top with plumeria around the rails, pink pinlines, and spray fade on the deck. Glass-in laminates on the bottom. Art concept by my daughter Angelyne.

Win This Board

I made/donated this to OLGC school for their spring fund raiser. If anyone wants tickets, e-mail me at rotorheadcancer@hotmail.com prior to 27 April and I’ll get you the info.  Full details on the board are here.

Waimano #2: The OLGC Board

The Waimano is a short longboard (just over 8 foot). The original (here) was designed for my good friend and Island Dreams artist Paul Arnold. I used his paint scheme again, this time in shades of blue and white, to create another visually stunning board.

I’m donating this board to OLGC school (thus the Mustang blue-and-white). They will be raffling it off, with tickets going on sale for the last few months of the 2012 spring session. If you are interested, e-mail me at rotorheadcancer@hotmail.com and I’ll let you know how to get tickets (and shipping info for mainland folks).

Technically it’s 8’1” x 22”, thruster FCS setup with protec soft-edge fins, nose and tail guards already installed, board bag, leash and wax included. Epoxy/EPS construction with double 4 oz. bottom and triple 4 oz top but still very light.

This is a great board for summer and will work in surf from ankle high up to overhead, for surfers of all skill levels. Please help out OLGC and buy some raffle tickets – you might walk away with a new board! I’ll be dropping a c-note on it…

Kualoa #3: The Lotus

This third “Kualoa” model (the first here, the second here) rolled out of the shop today. It was for a repeat customer – a buddy who had the original “malasada” shaped for his son, now getting an elegant longboard for his daughter.

She wanted light wood with darker wood rails; I ended up sourcing some wood-print cloth fabric that I glassed right in, and painted the rails for the darker wood look. Pinlines set off the deck nicely. For the bottom, and old-school military slash with the EGA, along with the FSU logo (they are hardcore ‘Noles).

9’0” x 22 3/4”, single concave in the nose and double/vee out the tail. 2+1 fin setup.

The Boards of 2011

The Kala II: Electric Bugaloo

The same shape as this board; I used the template to design the frames for a one-off wood board. I went with a nice bookmatched redwood top and a lauan bottom (ripped and alternated at the stringer and glassed on both faces). All in all I still prefer a properly planked bottom but the lauan is quick and easy to work with, and looks good. I went with a bonzer fin setup with an FCS trailer rather than the regular large single fin – I intend to surf this one as a slippery twin as well as the bonzer setup.  The smaller side fins are glassed on and made of meranti marine plywood.
Artwork is a kala I shot a while back (hence the name) and printed up myself. I wanted to see how the heavy rice paper would glass, and it came out nice. The blue highlights cover the deck-rail joint, which due to the heavy dome of the deck came out uneven. The lizard on the bottom was heat-transferred directly on to the wood.
Rails are strip-planked with alternating white fir and mahogany. The leash plug is stacked ply, cut and worked by hand with a stainless bolt as the anchor.
Video of the gyotaku process after the pics.