FINLESS

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:26 pm

Just cant put down the article in the latest SW (Surfing World) about Derek Hynd and the finless boards he rides.

When I first saw the cover I thought they had put a kneeboarder on it, but it was DH doing the low crouch thing.

Has anyone tried the finless thing and if so what sort of results, coz it looks so suited to kneeboards.

Still cant get over the guys at Wangamatta in NZ on the wooden Piaipo thing zooming so fast and finless.

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:50 pm

So how can it be a fad?

A fad is something many pickup at a similar time then likewise drop at a similar time.

eg: long thick kneeboards, now that is a fad

How many finliess kneeboarders do you know Captkneeno?

This has some magic to it.

And I personally cant wait to try it and as DH says it is such FUN

skansand · Post by **skansand** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:45 pm

tried it a few years ago at a 1-3' point on a 6'1 aussie tri... hard to get down the line but 360s were effortless. You could really link up some fun rides though in the mushy point......

on that last swell i traded my mat/fins with a interested local riding a 8' blue softtop FINLESS ....much easier to get down the line, but only got 180 spin into a 180 body spin (so riding board backwards)....

id think a boxy railed , long kneeboard with soft rails would be great for finless.....

crippler · Post by **crippler** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:50 pm

Hey budgie i`m real interested in the timber boards too since seeing those guys in nz,and as fate would have it a new neighbour has moved into my street hailing from nz with quite a bit of experience in them having made a few of both paipo prone models and alaai stand up models.He has found a local supplier of palownia and i`m in the process of getting the timber for a stand up model and am also trying to get some wider timber for a kneeboard paipo.I`ll let ya know when there finished you can have a crack. C`mon capt kneemo i hardly think the ancient creations that gave birth to all our favourite sport can be classed as a fad but i can see how there sudden popularity could lead you to feel this way.I think going backwards to old equipment can sometimes help in cutting edge design,I`ve been designing and making my own boards for ten years using a shaping machine but have used alot of ideas that i seen on old boards i`ve ridden.Its all about the thrill of trying to master something which is admittedly very limited and hard to control not just pure performance based

budgie · Post by **budgie** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 11:11 pm

Sounds great Crippler, love to see the end result of what you are doing.

Im going to work on converting a normal kneeboard with the means of deep channels and flutes and other SECRET haha technology to do what Derek Hynd is doing but obviously on my knees.

Im so excited

skansand · Post by **skansand** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:02 am

Mats and Alaias are a very special kind of surfcraft mostly for experienced watermen... 99% of everyone else will drop it like a fad...

tooo bad for them, they're the funnest, fastest and greenest surfcraft....

if everyone rode these there would be absolutly no crowds!

Ive been in a line up with 2 other matters and an alaia rider... all intantly chatting like old friends and party waves were a blast.....

eqKneelo · Post by **eqKneelo** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:41 am

CaptKneemo wrote: they dont have leashes (unless you're a kook) and the learning curve is steep. how many of the goons in the water, that you see, are really going to take the time and effort to master something like this? .

Two of them out this weekend... nearly killed someone every wave as they slide out and their boards cartwheeled through the inside.

Bintang Bob · Post by **Bintang Bob** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:06 am

Hey Budgie, kneelogrl ordered a kneeboard sized glued up Alaia blank.... It's Pawlonia Wood (native to Aussie I believe), it's lighter & stronger than Balsa Wood.... cuts & shapes nicely, it was recomended to seal the wood with coconut oil after shaping but that made the board "more slippery than a greased pig", so she's in the process of removing the coconut oil from the wood and resealing it with a turps based Organoil product (also Aussie).... Kneelogrl said that the board was really fast & "side slipped a bit".... I'll keep you posted on the board, she's just added the 3rd coat of sealer yesterday & should be riding it soon.... Bob & Suz

MALLEE BULL · Post by **MALLEE BULL** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:53 am

Palownia is a native of asia.Is called Empress wood or princes wood.
Tom Wegener has been making longboards at Noosa for a long time out of it.Use some bees wax to seal it it also helps with grip on the deck.
Check out Olo surf on the web.

Shelfbreak · Post by **Shelfbreak** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:13 pm

My concern is that most of these finless wooden boards will be ridden in kiddies corner type waves which as the name suggests should be left to the kids.

Didn't Tom Morey solve the finless route 30 years ago ? Sky's the limit for those boys!

RMcKnee · Post by **RMcKnee** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:59 pm

Not quite a Morey Boogie ... not quite Kiddies Corner.

http://www.billabong.com/au/blog-post/6 ... -aka-alaia

ross · Post by **ross** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:58 pm

I invested some cash in Powlonia back in 01 so I'm more than happy for the fad to go beserk

I wouldn't be suprised if some surf industry/media types don't have a few shares to.The guy who put me onto it is fairly high up in one of the big three

Having said that DH and his mates surf up my way on occasion and what they are doing is worth watching!

crippler · Post by **crippler** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:32 pm

various palownia is native to asia australia and new zealand,and ihave just researched the sealing process and from a few sources including mr wegener the go is a 3 part mix of linseed oil,gum oil and apple cider if you can resist drinking it.Tom is probably the man most responsible for the so called fad selling his alaia`s in ten countries retailing up to $600 us which is crazy in my humble and poor opinion.apparently this sealant mix allows the finished product to be waxed as normal.but of course this is just what i`ve found out and until my first is finished i`ve got no idea if it works.I`m also having a crack at a 5`7 swallow tail out of palownia with bamboo fins but doubt i have the skills to create something good enough to take on the boys at pi classic.but it will be fun trying i`ll post my results.ps got those new shooters yet budgie

MJ · Post by MJ » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:50 pm

Check this out. An interesting method of catching waves on an Alaia.

http://actionsportsblips.dailyradar.com ... in_bio_02/

crippler · Post by **crippler** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:34 am

sweet captkneemo will try for sure.pick my blanks early next week for alaia`s will posts photo`s when complete.Cool footage mj a weird mix of disiplines! hate to be caught inside with his sup board comin at me 12 foot of headache yee har!!!

Kneeboard Surfing USA Community Forum

FINLESS

FINLESS

Re: dxs

Palownia

wood