Just curious seeing if any of LB'ers have. I've always openly admitted I'm not the best surfer but have been curious about riding different boards and getting a feel for things. Love riding my twinnie, and have been keeping an eye out for any cheap single fins or quads just to get a feel how they ride.
Which brings me to being bored and watching youtube clips of people on alaia's. To me it looks fun and the surfers just seem to gracefully glide down the wave. Anybody ridden one? Whats it like compared to boards with fins? 
Never even thought of riding one, too hard basket for me mate.
Hows the repair on the 6,6? All good?
. Been riding my little twinnie but might chuck the board in the boot too next time I go wave hunting. 'Too hard basket'? I'm sure ya could if ya gave it a shot! I've seen a few vids of dogs riding boards pretty well 
My 2 cents worth...
Rob Machado makes it look really easy. But I can assure you, it's not easy.
Wooden Alaia's have a really neutral weight to them in the water. Even if the wood density is only 0.2 compared to water at 1.0 (salty stuff can be 1.02 to 1.03)... The volume of the average Alaia might only be 160cm x 45cm x 2.2cm thick, max = 15,840 cm3. In reality they might be closer to 12-13,000. once the nose it trimmed, and rails are sharpened, etc.
13,000cm3 = 13 Litres of volume. And maybe 3kg of Alaia...
Malibu's probably range from 55-90 Litres of volume.
13 heavy litres v's 70 light litres is Chalk & Cheese, in regard to getting them going....
Keep in mind that Machado has maybe 35 years of surfing experience, and it still a sponsored "soul" (semi pro / pro) surfer. He is very light, and can probably still out surf and out paddle the bottom part of the Top 44. I think if Rob was on tour, he would still comfortably finish the season in 6th-10th, and at worst Top 15.
When Alaia's are discussed, often one of the first things mentioned is, "but only Machado & Rasta are any good at riding them".
Yeah, I meant to say, don't take that the wrong way, with the negativity at all. Go for it !!
I have shaped and surfed my own Paipo - a mini 4ft Alaia - that you ride like a bodyboard or Macca's tray. Definately a wierd feelig paddling a board that won't float your weight, however if you treat it like you are bodysurfing, when you catch a wave, it just takes off. I've never been any good at catching waves bodysurfing, but with the Paipo, that all changed. The noticable thing is the speed you get from it.
The best thing about it though, is I made it by hand, without power tools, and learned a lot about what makes a board work. It makes you realise that you can make something that surfs, and do not need to spend big money to get out in the waves. The smiles you will have when you ride someting simple that you have created yourself are well worth the effort. Also spurred me on to shape a twin fish for my kids. Work in progress already.
And my sons love it, they have a ball when they go out on it.
I'd reccomend everyone with an interest in the surf, have a go. It's an amazing way to learn, create and be stoked. Make one for yourself, make the next one for someone else who needs to get stoked.
jason what a unreal post,made me stoked reading it. now i will pm you my details so we can organise the next one you make to be delivered to me. so i can be more stoked
