alaia board
A thin, round-nosed, square-tailed surfboard, used by commoners and royalty alike in pre-20th-century Hawaii, and updated over 100 years later as an offshoot of surfing's retro movement. The original alaia was generally made of koa wood (sometimes breadfruit or wiliwili), and was the most suitable type of board for riding the steep, fast-breaking waves common to the Islands. Of the 13 premodern b...
Subscribe or Login
Plans start at $5, cancel anytimeTrouble logging-in? Contact us.
Postmodern AlaiaSubscribe to view
Waikiki, early 1900sSubscribe to view
Alaia shaper Tom Wegener. Photo: Nathan OldfieldSubscribe to view
Modern alaia surfboardSubscribe to view
Engraving of 19th century surfers riding alaia boardsSubscribe to view
Dan Malloy surfing an alaia, 2007. Photo: Jim MartinSubscribe to view

Postmodern Alaia

Waikiki, early 1900s

Alaia shaper Tom Wegener. Photo: Nathan Oldfield

Modern alaia surfboard

Engraving of 19th century surfers riding alaia boards

Dan Malloy surfing an alaia, 2007. Photo: Jim Martin