Paulownia paipo

[zensuni]

Hi there,

I found a paulownia provider near my city, so I got a 50x120cm, 2cm thick blank.
I want to make an allround board, simple shape, finless, to use it as a prone paipo or as a kneeboard, depending of the conditions and the mood.

I have a polyester resin paipo already (inspired by the elpaipo kneemachine 48) with skegs, it works great as a fun little kneeboard but it needs at least 4' waves to work properly, and it is definitely not a good prone board (too slow, probably due to the narrow tail).

So I hope this wood paipo will be fast and will have a good glide, like straight rails paipos have most of the time, so this board could be used in small/medium waves.

Considering the blank's weight, I guess I will wear a surf helmet
I am inspired by the paipo interview of Bud Scelsa (https://mypaipoboards.org/interviews/Bu ... 0409.shtml), I like the idea of kneeriding a paipo.

I will post photos soon.

[zensuni]

[Papa Paepo o]

Hi there,

I found a paulownia provider near my city, so I got a 50x120cm, 2cm thick blank.
I want to make an allround board, simple shape, finless, to use it as a prone paipo or as a kneeboard, depending of the conditions and the mood.

I have a polyester resin paipo already (inspired by the elpaipo kneemachine 48) with skegs, it works great as a fun little kneeboard but it needs at least 4' waves to work properly, and it is definitely not a good prone board (too slow, probably due to the narrow tail).

So I hope this wood paipo will be fast and will have a good glide, like straight rails paipos have most of the time, so this board could be used in small/medium waves.

Considering the blank's weight, I guess I will wear a surf helmet
I am inspired by the paipo interview of Bud Scelsa (https://mypaipoboards.org/interviews/Bu ... 0409.shtml), I like the idea of kneeriding a paipo.

I will post photos soon.

50cm (19inches) x 120cm (47inches): paulownia is a great wood to use and shape wood boards. I ride multiples size wood board prone style and if you give yourself a little more time to learn. Apparently what you got thereat 47" your riding up near the nose which can cause board to be ridden as a bodyboard. At 19" width is close of being a narrow board which easier to maneuver and control even on a 8'ft (16'ft face) hawaiian-scale like this photo at Pipeline taking off in the lineup.

34"hght x 20" wth x 19"tail "Kekei Alaia"...

[Papa Paepo o]

Sunset Beach> I'm riding a 57"H x 21"W x 19"T, you see how the water burst from the outside rail to the back of you is what you want and you will differently feel the SPEED each time you prone-style.
Papa Paepo`o (Malolo Style)


Hi there,

I found a paulownia provider near my city, so I got a 50x120cm, 2cm thick blank.
I want to make an allround board, simple shape, finless, to use it as a prone paipo or as a kneeboard, depending of the conditions and the mood.

I have a polyester resin paipo already (inspired by the elpaipo kneemachine 48) with skegs, it works great as a fun little kneeboard but it needs at least 4' waves to work properly, and it is definitely not a good prone board (too slow, probably due to the narrow tail).

So I hope this wood paipo will be fast and will have a good glide, like straight rails paipos have most of the time, so this board could be used in small/medium waves.

Considering the blank's weight, I guess I will wear a surf helmet
I am inspired by the paipo interview of Bud Scelsa (https://mypaipoboards.org/interviews/Bu ... 0409.shtml), I like the idea of kneeriding a paipo.

I will post photos soon.

[zensuni]

I started to oil the board with a mix of linseed oil and white spirit (I couldn't find turpentine), looks great.
I still need to apply several coats, but in the end it might be more efficient to protect the board than just a classic varnish, as the oil really penetrates deep inside the wood.

[zensuni]

The board after 2 coats of linseed oil / "white spirit".
Very long to dry !

[OG-AZN]

Should be a fun ride with a lot of float. How heavy is the board? All the paulownia boards I've ridden were super light compared to my usual plywood.

[zensuni]

Should be a fun ride with a lot of float. How heavy is the board? All the paulownia boards I've ridden were super light compared to my usual plywood.

Well, it is lighter than pine, but not that much actually.
Although the board is thick with no concave.

[zensuni]

I tested the board in small waves.
It is actually pretty light and buoyant.
For a strict prone use, I prefer my thinner and narower plywood board, for it has more flex and drive.
I kneeboarded a little bit, super easy to "popup" cause the board is wide and flat, but then it is complicated to avoid side slipping, I need to practice to get the hand on it. Still, it is super fun, as long as you are not afraid to drift .
That shows that when riding prone, the swim fins and the legs dragging in the water actually do have an important role, they are somewhat part of the board design.

[zensuni]

I added 2 small wakeboard fiberglass fins to the board, as they are very easy to install, all I had to do was to drill 4 holes and screw the fins.
I rode the board this morning in clean 4' waves.
At first I tried to ride it "kneeboard style" for fun, the fins helped a little bit but not that much, still a drifting machine, without the legs dragging it really requires a leverage on the external rail to force the inside rail to bite the wave.
Then I tried it prone. In prone position, the board works quite well, the little skegs add drive, and yet the board is still fast.
The skegs allow the board to go up or down very precisely on the wave, it is very easy to place yourself right in the pocket.
These skegs are so small they don't slow the board down, or at least it is not noticeable, so I would say it is a good compromise.

[bgreen]

Are you using the fibreglass board much. Once you have a few boards, it is hard to regularly use them all. It is fun, pulling out a board that you haven't surfed for a while.

[zensuni]

Are you using the fibreglass board much. Once you have a few boards, it is hard to regularly use them all. It is fun, pulling out a board that you haven't surfed for a while.

Not that much actually.
It's a fun little kneeboard for good waves, but I don't like it as a prone board, too wide on the nose and too narrow on the tail, resulting on a slow board.
This wooden board with the little skegs seems more promising, both kneeboarding and prone riding works, which is good
Definitely a long quest to get the perfect board for my use. If this wood board works fine maybe one day I will have a shaper to make a fiberglass version. that would look like a thin and short mini simmons, why not ?