Traditional wooden Alaia surfboard hand crafted from reclaimed 200+ year old rimu with a pohutukawa tail and Hokitika pounamu leash loop with brass detailing. Completed with a resin and gloss finish .
Dimensions 1780 mm Ling x 400 mm wide x 20 mm thick.
History on Alaias surfboard.
Although the exact origins of surfing are unclear, surfing wooden alaia surfboards was witnessed back in 1767 in Tahiti. Historians believe surfing evolved as part of ancient Polynesian culture. It was said the top surfer was also the chief of his local community. In Hawaii, surfing was part of a rich culture in ancient times. As we know it, the sport is believed to have started in around 1200 AD, although historians say it existed in some form in Tahiti as early as 2000 BC. It wasn't a hobby, it was a way of life. Making a surfboard was a spiritual experience and a great deal of care went into its construction. The people were interested in discovering the mysteries of the waves and taming the ocean, and the most skilled surfers were highly respected in society.
