After getting turned on to his ex-pat brother Tom’s alaia designs in Noosa, Australia, Jon Wegener took this idea home to Los Angeles, California. While the alaia design proved to be amazing, the crowded lineups and mushy So Cal surf made the minimalist alaia slide a tough go. So Jon made a foam/wood composite blank and started experimenting. Here’s what he’s found…
Camera/Edit – James Campbell & Cyrus Sutton
- Interviews (6)
- Autarkic (12)
- DIY Tip of the Week (5)
- Etsy Gold (14)
- Filmmaker Feature (8)
- How Tues-Day (3)
- Rant (12)
- Stuff We Like (57)
- Bulletin Board (3)
June 23rd, 2010
that boards looks really fast
June 23rd, 2010
What are the dims on that board?
June 23rd, 2010
I noticed in one of the shots that it has little side bite fins. I wonder how this affects the ride?
June 23rd, 2010
Looks so much fun, effortless glide. Like watching Skip Frye surf on his gliders. Looks like I could paddle it too. Nice!
June 23rd, 2010
Nice shots in this one, Jon seems like a madman in the shaping room
June 23rd, 2010
Hey Guys, There’s actually two boards he’s riding in the clip. One is around 8 foot and the other in the older looking footage is around 7 foot. I think they are around 22 and 23 wide and pretty thin. I know Jon wants to keep the thickness down to give it the feel of an alaia which literally sits in the water. As for the side bite fins. They are actually long wooden runners that help give the board a little bite when trimming but break away easily for controlled slides- basically to mimic an alaia rail which sits in the water.
June 24th, 2010
I was trying out Wegener’s board at the time this film was made. In fact, I had to give it back to him so that you guys could do the filming. I was hooked on this board the first time I saw it. Then, on the first day I rode it, I couldn’t turn to save my life. On the second day, I was able to turn in one direction. Then I gave the board back. I couldn’t wait to tell Jon, “Make one for me!!!” For me, surfing is all about having fun and the Bluegill is more fun than I can describe. And these mellow summer beach break waves will be perfect as I get this board dialed in. As you can tell, I’m totally stoked on what Jon Wegener is doing in the shaping room. Thanks for making this film so that everyone else could get a glimpse too.