Eduard, Prince of Wales

Eduard, Prince of Wales, visited Waikiki in 1920.  The Kahanamoku brothers taught him to surf, and David let Prince Eduard use his board for 3 Days.  The story is that Duke told him "Brah, you can use Kavika" (Hawaiian for the name David) for surf riding."
Someone has asked me to make a board for them that commemorates that day, and here is the first coat of oil on the board.  I used an actual photograph of the Prince riding a wave in Waikiki, and with some computer art tools, placed him on a very nice Queen's surf grinder!

I tried to make it exciting for his highness to let him be on his own "Wave of the Day!".  The client plans to use this board in some of its events at the beache,  letting the people try their luck at historical surfing first hand.  I hope that Prince William will get a chance to ride it too, wouldn't that be so cool?

I am so proud to help continue to spread Hawaii's Aloha the way Duke did, in making surfboards and letting people ride them.

Found: Koa Hot Curl, Owner please claim!

Some strange sounds were heard in the Koa Forest.  Sounded like woodwork, sawing back and forth, tapping, crackling, chipping, scratching, a sandy sound, then little running footsteps, giggling.  High pitched!  Menehunes were heard in the forest today.

Leaning against a great tree was a ten foot long koa surfboard!  The proud Hawaiian Alaia, no, a Hot Curl!
Who made it?  Who owns it?  There is no name, no decal, just the shape of something that goes fast!  It looks brave, daring, like it wants to challenge a power much greater than itself.

Who will take this board, born from the high valleys above Waimea Bay, down to the sea, and out to surf?

Who is so brave? Who is so daring? Who is left?.

Is this your board?  Please call me to claim.

Surf Art, Architecture, and Sculptures

This blog is a showcase of the art from Gregory Hall.  Examples of my award winning Architectural projects can be provided upon request.
Please contact me!

Here is a link to some of the boards I make http://myfirstsurfboard.com/myfirstsurfboard/petroglyph-surfboards


and a short story the author created about one I made for him:

http://myfirstsurfboard.com/myfirstsurfboard/petroglyph-surfboards/my-first-petroglyph-surfboard


I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Aloha,

New Alaia movies and a new baby Honu (seaturtle alaia) is born for the North Atlantic

Alaia: 7'-2"
First primary Tung Oil coat soaking in.  The final coats will have a high gloss finish.

 Haleaukula Koa w/Honu (seaturtle) Petroglyph

ALOHA DENMARK!

Here is a new Alaia Movie at Jeffrey's Bay, S.A.I found!

Interested in surfboard making?  Me too!  Call me and let's talk! Greg 407-222-9944

Another Hot Curl Surfboard is born!

Here are some pictures of Richard's Hot Curl I finished and delivered last week!  It is 8'4" long x 20".  It weighs about 70 pounds...

I have a beautiful Koa Wood Plank that is 13'long and am going to make a big Duke Alaia out of it. 

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THE TAMARACK TIGER

Here is a beautiful 8' long Alaia.  It is the TAMARACK TIGERESS, made from a single plank of Tiger Striped Koa wood harvested on the Hana side slopes of Haleakula Maui in 1898 by the Captain Mats**, stored in a discrete warehouse in Northern Florida until now.

Although it might spend most of its new life hanging on a wall, the board is so happy to be reborn and revealed as it's true self  as a replica of Princess Kaiulani's surfboard of the same year this tree was harvested to make a canoe.  This plank was sheard from the sides of the canoe, and cut from a 16' long plank to be now halved into 2 sister boards.   This is the first born...and is moving to California to ride Tamarack, Trestles, Swami's, Stonesteps, and she wants to go trim through the pointbreaks in Baja!  Doesn't she now...?
Come visit me and see some of these surfboards for youself at the Boards and Waves expo in Cocoa Beach in April.  http://www.boardsandwaves.com/boards-and-waves/exhibitor-info.html

Radical Alaia Surfing Videos

Here are some hollow Alaia Tuberiding from Hossegor France, I think?  This is not tow in surfing, but rather by using a stand up paddleboard to launch an Alaia attack on the wave!  Not fair, but who cares!  These videos show the true speed you can get from riding an Alaia. 





Here is an amazing video of going out into the jungle to find the "WILD BOARDS" growing on the the surfboard tree.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuUccl5rTX8&feature=related

A TRIBUTE TO EDDIE AIKAU!

I am hoping the waves get EPIC for the Quicksilver Eddie Aikau memorial, which you can watch the happenings here  http://live.quiksilver.com/2009/eddie/  Won't it be interesting if a competitor chooses to use this 10'3" Alaia Waimea Bay Gun I created?  The ultimate choice for a true champion to show the most respect to the Hawaiians who have come and gone.  Will one step up to the challange?

RED DOG ALAIA

Here is a new 8' solid Koa Alaia I made. This board is a replica of Princess Kaiulani's surfboard from the very late 1800's, now contained in the archaive of the Bishop Museum.  . It is shaped from a solid piece of Koa Wood that was harvested from the slopes of Mt. Haleakula on Maui in 1893.   The tree came from the mountain named "the house of the Sun" in Hawaiian, and I think it is highly appropriate that this wood now relives as a surfboard  in the "Sunshine State".

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Enjoy this beautiful movie from George Greenough

 DUKE KAHANMOKU replica surfboards for the Bluebirds are the huge waves within outside sets of Cannons Surf in Waikiki, which can reach 20'+ on occasion.

BEACH BASH

In celebration of the DUKE  I am posting this picture of my beautiful model Zetta with my board.

A NEW ALAIA IS BORN! ALOHA KEIKI HONU!

Welcome Keiki Honu! (Baby Turtle)

This new Alaia surfboard is 6'9 x 17.75" wide.

It is not finished, but almost ready for its first coat of tung oil that will make this several hundred years old wood really come alive. Stay tuned!

This beautiful Koa Wood plank is accented with a tail Bolivian Rose Wood, Padaulk, Red Heart, Ebony, and Snake Wood in the tailblock.

More Views of Honu Ala'ia

"Honu", the Sea Turtle, Petroglyph Surfboard 

Here is a view of the Bottom showing a 3/8" deep concave that starts about 12" from the nose end and runs throughout the planshape to the tail. Since the board has a convex shape on the deck, its net thickness is really averaging about 1/2 to 5/8" thick. This makes it flex under compression in turns, and a strong snap back to shape, giving you a surprising thrust out of the turn.

Sunset Magazine, July 1927, with modern bathing beauty riding an Alaia surfboard in Waikiki.

PETROGLYPH SURFBOARDS

HONU, THE SEA TURTLE

 

Here is the first replica I made of the Ancient Hawaiian surfboard called an ALA'IA. This was created from a tracing of the template I got from the Bishop Museum in Honolulu in 1980. This one is based on Princess Ka'iulani's board of 1888. It is 7'-6" Long and about 18" wide x 3/4" thk.  It has no fin, so it has very fun slide at will character. Being much faster than a modern board, due to a very low drag factor, my appreciation for the Hawaiians who invented surfing has grown beyond measure.  I love riding inside the tube, a very temporary space on Earth, each one usually very private, relatively shortlived, and a place where no man has been before, and no man will be after.

I recently been extremely lucky to have found numerous ancient Koa Wood Slabs, Planks, and lumber that was collected from the Hawaiian islands prior to the turn of the twentith century.

Please contact me if you are interested in surfboard making!  I enjoy this hobby and look forward to seeing the boards you make!

Greg Hall

Sunset Beach, Hawaii

New Smyrna Beach, Florida

407-222-9944

jetman@embarqmail.com

© 2009  GREGORY HALL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WELCOME TO WAVERIDER

Greg Hall ripping...

the endless bottom turn

on his vintage Surf Bolt 2cyl. Jetboard! 

35 mph, 50 mile range,

no need tow or paddle!

Howzit Surfers!