~source line art Spencer and unknown comic book dude
How it works:
The thin, flat rockered board moves across the wave very quickly. The hard edge of the rail bites into the wave like a long fin and the gentle curves on the bottom hold the board into the face of the wave. The board is as light as possible so it accelerates quickly and the wood is sealed with oil which is slippery in the water. This makes the board move faster through the water like a fish.
The thin board flexes as you ride the wave. When in trim or when catching the wave, you push down on the nose giving the board a reverse rocker. This makes the board go faster. When turning you pull up on the nose making the board flex the other way. This makes the board turn quicker and then bounce out of the turn as it comes back to its natural shape. The right combination of flex, thickness, hard edge on the rail and the oiled surface makes for a very light, lively surfboard.How to surf:
The Lala. The ancient Hawaiians had a special word for how to surf the alaia. It was “lala.”. It is the controlled slide in the pocket. The way you do it is you use the edge of the board to hold in across a wall, then break free for a controlled sideways slide in the pocket, then grab the wave again to gain forward momentum. When you want to continue with forward momentum, you put weight on the inside rail and the board grips the wave and takes off again.
