We featured Dom De Pietro's handy work a few weeks back with some photos of him making his own Alaia. Today I got some shots from his first test drive.
This is the third Alaia he's shaped, but it's the first he's made using the real Paulownia wood from Oz. He is digging this board over his others because the Paulownia is lighter and has more floatation. According to Dom this new board glides much faster and turns easier due to the reduced weight. It also paddles much easier than the Alaias he made out of Douglas fir.
Like any stoked craftsman, as soon as he finished making a wood board, he's already starting to think about the next one he's going to make, and the different design changes he wants to try out.
We'll be keeping tabs on Dom to see what he makes next. Keep up the good work Dom and keep sending us photos!
