WaylandBolsa54

"I am putting together a new paipo similar in shape to the Newport board. About 7 to 8 inches longer. I decided to put a standard fin box in instead of routing in slots and making my own fins. Kind of came out cool. Wood only 3/8" thick. Box stuck out on deck side a fair bit. Glued scrap wood pieces around it to build up area. Grinded and sanded down around it. Don't think I will even feel it on deck side. I am going to order a True Ames Norm Flex 7" and a Greenough Stage 6 7.25 paddle fin. Can hardly wait to get it in the water."

BOLSA 54
FROM ROGER WAYLAND

"Took the new paipo (I'm calling it the Bolsa 54) out last weekend. Smaller waves, slow and mushy. The new paipo performed way beyond all expectations. Fin box worked really nice. Was able to adjust the fins to try to find the perfect setting. The deck bump (fill in of fin box) was not noticeable at all. Board took off and flew. Made it past several crumbled sections and was able to get into clean sections.

The thing that really made this paipo was the flex. I had not really anticipated the amount until I had it in the water. This was a resurected project gone astray board. I had really gotten carried away with the grinder when I first shaped the bottom of the board. I carved a huge concave and then channels down the entire length of the board. Was having a good time grinding and kind of took it to the extreme. Anyway the only part of the board that was not grooved out was a small middle section and around the edges.

I was about to carve it up and make handboards until I decided to reverse the board and make the deck the bottom. Since I had the middle section still remaining I decided to put the fin box in as I had some material to work with. Now the bottom was nearly totally flat, deck scooped out in front, and down rails. I believe this is why I got the great flex. The board seems pretty rigid out of the water. Some flex from nose to tail but not much. Once in the water it is a totally different story. You can grab the nose of the paipo and kind of shake the board under water. It just kind of bends and sways. You can see "propulsion" ripples off the tail. Very cool.

Anyway, I rode the board for two days and just could not get enough of it. can hardly wait for some larger waves. I orders a couple of new fins for it that I should have by the end of the week."

-Roger Wayland

This board is made from 3/8" Baltic birch. Board is 54" long. The fin box is a standard 7.5" box. The stringer is just bare wood for what Roger calls "That classic look". the rails are turned up near the front, gradually blend into turned down at the tail.