We have been working on a lot of alternative surf devices at Austins.  The latest are called Hand Planes.  I recently had a chance to try them out and boy are they fun.  Don’t get me wrong if the surf is going off I’m pulling out my go to longboard but on those days when you just want to goof around and try something different a Hand Plane fits the bill.  You use the hand plane like you are body surfing and place the hand plane down on the surface of the water.  It provides a smooth planing surface that allows you body to be raised slightly above the surface to reduce the drag.  When you get it dialed in the hand plane throws out a spray that lets you know that you are really moving down the wave.  Now my Paipo bag has a new edition besides the Alaia.  I now have a Hand Plane tucked neatly with my swim fins.