Hi,
Yesterday I picked up a Tom Wegener Seaglass board.
http://www.surfindustries.com/surfboards/seaglass.php
There are two boards in the line up; the Albacore and the Tuna. The Tuna is epoxy contruction, the Albacore is soft foam construction like a boogie board. The boards are inspired by the wooden Tuna boards, which were inspired by Alaias.
I know there are some that have tried alaias on here, they are a blast, you should check them out if you haven't. I made a few and they were super fun, but kept braking. I'm currently working on making, thicker stronger ones.
To paraphrase Tom Wegener, the Albacore is the easiest board to ride, followed by the Tuna, then followed by the alaia. The Seaglass boards have volume (32-36L) which makes it easier to catch waves. With a kite, you don't need volume, but it does come in handy in light conditions when there are lulls. Yesterday I rode the Albacore 5'6" model. It was very easy to ride. It has a longboard feel to it, but makes turns like a shortboard. I love that slide feel that alaias have, which makes it feel so much different than a regular surfboard. It has more of a surfboard feel to it, then a skimboard, probably due to the long rail outline. The alais are a faster ride. The Seaglass boards feel more like a surfboard, the rails have a softer feel to them. In summary, the Seaglass boards have the feel of an alaia, but are more user friendly, which may be appealing to some strapless riders on here.
I've ridden soft surfboards before and had a lot of fun. They give a nice cushioned ride which is great for long rides. My main complaint with soft boards was there soft flexible fins, which is not a problem on the Albacore. These soft boards are great for crowded areas, as the board is soft and is unlikely to hurt anyone. A wave hit me and I did manage to puncture the deck of the soft foam of the Albacore. I'll probably just fill it in with some door/trim silicone sealant. I look forward to surfing this board on days without wind. I used to bodyboard, and this board looks really fun for prone riding too. This will be the go to board for my kids when they are old enough to hit the surf. The Seaglass Tuna is now on my wish list. Anyone else checked out these boards?