Surfboards

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Surfboards

Surf boards are not a new invention, in fact surfing was practiced by Polynesians and Hawaiians as early as the sixth century AD. The ancient surfboards were carved from solid wood, and were closest to the long boards of today. They ranged in length from fifteen to twenty feet, and could weigh in at over one hundred and fifty pounds! As you can imagine, the ancient boards were not as agile as modern boards.

To the Polynesians, surfing was something of a religious event. Their religion focused on nature, and especially the ocean. Because of the religious overtones that surrounded surfing, Christian missionaries who came to the islands to “civilize” the Polynesians attempted to suppress surfing as a sinful activity. As a result, surfing nearly died out in the 17th through 19th centuries. At its low point, surfing was an almost exclusively Hawaiian practice, really only occurring at Waikiki Beach.

The person almost singlehandedly responsible for bringing surfing back to the forefront of Western consciousness was Duke Kahanamoku. Duke was not a title of nobility, but rather his birth name. Duke was an Olympic swimmer, who also enjoyed surfing. He appeared in four straight Olympics, from 1912 to 1932. Between competitions, he would travel Australia and the United States, giving swimming exhibitions. During these exhibitions, he would also showcase his surf boards, working surfing into his routine. In this way, he reintroduced surfing to both the Australian and American cultures.

From there surfing took on a life of its own. First in Australia, and later in southern California surfing became something of a beachside obsession. New board production techniques allowed for much experimentation, and many innovations followed. The most notable invention of the time was the surf board’s fin. Prior to this time, a surfer had to keep the board steady by dipping his trailing foot into the water behind the board, acting as a type of human rudder. The addition of a permanent fin on the underside of the board to stabilize it freed the rider to use both feet for balancing and other maneuvers, such as turns.

Another innovation was the switch from solid wood to hollow wood and polyurethane construction. The invention of fiberglass allowed a foam board to be coated in a lightweight yet strong exterior. These examples of board lightening exemplify the move toward more maneuverable boards that was taking place at that time.

Eventually, surf boards split into two major categories, long boards and short boards. Long boards are easier to ride because they are more stable, and more apt to pick up on waves than short boards are. Short boards on the other hand are more agile and capable of maneuvers that a long boarder wouldn’t dream of attempting.

The latest addition, almost an afterthought, to surf boards was a leash. The leash is a tether that attaches to the board on one end, and to a surfer’s leg just above the ankle on the other end. This is done for several reasons. Firstly, a leash prevents the current from carrying a board away when a surfer crashes, forcing the surfer to waste time running after it. Secondly, when a surfer wipes out, it prevents the board from careening out of control into other surfers or swimmers and causing injury.

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Surf boards are not a new invention, in fact surfing was practiced by Polynesians and Hawaiians as early as the sixth century AD. The ancient surfboards were carved from solid wood, and were closest to the long boards of today. They ranged in length from fifteen to twenty feet, and could weigh in at over one hundred and fifty pounds! As you can imagine, the ancient boards were not as agile as modern boards.

To the Polynesians, surfing was something of a religious event. Their religion focused on nature, and especially the ocean. Because of the religious overtones that surrounded surfing, Christian missionaries who came to the islands to “civilize” the Polynesians attempted to suppress surfing as a sinful activity. As a result, surfing nearly died out in the 17th through 19th centuries. At its low point, surfing was an almost exclusively Hawaiian practice, really only occurring at Waikiki Beach.

The person almost singlehandedly responsible for bringing surfing back to the forefront of Western consciousness was Duke Kahanamoku. Duke was not a title of nobility, but rather his birth name. Duke was an Olympic swimmer, who also enjoyed surfing. He appeared in four straight Olympics, from 1912 to 1932. Between competitions, he would travel Australia and the United States, giving swimming exhibitions. During these exhibitions, he would also showcase his surf boards, working surfing into his routine. In this way, he reintroduced surfing to both the Australian and American cultures.

From there surfing took on a life of its own. First in Australia, and later in southern California surfing became something of a beachside obsession. New board production techniques allowed for much experimentation, and many innovations followed. The most notable invention of the time was the surf board’s fin. Prior to this time, a surfer had to keep the board steady by dipping his trailing foot into the water behind the board, acting as a type of human rudder. The addition of a permanent fin on the underside of the board to stabilize it freed the rider to use both feet for balancing and other maneuvers, such as turns.

Another innovation was the switch from solid wood to hollow wood and polyurethane construction. The invention of fiberglass allowed a foam board to be coated in a lightweight yet strong exterior. These examples of board lightening exemplify the move toward more maneuverable boards that was taking place at that time.

Eventually, surf boards split into two major categories, long boards and short boards. Long boards are easier to ride because they are more stable, and more apt to pick up on waves than short boards are. Short boards on the other hand are more agile and capable of maneuvers that a long boarder wouldn’t dream of attempting.

The latest addition, almost an afterthought, to surf boards was a leash. The leash is a tether that attaches to the board on one end, and to a surfer’s leg just above the ankle on the other end. This is done for several reasons. Firstly, a leash prevents the current from carrying a board away when a surfer crashes, forcing the surfer to waste time running after it. Secondly, when a surfer wipes out, it prevents the board from careening out of control into other surfers or swimmers and causing injury.

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