How Surfboards Really Started

By Jane Worthington

Surfing is a tough sport to learn, unless you grew up in Hawaii, or a beach community in California. However, most people who have the courage to try surfing, usually never want to quit. The passion that surfers have led to a great surge in its popularity, and because of their desire to try new things and challenge themselves, has lead to the creation of nine different variations of boards. With nine basic variations of boards, there are lots to try, and one for everyone. Some of the boards have been around for decades, even centuries. As many people suspect, the surfboard was created in Hawaii, where it's known as a "Papa he'e halu," in the local language. The first boards were made of wood from their local trees, such as a Koa tree.

In the beginning, board length depended on social class. Commoners' boards were between 12-14 feet, and between 14-16 feet for chiefs and noblemen. The boards were also extremely heavy. At the beginning of the 20th Century, a Hawaiian surfer, George Freeth took his expertise in the sport across the Pacific to Los Angeles, California. He also often experimented with the board, and eventually cut his 16 foot board in half. That is where he became the first professional surfer.

In the meantime, the nine variations of boards were developed. The fist type, is known as the "Egg," given the name due to its round profile and round tail shape. The Egg board is typically 6-8 feet and six inches long. The Egg's primary objective is to provide entertainment and to have fun, not necessarily for high performance. Next, is the "Fish," which you may have heard before, but don't be confused, some boards are referred to as a "fish" because of their fin, (a fin, also called a "skeg," helps stabilize the board, and keep it from moving side to side in the water) but they might lack the other characteristics that make the Fish such a board. They are extremely short and stout, measuring less than six feet in length. The Fish was derived from the knee board, hence the short characteristic.

Another type of board is the Fun Board, which is just that, fun. The Fun board is a mid-level board between the long and short boards. Next is the Gun Board. The Gun board is perfect for large waves. It's very long, usually between 9-12 feet. The Gun Board is very thin, and mimics a needle, with either a single or thruster fin. The Gun Board is similar to a Shortboard, but the length is closer to a Longboard. Then came the reinvented Hollow Wooden Surfboard. After boards started being created with foam instead of wood in the 1950's, a few surfers, such as; Roy Stewart, Paul Jensen, Tom Wegener, Roy Stewart, and Peter McMahon created a more environmentally friendly version, to take the board back to being made of wood that was made of fast-growing plantation wood. Another version is the longer board, which is also one of the more popular versions today. Measuring between 9-12 feet in length on which a surfer can walk to the front and hang his feet off the front end is the Longboard, famous for being the board where "Hanging ten," came from. The Olo Board was one of the first names given to a board back in Hawaii, and were typically used only for royalty. The Olo is one of the biggest boards, and is usually over 14 feet in length, and sometimes weighs more than 70 pounds!

Another popular board today gaining more and more momentum is the Quad Board. The Quad Board obtains a lot of speed off the wave, but usually loses speed when making turns. The Quad Board has been present in a lot of recent competitions and appears to be making a comeback in the surfing world. Lastly, and perhaps one of the best made surfboards, for intermediate or experienced surfers is the Shortboard. The Shortboard is typically between five and seven feet long. The shape has a larger tail, with a narrow nose (which is the front of the board, and is usually pointed or rounded), which greatly helps its maneuverability. The downside to a Shortboard is that it's often hard to catch the wave, due to the smaller size.

There is a lot of history behind the sport of surfing, and the expansive variety of boards that are around today prove that. No matter if you're one of the lucky few who have access to a beach all year, trying a new type of board could bring back the enthusiasm that you once had for the sport, or if you have the opportunity to try surfing for your first time, there is a surfboard for you, that can provide you with the ride of your life!

If you would like more information about surfboards, or how to find a good longboard or any other board, please visit the Buyboardz website.

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