Story of the Surfboard

The surfboard, not only represents me, but also represents a way of life for many others. Surfing has been around for many years and has been an important part of island culture. The surfboard also has come along way with the material it was made with, to even the way it is now shaped.

“Surfing as we know it (that is, standing upright on a board) was originally brought to Hawaii from the Polynesian islands, and became extremely popular during the mid 18th century. Surfing was thought to be a sacred pastime and was originally reserved exclusively for royalty. Their boards were crudely molded and most were fashioned out of solid wood and weighed close to 150 lbs. Granulated coral was used as a sandpaper to smooth the board. Then the board was stained with bark or charcoal and finished with glossy nut oil” (Sloan).

“It was during the beginning of this century that the board itself became the instrument of experimentation. It evolved from a solid redwood plank around 10ft., to a hollow longer lighter board and also made of wood called the "Cigar Box". When supplies became available after the WWII composite wood was exchanged for lightweight balsa wood. During this time a rudder was added to help stabilize the board, as well as the addition of a thin layer of resin and fiberglass coating the wood” (Sloan).

When we take a close look at the evolution of the surfboard we see how its story goes along with the way the world is evolving at the time. For example, “just like the youth were at an experimental/rebellious state during the sixties and seventies, the surfboard also underwent these major changes” (Sloan). It is also interesting to see how as material and technology became available how it was incorporated into surfboards. In the 90’s when a design program came out for Windows that was able to help out shapers create their board templates. Surfing has kept up with the worlds ever changing ways and it seems as though these stories can be seen through the surfboards made over time.

Surfing has been woven into many people’s cultures and everyone has their own story to tell about their first surfboard and their first ride. It is true that the “surfboard has come a long way since it’s Polynesian ancestors. It has slipped in and out of decades, dragging, pushing and pulling unique subculture and devoted followers with it. It has undergone a revolution; designs have been lengthened and shortened and lengthened again, and no doubt there will be many other attempts to dismember the surfboard from it's original design origins. Even though surfboard design today has become a multi-million dollar industry, caught up in the whirl wind of mass marketed consumerism, surfers will always view the surfboard as a universal symbol- a way to achieve peace of mind, and a tool that will bring them closer to the endless tranquility of the deep blue sea” (Sloan).