Surfing As A Sport Of Kings

Author: Catherine Harvey | Posted: 29-01-2008

Surf boards and surfing have come a long way since they first gained popularity in the mid 1800's.

Originally the sport of royalty, surfing has actually been around since the 6th Century but in its modern day form it gained status as a lifestyle symbol around the 1860's. It is thought to have originally made its way to Hawaii from the Polynesian Islands around the middle of the 18th Century.

Two Hawaiian princes studying in the US showed their surfing skills to the locals in North America and the sport took off from there. Their surf boards would...have been primitively moulded from solid wood, sanded with granulated coral and stained with bark or charcoal before being finished with glossy nut oil. Problems with original surf boards like this were that they weighed close to 150lbs and acted like sponges once in the water.

Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic swimmer from Hawaii, demonstrated his skills on a surf board while on a visit to Australia in 1865. This went down a storm with Australian's who have always been famed for their love of the outdoor life, and the style of surf boarding now known to the Western world was born.

The surf board has evolved over the years from the original solid redwood plank, through composite wood, lightweight balsa wood and fibreglass to today's virtually perfect design constructed from polyurethane foam and fibreglass.

Very few changes have been made to the make-up of the board since mass production began in the late 1950's. In the beginning, long boards of up to 16' were popular but not so manoeuvrable. Shorter boards enjoyed a surge, being built around 6' and 8lbs lighter. These were much faster and easier to navigate than the more cumbersome 16 footer.

Minor changes have been made to surf boards over the years but mostly ones that are optional. Some lift has been added to the nose and fins were also added for stability. Although you can now buy surf boards with fixed fins, it is more common place to buy attachable fins. This gives the surfer the option to experiment with where fins are placed depending on the type of wave they are riding.

Surfing has now advanced to a point where different waves and different riding styles call for a different type of board to gain the maximum speed and agility, thus the maximum adrenaline rush. Choices consist of double concave bottom, vee bottom, rounded square tail and swallow tail as well as different lengths.

One of the best inventions that all surfers rave about is the surf board leash. A simple device where the board can be strapped to the surfers ankle but it is one that makes the life of a surfer so much simpler. Before this, he/she would have had to wade into shore to retrieve the board after every wave.

Custom paint jobs on surf boards are big business with some very extreme designs that you can either pay a surf shop to apply for you or, if you are feeling artistic, purchase some spray paints or water based paint pens and get creative yourself. Covered with a protective clear top coat these designs will last a long time but can always be sanded back and re-done if you get bored.

Sex wax is a surfers product, not anything like it sounds! It is a wax that can be applied to the board where you would normally put your feet and hands to prevent slipping. However, some surfers prefer to use deck grip as an alternative. This is a stick on pad that removes the need for constant waxing.

Initially a sport for men, surfing has taken off worldwide and has a large female following. Not just as groupies for the surfer dude's but now as serious competitors themselves. It has also spawned a whole fashion scene for men and women, from wetsuits and beachwear to hats, hoodies and shoes. It has also brought about a sound financial business in hair care, particularly for the women who don't like to constantly have surfers hair.