Bodyboards

Bodyboards

We think of bodyboards as the ride-in-the-middle – between body surfing and riding a surfboard.

Bodyboards or boogie boards – a name given to the category by Tom Morey – is an accessible way for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the experience of catching and riding waves. And those at the top of the sport absolutely rip.

A bodyboard is shorter than a surfboard, (typically 97 to 109 cm (38 to 43 in) in length), and made of foam. These days they have a foam core, with a plastic bottom and a soft-top deck and rails. Riders wear swim fins or flippers to help propel them onto the waves and make paddling out easier.

Different types of foam used in construction make for different levels of flex and control in the board.

When a rider turns at the bottom of the wave, the bodyboard flexes and recoils, releasing energy – if there’s not enough or too much flex, the board loses speed. Polyethylene cores are best for colder waters because they flex too much when warm whereas polypropylene cores are best for warm waters as they hold their stiffness.

Boogieboards, like surfboards, use stringers or carbon or graphite to strengthen the board, add stiffness and recoil to the core and increase the speed off bottom turns.

The shape or curve of the board affects how it rides and differ depending on whether you ride the board on your belly or aim for drop-knee or stand-up riding on your board. For the latter, you need boards with more parallel rails or a narrow nose because they compensate for the rider’s center of gravity towards the back of the board. Boards that are wide closer to the nose are better suited to prone riding.

Manly Surfboards has bodyboards from Manta, Elnino, Stealth and 4Play.