Longboard (surfing)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This page is about surfing Longboards, see longboard (skateboard) for information about longboards of the skateboard variety.

A longboard.

A longboard is a type of surfboard. Longboards are also known as Malibu boards and range eight to fourteen feet long, or three feet taller than the rider in overall length. The strong point of a longboard is its substantial buoyancy and planing surface, which enables most surfers using it to ride waves generally deemed too small to propel a shortboard, as well as anything else. Longboards are universally common among both beginners and skilled surfers alike. The main reason why longboards are more suitable for beginners is because of the board's size and frequency of catching waves. In the proper conditions, a skilled surfer can ride a wave standing on the nose of a longboard, and put his toes over the nose's edge. By literally putting his "toes on the nose" the surfer can "hang ten".

1 Classic Longboards
2 Modern Longboards (aka Single-Fin)
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Classic Longboards

Longboards are the original variety of board used in standup surfing. Ever since the sixth-century the ancient Hawaiians have used 10 to 14 foot Olo solid wooden boards when practicing their ancient art of hui' nalu. Surfing was brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians and has since become popular worldwide. It was considered an activity worthy only that of Hawaiian royalty. The Olo boards were carved and fashioned out of solid wood, reaching lengths of ten to fourteen feet long and weighing as much as 150 pounds.

Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian Olympic swimmer in the 1900s, brought surfing to mainland United States and Australia. From that point on, surfing became an integral part of the California beach lifestyle. In Malibu (in Los Angeles county), the beach was so popular amongst the early surfers that it lent its name to the type of longboard, the Malibu Surfboard. In the 1920s boards made of plywood or planking called Hollowboards came into use. These were typically 15 to 20 feet in length and very light. During the 1950s, the surf trend took off dramatically as it obtained a substantial amount of popularity as a sport.[1] The design and material of longboards in the 1950's changed from using solid wood, to balsa wood. The length of the boards still remained the same at an average of 10.5 feet, and had then become widely produced.[2]

It was not until the late 50's and early 60's when the surfboard design had closely evolved into today's modern longboard. The introduction of polyurethane foam and fiberglass became the technological leap in design. In the 1960s, the longboard continued to remain popular as its material changed from balsa wood to fiberglass and polyurethane foam. But between 1968 and 1970, the shortboard revolution began. The introduction of the shortboard, averaging 6.5 feet, allowed surfers to make tighter turns, quicker maneuvers, and faster propulsion, thus changing the way people viewed surfing.

[edit] Modern Longboards (aka Single-Fin)

Today, the modern longboard has undergone many changes since its earlier models in the past. Today's longboard is much lighter than its predecessors. Its polyurethane foam and fiberglass design allows less drag on waves. It has also retained its classic design of having a length of ten to fourteen feet, a single fin, and considerably great buoyancy.[3] Due to recent advances in technology, the longboard has expanded its family into different variations of the classic longboard.

[edit] Tri-Fin

An updated version of the classsic longboard, the Tri-fin longboard is featured with three fins underneath the tail rather than its ancestors, which only had one. The Tri-fin's additional two fins on the board allows riders better turning capabilities as well as greater thrust than classic longboards did back in the 1950s. The tri-fin's design incorperates the groove that of a longboard, and the performance that of a shortboard into a single layout.[[4]]

[edit] The Gun

A newer, more recent addition to the longboard family is the modern longboard gun, also known as "the big wave board". The longboard gun's teardrop-shaped layout pieces through the water when on large waves. Stretching from nine feet to twelve feet in length, the longboard gun incorperates the features of a professional shortboard into a longboard's structure. Its hybrid structure also allows surfers better paddling capabilities before catching a wave.[[5]]

[edit] The 2x1

The 2x1 longboard is the most versatile board of the longboard family. Sometimes refered as a "single-fin with training wheels", the 2x1's fins actually takes the features of the classic longboard and the Tri-fin. The fins of the 2x1 takes the rigid stability of a classic longboard, and fuses with the strength and drive of a Tri-fin. At a length measuring nine feet, the 2x1 longboard also manages to allow better noseriding abilities. [[6]]

Some major producers of longboards include: Noosa Surfboards, T&C Surf, Santa Cruz Surfboards, Chemistry Surfboards, and Webber Surfboards.