Bodyboarding in Hawaii

Once considered a kids-only alternative to real surfing on the Hawaiian islands, bodyboarding has evolved into its own sport with a supporting industry. Until the introduction of hard-surface boards into this form of wave flotation, inflatables and boogie boards were used exclusively. Hawaiian locals then began to chop down their fathers' surfboards to create compact and highly maneuverable wave gliders. Once the style caught on, heightened by the inexpensive and freewheeling nature of the new sport, it took off like wildfire. Today, bodyboarders are seen in great numbers along most Hawaiian beaches.

  1. History

    • Bodyboarding actually began decades ago. Locals who were unable to afford expensive surfboards enjoyed the water with homemade paipo boards -- flat pieces of plywood without fins that were easily made and transported. In the early 1970s, buoyancy was added to the sport with the introduction of Styrofoam board layers, providing increased speed, resilience and maneuverability. Hardboard layers under the foam and fins were added, spawning lateral stability. More recently, new board materials like carbon fiber, flexible polyethylene and polymer stiffeners have been incorporated in variations of bodyboard designs.

    Design

    • The design of the typical bodyboard is a study in the evolution of materials. A modern bodyboard, called a sponge, is a 39- to 42-inch piece of foam and layered plastic. Its upper layer, "the deck," is soft and pliable prolypropylene or arcel plastic. It is quite soft to ensure a glue-like foot grip. Under the deck is a heavy layer of closed-cell foam, maintaining the light and speedy characteristics of the original boards. Below this foam is "the slick," a thick and highly dense plastic layer which carries twin vertical fins.

    Outfitting

    • For beginners, the ideal bodyboard reaches belt level on the wearer. While beginners have a tendency to lean toward bigger boards, a smaller board is easier to learn and master. The board should have fins, as this is a characteristic of all boards with advanced design. Fin design is critical -- they should be open-heel fins, rather than closed, to prevent damage in heavy surf. Beginners should also wear a wrist leash rather than an ankle strap. The leash is there solely to keep from losing the board in the surf -- it has no function during riding. Ankle straps tend to keep a board behind the rider and away from the hands. While some extreme bodyboarders use swim fins, most of the maneuvering of the board is done by turning and lifting with the arms. The legs are much less of a factor than in traditional surfboarding. Finally, it is important to wear neoprene booties to avoid most early ride failures, such as slipping off the board.

    Hawaiian Beaches for Beginners

    • Hawaiian waters are fine for beginning bodyboarders, except at low-wave beaches unsuitable for any board-related surfing. The process of getting started on a bodyboard is much simpler than that for surfboards. Learning body position and weight-shifting are critical steps in the process of mastering a bodyboard. When these basic skills have become comfortable, it's time to graduate to intermediate level beaches. The best beaches to practice advanced techniques are on the island of Kauail. The north shore beaches of Kapaa, Ke'e, Lumahai and Tunnels Beach feature moderate winter surf, tight curls and long runs.

    Hawaiian Beaches for Masters

    • Once a bodyboarder has learned to master kneeling and heavy board manipulation, it's time to graduate to big-surf beaches. In Hawaiian waters, these areas are Oahu's north shore beaches of Kawela Bay, Turtle Bay, Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline) and Waimea Bay.