What Are Differences Between Surfing and Boogie Boarding?

Surfing is a water-sport activity performed using long, narrow boards with one or more fins. One needs a surfboard to surf the waves, and the surf boards are hand-crafted by professionals, who shape them out of foam and fiberglass. Tom Morey, a renowned surfer in Hawaii, introduced boogie boarding to the world in the late 1970s. Boogie boarding is all about maneuvers performed on the board. A boogie boarder needs to choose a boogie board based on individual height and weight.

  1. Board Types

    • Surfboards and boogie boards differ in terms of size. Surfboards are long and narrow; boogie boards vary in length and are broad. Surfboards come in several varieties, including the short board or thruster, used for performing fast wave maneuvers; long-board or Malibu, with a rounded nose and single fin; fish boards, measuring about 5.5-feet long and about 21 inches wide; and gun boards, used for paddling into giant waves. Boogie boards range in sizes from 36 inches to 46 inches long, with approximately 10 sizes available. The boogie boarder's height and weight determine board selection. For example, an individual weighing 65 to 85 pounds and approximately 5 feet in height requires a boogie board measuring 36 to 38 inches in length.

    Positioning

    • Surfers stand upright on the surfboard to ride the crest of the waves. Boogie boarding involves lying in a face-down position on the board to ride the waves. Surfing is all about speed to stay on top of the wave. Surfers stand on the board and as the board drops down the wave face, speed increases. Surfers make use of the body and legs to maintain the speed required to stay high on top of the waves. The Polynesians rode the waves lying flat on their stomachs on pieces of wood or other materials such as palm frond stems or reed bundles. Bodyboarding has gained multicultural popularity, while Australia and the United States dominate surfing.

    Balance

    • Surfing is an intense sport requiring physical fitness and mental concentration. Surfers need to exercise to develop strength and balance; the exercise routine must incorporate upper and lower body strength, flexibility, core strength – muscles of the back and abs, and balance. Anaerobic and aerobic exercises need to be part of the workout regimen to achieve maximum fitness and balance. Boogie boarding requires swim-fins to help with balance in various areas of the sport, such as steering, controlling, catching waves and paddling. In boogie boarding, apart from the board, the swim-fins are an essential accessory for achieving balance.

    Board Construction

    • Surfboard construction includes the deck, nose, tail, rails and stringer parts. The deck is the top of the board on which the surfer balances; it can be either domed or flat in shape. The nose sits out in water and maybe is pointed or rounded. The tail located at the back of the board is of different shapes for varied performance. Rails at the edges of the board come in different shapes. The stringer runs through the center of the board to strengthen the board. The boogie board construction includes a deck, slick bottom, rail, nose, tail, channels, stringer, mesh, template and rocker. The deck, tail and rail parts serve similar functions as on a surfboard. The boogie boarder holds on to the nose for balance; channels help reduce drag and move water under the board to increase speed. The stringer is a rod inserted into the middle of the board to provide stiffness. Template is the overall shape of the board, and the mesh is inserted into the board to provide durability and projection. Rocker is a term used to indicate the flatness of the board.