Reintroduction of the Long Surfboard

Reintroduction of the Long Surfboard

Longboards are the original surfboards used in stand-up
surfing. The original length of a long board varied from
9-24 feet of solid wood.

Though these were more commonly used in the sixth century
by ancient Hawaiians, the longboards of today are made a
much more reasonable length and weight.

The longboard was the standard until the 1960’s when the
shorter version was introduced. The shortboard was more
popular because the size made the board easier to transport
to and from the beach as well as in and out of the water.

The smaller board also offered more maneuverability and
more speed. With the introduction of polyurethane and
fiberglass for the shortboard, the longboard was
refurbished and reintroduced in the 1990’s.

Now lighter, the longboard became more of an interest to
avid surfers. Surfers began to integrate the new attributes
of the shortboard with the sleek lines of the once
dominating longboard.

Modern longboards have become shorter in length, now
averaging 9ft-10ft instead of the original 9ft-24ft. Even
though the long surfboard is now shorter in length, it
still retains most of its original design, including the
single fin for stability.

Because Longboards are not used in competitive surfing, the
need for maneuverability isn’t as high as with the short
board. The longboard has its advantages for the beginning
surfer.

The length and weight of the board make catching waves
easier. Surfers can literally Hang-ten on these larger
boards. This is accomplished by standing on the nose of the
longboard with your toes hanging off the end. By putting
-toes on the nose- a surfer can -hang-ten-.