The development history of surfboards

As early as 1778, the British explorer Captain J. Cook had seen such activities among local residents in the Hawaiian Islands. After 1908, surfing spread to some European and American countries. It spread to Asia after 1960. Surfing has developed greatly in the past one or two decades. Large-scale surfing competitions have been held on the coasts of North America, Peru, Hawaii, South Africa and eastern Australia.

Surfing is powered by waves and must be performed on the beach where there are wind and waves. The height of the waves should be about 1 meter, and the minimum should be no less than 30 centimeters. The Hawaiian Islands have waves suitable for surfing all year round. Especially in winter or spring, there are waves coming from the North Pacific. The waves are as high as 4 meters and can allow athletes to glide more than 800 meters. Therefore, the Hawaiian Islands have always been the center of world surfing.

The first surfboards used were about 5 meters long and weighed 50 to 60 kilograms. After World War II, foam plastic boards appeared, and the shape of the boards was improved. The surfboards used today are 1.5 to 2.7 meters long, about 60 centimeters wide, and 7 to 10 centimeters thick. They are light and flat, slightly narrower at the front and rear ends, and have a stabilizing tail fin at the back and bottom. In order to increase friction, a waxy outer film is also coated on the board surface. All surfboards weigh only 11 to 26 kilograms.

There are some corrugated structures on the front of the humpback whale's wings, which help this behemoth move forward in the water more gracefully and smoothly. This structure helps reduce drag and helps the humpback whale "catch" the water flow, ensuring it can move quickly despite its size. Inspired by this, surfboard manufacturer Fluid Earth produced a unique surfboard with a corrugated front end.