MyPaipoBoards Forums

It's a bit like who invented the shortboard. People of both genders had been riding shortboards for ages. It is a completely different question regarding who popularised the shortboard (and term bodyboard).

Rod,
I've been meaning to update my online history. It is now called:

Paipo - Belly boarding in Australia. Subtitle is: The 1950s and beyond (includes online links to pre-1950 photos from Australia and New Zealand).

Bob

.

you said it all . that what I get when someone ask me what the heck is that thing

rodndtube wrote:There are several references to body-board surfing in Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand and elsewhere in Oceania. [See: Finney, Ben R. 1959. Hawaiian surfing, a study of cultural change.]

Just as I predicted. Some obscure reference in a book no one has read. The fact of the matter is "bellyboard" was the operative generic term for decades before the boogieboard industry glommed on to "bodyboard."

Bodyboard = booger. Period.

Booger = nose candy

bodyboard = what the ambulance guys strap you to after you do a head plant in booming shore break, whatever you are riding

Oh, wait... that's a body board, two words

Words and their meanings change with time and location. When I was young (here in Northern California)we always called fiberglass surfboards that you surf laying down "Bellyboards". The soft foam boards that came along later, have been called "bodyboards" by the general public. (Boogie board is a brand name.) I never heard the term "paipo boards" until recently. But in Hawaii the surfing has been used "Paipo board" all along. Now I have learned from this site that in the UK they use the word for "Bellyboard" for a wood board that you surf laying down. And according to Rod they are many references in the literature to paipo boards for a variety of types of boards.

So I think it all depends on who you are talking to. If I were in the UK and I told some that I ride a belly board, they would think I ride one those wooden boards and wore a bathing bonnet. I usually tell an older surfer that I ride a paipo. And a younger person I say bellyboard.

When I rode a bodyboard I always corrected the person when they said boogie, sponge or anything else. Bodyboards are are denegrated very often. But I rode some custom built boards that really flew right along side guys on their fancy short boards in some the major breaks on the west coast. To me a booger or sponger is a put down.

Paipo Jim wrote:

rodndtube wrote:There are several references to body-board surfing in Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand and elsewhere in Oceania. [See: Finney, Ben R. 1959. Hawaiian surfing, a study of cultural change.]

Just as I predicted. Some obscure reference in a book no one has read. The fact of the matter is "bellyboard" was the operative generic term for decades before the boogieboard industry glommed on to "bodyboard."

Bodyboard = booger. Period.

Jim, I have not been seeing common references to the term "bellyboard" prior to the early- to mid-1960s. Please sent me some references!

This debate sometimes reminds me of people arguing over whether they are using a laptop, netbook or a handheld/tablet. There are several gray areas and performance specs and functional specs do not necessarily clarify matters when comparing a 2011 tablet with a 2007 laptop.

jbw4600 wrote:Words and their meanings change with time and location. <snip>

Very much so. It is somewhat challenging to read Hawaiian pre-1920s texts (books, newspapers, journals, songs, etc.) and know for sure what is being discussed: swimming, body surfing, prone board riding or foot board riding. The challenge exists despite a piece being written in English or translated from Hawaiian to English.

rodndtube wrote: Jim, I have not been seeing common references to the term "bellyboard" prior to the early- to mid-1960s. Please sent me some references!

Look at your own site and especially surf research au. The different prone machines going back a century are referred to in many of the listings (among other names) as "bellyboards." This was the common generic name for riding prone from at least as long as I can remember: 1950's. Never bodyboard.

Paipo Jim wrote:

rodndtube wrote: Jim, I have not been seeing common references to the term "bellyboard" prior to the early- to mid-1960s. Please sent me some references!

Look at your own site and especially surf research au. The different prone machines going back a century are referred to in many of the listings (among other names) as "bellyboards." This was the common generic name for riding prone from at least as long as I can remember: 1950's. Never bodyboard.

It is difficult finding pre-1960 references that are primary sources -- I don't see many. Many period references actually call our sport surf riding, surfing or surfboards in the pre-1960 period. We need to differentiate between post-1960s writings of the earlier period and the actual earlier period writings. Even with titles of engravings and photos. Sometimes modern titles are given to older figures.

rodndtube wrote:Paipo Jim wrote:

rodndtube wrote:Jim, I have not been seeing common references to the term "bellyboard" prior to the early- to mid-1960s. Please sent me some references!

Look at your own site and especially surf research au. The different prone machines going back a century are referred to in many of the listings (among other names) as "bellyboards." This was the common generic name for riding prone from at least as long as I can remember: 1950's. Never bodyboard.

But - Surfresearch has a Paipo catalogue & defines paipo as: " *A generic term for surfcraft usually ridden prone or kneeling, including the Paipo, Lamaroo, Handboard, Bellyboard, Surf-o-plane, Coolite, Kneeboard, Spoon, Slab, Mat, Boogie, etc, etc."

Once we finish on this - we can get on to the origins of "lamaroo" and what a lamaroo actually is.

Bob

When I have been describing my foam and fibreglass board with fins I just call it my "prone board" and everyone seems to get it which is good.
I do like to refer to it as my "gst" (gut sliding torpedo) as well when on surfing forums.
When out surfing it most people look straight through me because they think I'm riding a "boogie/bodyboard" and so at the bottom of the food chain.