Handplane (bodysurfing)

A handplane or handboard is used by bodysurfers to enhance their speed, lift and control whilst riding a wave.[1]

A handplane is generally worn on a bodysurfer's leading hand.

Materials

Wood

Handplanes have traditionally been made out of wood. To preserve the handplanes' lifetime, a number of manufacturers tend to prefer Paulownia or White Cedar.

Fiberglass

A number of handplane makers upcycle old broken surfboards to create handplanes out of foam with a fiberglass coating.[2] Foam handplanes tend to have more buoyancy than ones made of wood or plastic.

Plastic

Plastic offers durability in the event of a dropped handplane or hitting rocks on entry/exit of a reef break. Some companies are now making handplanes from recycled ocean plastics.

History

Bodysurfers would use any item with a flat surface, such as fast food trays, clipboards, or flip flops, to aid their ride.[3] The first modern handboard, The Hand Surfa hardboard, was produced by an Australian company in the 1960s.[4] In the 1990s, many new handboard manufacturers entered the market including Slyde Handboards, who created handboards from foam.[5] and WAW Handplanes, who create handplanes from recycled plastics.

References
  1. CSM (2019-04-09). "Body Surfing and Handplanes". California Surf Museum. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  2. SurferToday.com, Editor at. "The handplanes made from broken surfboards". Surfertoday. Retrieved 2019-11-06. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  3. CSM (2019-04-09). "Body Surfing and Handplanes". California Surf Museum. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  4. Handboards, Slyde. "The Evolution of Handboarding". Slyde Handboards. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  5. Pilar, Camille (2020-04-10). "History of Bodysurfing & Handboards [Know Your Past! - 2021 Update]". Fin Bin. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
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