It is impossible to date when bodysurfing first started, due to the
simplicity, nature of the sport and the equipment used. We have seen an
increase in popularity of the sport over the past few years. Many body surfers can ride down the wave with no aid, which has lead many a discussion between us and we conclude, as long as we have been in our seas, we have been able to ride
the waves using our body’s as the craft.
A handplane is ‘quite simply’ an aid for your hand, giving you a larger
plaining surface when riding a wave into the shore. There has been much
speculation over the past few years as to what does and does not work as
a handplane, our answer to those questions is very simple. The
handplane needs to be comfortable to hold, be made from a relatively
stiff material and be a larger surface area than your hand.
We have
tried nearly every type of handplane on the market from moulded plastic,
laminated plastic, pu and epoxy, all of which work as well as each
other. The great thing about the sport is, as the equipment is
relatively in-expensive, you can have a number of handplanes to suit
different waves, conditions and styles. The most important thing is with
any water based sports, you must look after your equipment as the sea
salt and power of the wave can damage most materials.