The Beach Coaster

[Poobah]

A 100 year old design. A combination of rigid and flexible materials that might do well in choppy conditions.

http://www.google.com/patents/US1023601 ... &q&f=false

The inventor was from Pittsburgh. Do any of these Beach Coasters survive in East Coast museums?

[bgreen]

Poobah,

A great find for a number of reasons. It contains a description of how people rode the boards of the time, it suggests not only use but people were thinking about how to improve performance.

There is interesting stuff to be found among patents.


Bob

[Poobah]

The inventor mentions "new and useful improvements in beach coasters" as though that were the preferred name for a bellyboard at that time. He also uses the term "beach coasting," and sometimes simply calls the board "the coaster" Something to keep in mind when looking at old documents, letters, and postcards.

[bgreen]

Surf shooting was another term. As surfing developed in little pockets, like surfers still do, lingo develops. I've been doing some research into prone surfing in France and Spain. Planking was a term used in places, wave runners, my favourite is the txampero (the gadget that allows someone to take advantage of the strength and movement of a wave).

A project for a rainy day.


Bob

[PaipoRick]

Surf it on the beach during dawn patrol, use it for a sled on the slopes!