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17 August 2023
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 047410080/
Here is a piece of bellyboard riding ephemera of historical importance.
Bellyboarding (Paipo riding) as a leisure sport started to take off in the the UK in the early 1900’s and it appears it was also popular on the European continent. Here is a very early record of it on a hand drawn postcard posted in Italy at Forte dei Marmi, Tuscany in July 1906.
It was challenging to translate due to the unclear handwriting and old German phrases. But thanks to input from various friends and sources you can get the gist of what the card is about from the translation:
"L.W. A few days ago we went to get your Girelate (bellyboard) and since then are in the water for as long as usual again. It would be funny if you would be here and could take part. At first it didn’t work well, one always came out beneath the wave wondering as one saw that one was rather washed back.
On the 2nd day I was here, there was an enormous storm with pretty eerie[or uncanny] illuminations, thereby two little sailing ships sank which we as long as one could see them watched how they sometimes almost laid down on the water with their masts.
It is very funny here and much cooler than in Florence, everything here glimmered because of the heat and cicadas rattled, which made one pretty numb. Now back to swimming again. Many greetings v.B. Also from Mrs. Sattler, u.H.
Letter arrives afterwards…"
I believe that this maybe the earliest personal hand written record of surfriding on continental Europe and one of the earliest globally.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/paipobe ... 591925080/
Charlie Spurr
The board design was based on ones used in Hawaii in the late 60’s. So made to go in bigger surf. It absolutely flies in clean big waves. The fins give it hold on the drop and in the turns. It transitions from rail to rail easily and quickly. It also has a bit of weight (it’s glassed with Volan) so carries its speed across flat sections. The only downside is that your attached to a solid lump of glass and foam by your elbow leash when it all goes wrong…
The board does look the business though
