Where's all the old boogie boarders?

Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
113
California/Hawaii
I boogied all through middle and high school. Loved it. Things I remember:

DK written across my school binders.
Surfing Maks after school
Turbosurf - Your bodyboarding HQ. On Kapahulu. Gone now
Mike stewart science boards.
Ballistic bodyboards
Toobs blunt cuts - Still have an old all blue pair that I scored in the used bin at Frog House for $10
Redley fins
Vipers
Kicks - Big deal when they came out
BSD Boards

Riders I remember:
Danny Kim
Kainoa McGee - DK in huge toobs at Pipeline playing on Channel 16 (Hawaii guys know)
Mike Stewart
Paul Roach
Hubbard brothers
Won Ton - Seems to be a bit off now days based on his insta

Part of it was I was too broke to buy a surfboard. Parents definitely weren't going to get me one. Eventually saved enough birthday money to buy some real bodyboard fins in 6th grade and I was all set. You don't need a super nice board to have fun. I didn't have a real surfboard until I was 20 and had enough saved to buy one.
 

hammies

Duke status
Apr 8, 2006
15,587
14,214
113
I boogie and am old. Took it up because standup surfing ruined my back and my chiro said "try a booger". Heven't seen that guy since.

I use Duck Feet fins for power and never use my arms to paddle. It's a workout! Great for beachbreaks but I couldn't imagine getting a wave at any of the points on a good day.
 
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HarryLopez2

Legend (inyourownmind)
Sep 11, 2020
498
652
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I always felt the progression of bodysurf -> boog -> standup surf gave me a good sense of the ocean, waves, and enjoying the surf. Anyone that teases boogs just need to take one to Sandys or Waimea shorepound to figure that out.

Speaking of dropknee, Jack da Rippah was an absolute pleasure to watch from NS to Sandys!
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,981
22,506
113
PNW
there is one booger here. dude's probably like 55? he's huge, like 6'6" tall and maybe 230-240lbs.

he's also legit crazy. always talking about chemtrails and other conspiracy theory stuff. pretty much a nightmare in the lineup. will snake or drop in without a second thought. thankfully he rarely shows up any more and mostly just stays home and feuds with his neighbors.
 

freeride76

Michael Peterson status
Dec 31, 2009
3,336
4,141
113
Lennox Head.
wonder why they disappeared?

hardly ever seen one around here anymore, either and there are some good spots for them.

I got a couple from garage sales and ride a rocky cove, not a surf spot, then there's closeouts booming in on dry rock. Good fun.
 
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sponge

Tom Curren status
Feb 10, 2002
13,165
10,548
113
Honolulu, HI, USA
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I miss the old bodyboarding days with Stewy, Tamega, Sevo, Roach, and the Aussie crew like Bullet, Eppo, King, and Player. Would drive down south every summer to score big souths in La Jolla, Wedge and that other spot we all know.

The 90s were peak. Surfing culture was starting to go big time mainstream while bodyboarding was trying to do the punk rock thing and find it's own identity. Bodyboarders like Stewy, Tamega, and the Aussies started seeking out the biggest slabs they could find and discovered some super heavy waves way before standups rode them. @sponge had his highsurf advisory blog to keep us all up to date on the island happenings, Stoker and Carter were making solid vids, and print mags were still a thing.

Now it's just a bunch of old guys who get together once in a while. Many don't even ride anymore anymore. Families, kids, and day jobs. Most of the bb forums have died. Magazines are dead. It's mostly underground now which is the best place for it I think.

I'm truly honored.
 

tbuc

Legend (inyourownmind)
Jun 12, 2006
533
50
28
I've always wondered how they avoid a board to the face or getting the wind knocked out of you when
you land. Guess you've got to keep it out in front.

There was a video a while back of some crazy Aussie or Kiwi who had his eye on a super shallow & rocky shore break
type wave. Had a special wetsuit made and maybe some body armor plus helmet. He never caught the wave going off, at least in the video but did bust his spleen by landing on his elbow coming down off some air at another spot. Didn't realize
what had happened, went to the beach to chill, almost died and had to get airlifted out.
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
113
Classic Paul Roach... San Diego's finest... If you've ever stood on Divorce Beach in Cabo and watched overhead waves detonate directly onto the sand, you probably wouldn't even want to swim out and try to get back in, let alone paddle out with a board and consider getting into one of these waves.



...and he can beat Kelly.