The History of Boogie Boarding

Similar to the history of paddle boarding, boogie boarding’s earliest roots actually trace back thousands of years to indigenous Polynesians.  They rode boards on their belly and knees.  Not until 1971 did this form of riding waves officially become known as boogie boarding.

Earliest History of Boogie Boarding

It is believed that some version of boogie boarding has been around for thousands of years.  Ancient cultures would use boards made of wood that were referred to as “Alaia” boards.  These boards are a thin, round-nosed, square-tailed board that is generally made from the wood of a Koa tree.  These boards then evolved into the more modern “paipo” board.  This board is made of wood or fiberglass.  The Paipo tends to be a bit smaller than the Alaia; however, the real difference between the two is that the paipo is mainly for riding prone (when riding the board on their stomach) as it is not built to be stood upon whereas the Alaia could handle both.  The Alaia boards were believed to be used in the ancient Polynesian days.

1971 – The Beginning of the Boogie Board

The Boogie Board was created in 1971 by Thomas Morey.  He was an innovative standup surfer of his time that was always looking for new ways to catch a wave.  After experimenting with a couple of other designs, one day he cut his last piece of polyethylene foam, used for crafting the boards, in half.  The next day he went out to test it out in the surf and it was a success.  He intentionally left the nose of the board square to give it more structural strength when holding onto it.  After showing it to a few friends, he realized this creation could become something.  In 1973 he officially began selling the product, naming it the Morey Boogie.  Originally selling the board for $37 to match his age at the time, the Morey Boogie became a hit and the rest is history. 

If interested in learning more about the story, get the book, Born to Boogie: Legends of Bodyboarding by Owen Pye.

1978 – Thomas Morey sells the Morey Boogie to Kransco

In 1978 Morey and his company sold themselves to Kransco, a manufacturer of polystyrene based in San Francisco, California.  Kransco was a toy manufacturer that ended up getting sold to Mattel and Wham-O a few years later.  As part of the sale, Morey received an undetermined sum without any royalties.  When asked about the deal, on multiple occasions Morey never disclosed the amount, yet remained upbeat on the event.

1982 – The First Boogie Board Exclusive Contest

The first boogie board contest of its kind began in 1982.  Fittingly titled the International Morey Boogie Bodyboard Pro Championship, it ran until 1994.  When in 1994, it became known as the GOB World Tour until 2003 when it became known as IBA World Tour.  IBA World Tour lasted from 2003 – 2013 when it became known as the APB World Tour until 2020.  Today, the world championship is called the International Bodyboarding Corporation. 

1985 – The World’s First Boogie Boarding Magazine

In 1985, Bodyboarding, becomes the world’s first boogie boarding magazine released.  It is released alongside surfing magazine at the time.

1990s – The First Women World Championship

In the 1990s the first world championships for women’s boogie boarding is held.  Stephanie Petterson was the first official winner of the World Championship of Women’s Bodyboarding in 1990.  This event is still ongoing today.

2000s – Boogie Boarding for The Masses

By the 2000s, boogie boarding had become popular for those interested in learning how to start, to the more experienced boarder looking to compete.  Boogie boarding has grown to become a global sport where individuals from countries all around the globe enjoy the sport.  In 2017, according to Wonder, 750,000 boogie boards are sold annually in the US and 3 million boogie boards are sold per year globally.

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Boogie Boarding vs. Bodyboarding

Finally, it is worth addressing the two similar terms, boogie boarding and bodyboarding.  Long story short, they mean the same thing.  However, there is more to it than that.  When Morey originally created the Morey Boogie, it became so popular that other companies sought to make similar boards.  However, the only way they could legally do this was by calling them bodyboards instead.  On top of the historical significance, bodyboarding has come to be associated with the more competitive side of the sport whereas boogie boarding represents the recreational boarder.  One last point to emphasize here is that bodyboarding differs from body surfing.  Body surfing is surfing the wave without a board at all.