A real treat to hear two icons in the sport talking about the state of the Boogie! I'm one of those Board Agains and so grateful I have gravitated back to a sport I love. At 60 I am feeling the best I have in many years and your teaching videos, Jay (Vickie) and Rob, have been instrumental in improving my skills. Living in Santa Monica I see the same thing up here Jay, it's a lot of us Board Agains and a whole lotta kids trying to learn surfing. How can we harness the energy of us Board Agains to help promote the sport? And personally I would like to see more videos of Bodyboarding Women, very hard to find.
Bodyboarding women- Google "Girl Jam Bodyboarding" and if you want to see some of the best, you can watch any of the IBC Tour events that have women's divisions, or search for Isabela Sousa, one of the greatest female bodyboarders ever!
Always a treat to listen to you guys shoot the breeze. Class acts that stick up for such an accessible and exhilarating sport. I suppose I'm a 'board again' as stopped for a while with settling down, family life but I bodyboard or bodysurf at every opportunity here in Cornwall. Hope to get on a BBH trip some day....cheers for all the hard work and tips....my DK is much better thanks to you both! Right on.
I competed in the BIA California tour back in the 90's. Patti was a true hero and Mama bear for us hoping to break through to the Pro level via competition events. Best memories of my life. Thanks Jay for putting this together.
BoardAgain here, great discussion guys!. Loved the sport in my pre-teens through my late twenties living down in SC, would be in the water at Towers for hours every day growing up. Life happens no doubt about that, and R Barber hit the nail on the head @ 32:05 but have gotten heavily back into it with my son, youngest, now 18. Getting the stoke back and seeing it in him now, not just for the sport of BB but the reality of what the ocean can do for you mentally and physically as you do what you love with bodyboarding or surfing in general. Keep up the great posts always appreciate seeing these pop. Looking forward to meeting you guys in CR this winter!
I found it during covid and absolutely love it. I have been hard at it and got my riding to a good level. In saying that when i see the pros and what they can do its on another universe ! The waves that are ridden and airs and spins that are achieved is incredible to watch and how its not more popular from seeing this is beyond me. I'm from ireland and its a very missunderstood sport here, nearly underground because people dont understand it when you tell them about it. Ive been to Portugal and its way more popular there and that's partially driven by the government. Fair play to bodyboard holidays for all there videos and tutorials on the sport. It helps alot getting the sport out there to newbies like me.
BoardAgain myself. Trips to SoCal and Hawaii have been great! But when the wave pool opens in the Phoenix area, I'll really be able to get my fix. Thanks Jay!
In proving that everyone indeed does, thank you for providing the opportunity to comment just how many Boogie Boards I'm seeing this year compared to even last - that's the full spectrum of boards from a minority of obvious EPS core, through to higher level marques (or at least brands that pass) and in true "Quo gig" style, the whole Family have them too, multi bags backpacked by a couple or more family members with others under arm so no one is without, so I'd say Summer '24 the surge has already begun, here in West Cornwall at least. - I'm even seeing more Kicks too.. Something I've noticed in recent years (and I don't claim to be an authority, I was a gut slider as a kid and my first Boog, wherever it came from and wherever it went, folded in half, but this is casual observance), since when did Bodyboarding cease to be considered "Surfing"? I find myself correcting people, if it's not "Surfing", what is it? - If you're propelled by wave power it's Surfing bud.. Is this something you've encountered? And considering the point you raise how (much) the sell through market is divided up these days, obviously not considering custom boards, how many *factories* are there producing these brands - I'm guessing there aren't so many of them, maybe some industry support, whether structural and / or financial may be more feasible there.. You had me wondering about Australian Competitions too.. 😂
Simon, yes, there are always those that have a different view of what the word "surfing" means. Some agree it's the broad term for any form of wave riding. Others maintain is specific to riding a board standing up. About your other question, there are two large bodyboard factories that make the vast majority of high-end boards; Agit in Taiwan that make our Tribe boards, GT Boards, Nomad, Found, Catch Surf, Wave Storm, and others. And Broady Asia in Indonesia that make BZ, Morey, VS, NMD, Science, Hubboards, Erizos, Triad, Empire, and the list goes on. There are a few other factories like Custom X here in the states and independent board makers like JL Designs here in California, Ballistic in Hawaii, Handpicked in Australia, and others.
What about looking for sponsors for events outside of the norms, i.e. Ocean Environmental Groups, that do more Showcasing Events that highlight the fun and tricks of the sport and not just the death defying slabs of some scored competitions. It's is a great family sport that is completely different from surfing which is a white male dominated sport, Boogie is for everyone but big events do nothing to support the family aspect of the sport. Harnessing the Board Agains to bring their families to events while helping the health of the Oceans could be an interesting avenue to pursue.
This was done in the 70s/80s when Sunkist and later Orange Crush sponsored the Morey National Tour and the Pipeline event, but there are so many activities competing for the $$$, and honestly, there is no one that has the time or energy to create a package and hunt down out-of-industry sponsors. Patti Serrano has been trying to resurrect stuff like this with the Boogie Fest events, and is now trying to create the "Universal Waveriding Alliance": CALLING ALL BODYBOARDERS!!!! THE #UWA IS ON ITS WAY!!!! UNIVERSAL WAVERIDING ALLIANCE...THE NEXT WAVE IN BODYBOARDING WORLDWIDE! go to putyourbodyonaboogie on Facebook for more details!!!!!
I would surmise that with so many board companies maintaining business, the overall health of the Bodyboarding industry is good, but fractionated. Fair conclusion based upon this podcast?
It’s all about image and Branding .. the companies in the industry should be putting more videos out and branding .. to showcase how cool this sport is .. only 1 or 2 companies putting proper videos… nomad / limited edition being one of them .. no one is doing this .. super disappointed in the industry .. first off we need to quit bowing down and taking a back seat to the surfers and surf industry..
This all goes back to lack of budget. You have to pay videographers and editors, and if you want to send riders on a trip to a destination with good surf, that costs money too. No one has those budgets!
Just playing devils advocate… are the ages on the bodyboarding holidays a representation of affordability and/or wealth? Could an 18 year old in this day and age drop 2 grand on a week’s holiday?
I've never been on a tour, but my total cost to get Board Again (all new gear and two wetsuits) has been about what you'd spend on a quality used surfboard - if you can get to a break, you can get into this sport for not a lot of money
Board Again too and loving my Hunter!🤙
A real treat to hear two icons in the sport talking about the state of the Boogie! I'm one of those Board Agains and so grateful I have gravitated back to a sport I love. At 60 I am feeling the best I have in many years and your teaching videos, Jay (Vickie) and Rob, have been instrumental in improving my skills. Living in Santa Monica I see the same thing up here Jay, it's a lot of us Board Agains and a whole lotta kids trying to learn surfing. How can we harness the energy of us Board Agains to help promote the sport? And personally I would like to see more videos of Bodyboarding Women, very hard to find.
Bodyboarding women- Google "Girl Jam Bodyboarding" and if you want to see some of the best, you can watch any of the IBC Tour events that have women's divisions, or search for Isabela Sousa, one of the greatest female bodyboarders ever!
Always a treat to listen to you guys shoot the breeze. Class acts that stick up for such an accessible and exhilarating sport. I suppose I'm a 'board again' as stopped for a while with settling down, family life but I bodyboard or bodysurf at every opportunity here in Cornwall. Hope to get on a BBH trip some day....cheers for all the hard work and tips....my DK is much better thanks to you both! Right on.
I competed in the BIA California tour back in the 90's. Patti was a true hero and Mama bear for us hoping to break through to the Pro level via competition events. Best memories of my life. Thanks Jay for putting this together.
No worries! Be sure to check my interview with Patti on the Reale Deal Show!
BoardAgain here, great discussion guys!. Loved the sport in my pre-teens through my late twenties living down in SC, would be in the water at Towers for hours every day growing up. Life happens no doubt about that, and R Barber hit the nail on the head @ 32:05 but have gotten heavily back into it with my son, youngest, now 18. Getting the stoke back and seeing it in him now, not just for the sport of BB but the reality of what the ocean can do for you mentally and physically as you do what you love with bodyboarding or surfing in general. Keep up the great posts always appreciate seeing these pop. Looking forward to meeting you guys in CR this winter!
Stoked you'll be coming to CR and glad to see you're back in the water!
I found it during covid and absolutely love it. I have been hard at it and got my riding to a good level. In saying that when i see the pros and what they can do its on another universe ! The waves that are ridden and airs and spins that are achieved is incredible to watch and how its not more popular from seeing this is beyond me. I'm from ireland and its a very missunderstood sport here, nearly underground because people dont understand it when you tell them about it.
Ive been to Portugal and its way more popular there and that's partially driven by the government. Fair play to bodyboard holidays for all there videos and tutorials on the sport. It helps alot getting the sport out there to newbies like me.
Awesome discussion!! LBK (Surf Collusion Zine and Denver Surf Report)
BoardAgain myself. Trips to SoCal and Hawaii have been great! But when the wave pool opens in the Phoenix area, I'll really be able to get my fix.
Thanks Jay!
In Florida/East Coast the Soft Top killed bodyboarding, all kids that used to boogie now move on to the Soft Top.
In proving that everyone indeed does, thank you for providing the opportunity to comment just how many Boogie Boards I'm seeing this year compared to even last - that's the full spectrum of boards from a minority of obvious EPS core, through to higher level marques (or at least brands that pass) and in true "Quo gig" style, the whole Family have them too, multi bags backpacked by a couple or more family members with others under arm so no one is without, so I'd say Summer '24 the surge has already begun, here in West Cornwall at least. - I'm even seeing more Kicks too..
Something I've noticed in recent years (and I don't claim to be an authority, I was a gut slider as a kid and my first Boog, wherever it came from and wherever it went, folded in half, but this is casual observance), since when did Bodyboarding cease to be considered "Surfing"? I find myself correcting people, if it's not "Surfing", what is it? - If you're propelled by wave power it's Surfing bud.. Is this something you've encountered?
And considering the point you raise how (much) the sell through market is divided up these days, obviously not considering custom boards, how many *factories* are there producing these brands - I'm guessing there aren't so many of them, maybe some industry support, whether structural and / or financial may be more feasible there..
You had me wondering about Australian Competitions too.. 😂
Simon, yes, there are always those that have a different view of what the word "surfing" means. Some agree it's the broad term for any form of wave riding. Others maintain is specific to riding a board standing up.
About your other question, there are two large bodyboard factories that make the vast majority of high-end boards; Agit in Taiwan that make our Tribe boards, GT Boards, Nomad, Found, Catch Surf, Wave Storm, and others. And Broady Asia in Indonesia that make BZ, Morey, VS, NMD, Science, Hubboards, Erizos, Triad, Empire, and the list goes on. There are a few other factories like Custom X here in the states and independent board makers like JL Designs here in California, Ballistic in Hawaii, Handpicked in Australia, and others.
What about looking for sponsors for events outside of the norms, i.e. Ocean Environmental Groups, that do more Showcasing Events that highlight the fun and tricks of the sport and not just the death defying slabs of some scored competitions. It's is a great family sport that is completely different from surfing which is a white male dominated sport, Boogie is for everyone but big events do nothing to support the family aspect of the sport. Harnessing the Board Agains to bring their families to events while helping the health of the Oceans could be an interesting avenue to pursue.
This was done in the 70s/80s when Sunkist and later Orange Crush sponsored the Morey National Tour and the Pipeline event, but there are so many activities competing for the $$$, and honestly, there is no one that has the time or energy to create a package and hunt down out-of-industry sponsors.
Patti Serrano has been trying to resurrect stuff like this with the Boogie Fest events, and is now trying to create the "Universal Waveriding Alliance":
CALLING ALL BODYBOARDERS!!!! THE #UWA IS ON ITS WAY!!!! UNIVERSAL WAVERIDING ALLIANCE...THE NEXT WAVE IN BODYBOARDING WORLDWIDE! go to putyourbodyonaboogie on Facebook for more details!!!!!
I would surmise that with so many board companies maintaining business, the overall health of the Bodyboarding industry is good, but fractionated.
Fair conclusion based upon this podcast?
I'd say so. Just no promo budgets these days like there were when there were only a few brands all making a lot more $.
It’s all about image and Branding .. the companies in the industry should be putting more videos out and branding .. to showcase how cool this sport is .. only 1 or 2 companies putting proper videos… nomad / limited edition being one of them ..
no one is doing this .. super disappointed in the industry ..
first off we need to quit bowing down and taking a back seat to the surfers and surf industry..
This all goes back to lack of budget. You have to pay videographers and editors, and if you want to send riders on a trip to a destination with good surf, that costs money too. No one has those budgets!
Just playing devils advocate… are the ages on the bodyboarding holidays a representation of affordability and/or wealth? Could an 18 year old in this day and age drop 2 grand on a week’s holiday?
I'll let Rob chime in on this one!
I've never been on a tour, but my total cost to get Board Again (all new gear and two wetsuits) has been about what you'd spend on a quality used surfboard - if you can get to a break, you can get into this sport for not a lot of money