I've seen questions like this posted on forums before... and it always ends up in bodyboarders and surfers having a right argument.

In my opinion I chose bodyboarding cos for me it was more fun.... its just messing about on a wave trying out new techniques and just enjoying myself!.... Also the state of UK surf isn't the greatest in the world and I can pretty much catch anysort of wave on a sponge that most surfers would struggle with. Not many surfers can get in those little tubes!

Don't get me wrong tho... the last thing I want is a load of standup surfers having a go at me.... its a personal thing whether you want to stand up on a wave or stay close down and personal. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is that we're out there enjoying the force that the ocean provides and it doesn't matter what sort of board your on.
(Except if your that guy at Saunton a few months ago in a Kyakk that kept paddling over the top of me!)

Don't think it'll end up in an arguement.... We're a friendly bunch here!!

As long as you're having fun and not annoying anyone else then thats fine with us.... Unless you're on a Jet Ski of course!!

Al.

i have also heard of these posts where arguments break out...lets not get it like that. (I'm sure we won't justal)

I chose bodyboarding over stand up surfing because:
1) at the time it was cheaper for me to do. Fins: £20 Wetsuit in the sale: £65 Manta Elite Bodyboard: £99
A TOTAL OF £184! Compared to just a good surfboard for around £300!
2) I find it easier
3) It attracted me to the sport because it looked like (and still does) bodyboarders can do more manuvers and tricks on any type/size wave.
4) I don't need a roof rack thing for a bodyboard
5) The sport has its own styles eg. prone and drop knee
6) Gets you closer and more personal to the wave
7) Fins look sick on me!

I have to admit though, i wish i could surf...i might have a lesson, but still stay true to sponging.
What can i say both sports are great, we're all in it for the same reason. To enjoy the sport, ocean and waves.

I started bodyboarding 'cause surfboards were ti expensive and my local break (beach break) mostly offered short rides over shallow sand bars.

After getting my first surfboard I still kept the bodyboard for those ocasions when it was almost certain I'd break the board or just not enjoying the waves.

I think that there's a space for both as long as people follow the rules - unlike the fat american tourists getting staight in front of you when about to take off or almost drowning and separating you from a nice set on its way.

LOL! I also hate those guys on the rubber donuhts or tyres. They just float about trying to hit a wave, therefore they get in your way and another thing they have no control so when you paddle out, you look ahead and you see a big floating thing with feet crashing towards you! No offence intended to those who do this.

One time, one of these guys blamed me for getting in his way, when he "took off" on a wave when he knew i was right in front of him, he crash straight into me!

Something else which annoyde me was another sponger...now i dissagree with localism totally and would never do it myself. This older man dropped in on me severall times and then blamed me for me either running into him or getting in his way, when he blatently got in front of me. I just don't get it?

Yes, a surfer's strength flows from the F-O-N. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the F-O-N are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice.

That correct is. The F-O-N is strong with you i forsee that you will become a great surfer.

What are we like eh?

u guys are wierd

we sure are

ok bodyboarding over stand up surfing you ask? heh...when surfers can do el rollos and backflips and still continue on the wave...maybe i'll try it

thats a very good way of looking at it...you don't even see many pros doing airs and landing them! But still surfing is pretty good...i hate it when i go to Croyde Bay, North Devon and there's all these "surfers" that get up on their board and do nothing but ride a little and then fall off when you get closer to the shore. It would be nice for me to see some more skill in real life.

In fact i think thats part of the reason thats keeping me from not trying it seriously.

It goes back to if you are learning -surfing or bodyboarding- then you should keep to breaks which are not so crowded. Get yourself some level and then try it out on the more popular spots. It's safer for you and for the other guys.

Theres been a lot of times when i've been at the back of the line up, and i've been blanked and looked down on by surfers. But you get nasty people in any walk of life and as long as people realise that we shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush because of the minority......they'll be more love in the world (i'm a hippy at heart )

The minority soon change they're opinion of me when I start barrel rolling off the top of the waves and catch more than they do!

Good for you Thodd. Luckily for me i have never been looked down upon as a sponger...apart from that time when a bather (on an oversized blow up tyre) slammed into me and said "go in the surfer's area, get out my way, and watch out for my brother 'cus you hit him earlier!"

1. I had just started my first paddle out back, so i couldn't have hit his brother.
2. I couldn't possibly get out his way when he'd lost control in the first place.
3. Bodyboarders are not allowed in the surfer area anyway.

(This was in France)

However, a good excuse if you accidently drop in on somebody in Britain, just say in a French accent "Sorry, i'm from France and over there we all ride the same waves!"

TeeHeeHee...oh great now everyone will know the excuse when they read this.

[Edited on 6-7-2004 by Airborne]

i've had a few nasty collisions with people dropping in on me whilst I was already on the wave!

The one that springs to mind was when I collided with a surfer, his leash ended up wrapped around my neck strangling me... (whilst under water getting battered by the wave) when I finally got up for air his board came out of nowhere and cracked me on my head! Whilst still getting strangled by the leash as he kicked around!

I wasn't a happy camper!

LOL! I mean...err...that must have hurt! I would have been shitting myself, let alone my mum shitting herself on the beach while watching me!

Seriously, that must have been bad, and scary! I bet you had a go at him for that didn't you Thodd?

Anyone else with tails of bailing out while sponging?

I got binned in a real nasty way a few weeks ago in North Wales!

I didn't realise that I'd been in the water for so long and that the tide was on its way out! As I rode a wave I became aware that I was Actually riding a 6ft faced beach break!
The Whole thing dumped me head first into the sand on my head! It really hurt I can tell you....left me a bit dazed for quite a while and ended up with a lump on my head for a few days!

i remeber doing the exact same thing apart from i didn't land on my face...i landed on another person paddling!

I didn't know you could have so much fun bodyboarding

I'm just learning on both, (I doubt I'll be any good) so I try not to go anywhere crowded. I have learnt (the hard way) to put my hands over my head when I fall off my surfboard.

You see men (and women) who ride mountains are living heaven on earth.

the only surfers that look down on bodyboarders are full blown kooks, the majority of good surfers respect boogers.
Thodd you got smashed on a 6ft faced beach break?? thats like a 2ft wave, haha funny stuff

I guess I choose stand up surfing because lets face it you can't drive through town with your boogie board on the roof racks

actually pretty much choose windsurfing as i'm too lazy to paddle

haha mate i wouldnt be having a go at bodyboarding when your a windsurfer, they are almost as bad as goat boats!!

just outta interest is there any real bodyboarders on this site? or is it just stand ups and others

most of us here in the bodyboard forums are reall spongers

Just dug bodyboarding from the outset in a way I didn't with surfing. By the way, anyone gives you crap about being a spunjah, just show them that clip from the 'making of' Blue Crush where Mike Stewart is filming with a 35mm cam on the front of his board and all that extra weight don't seem to make a difference to him - and he still got great shots.

Exactly! Nice words there.

Oh and welcome to the forums batboard!

Cya around.
Airborne.

Salutations back at ya Airborne, keep flyin'

will try to