JUST PLANE by Kimball Taylor

In the beginning, there was bodysurfing. God provided all the equipment necessary -- bodies, waves, and the inspiration to use both. Then, according to Matt Warshaw's "Encyclopedia of Surfing," some Polynesian kids decided to tack palm fronds to their feet with tar, and voila, the first body surfing fins were born (In fact, a guy by the name of Churchill witnessed kids surfing this way in Hawaii. He later invented the predecessors to those blue and yellow fins rotting in your garage). The next step equipment-wise was to gain a little lift in the planning surface, the human body. And it was probably kids just like the ones who made palm fins who decided to pick up some driftwood and evolve bodysurfing into handplanning.  READ MORE HERE:  Make sure to browse the images on "The Art of Handplaning" link.

Handplane assisted bodysurfing's no longer just a fringe pursuit, even all-stars like Kolohe Andino are taking to it. PHOTO: Jason Kenworthy