The Complete Handbook of Bodyboards
The Professional's Guide to Selection, Maintenance, and Business in the Bodyboard Market
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
A technical and commercial reference for the serious bodyboard professional. Covers materials, selection, maintenance, and market strategy.
About this book
The bodyboard is more than a foam slab; it is a high-performance craft engineered from specific polymers and cores, designed for distinct wave types and rider styles. This handbook cuts through the noise to provide a neutral, technical grounding in what a bodyboard actually is, how its materials affect its flex and buoyancy, and why these factors dictate performance in the surf. It is a manual for making precise decisions, whether you are building a rental fleet for a beach concession, consulting on board selection for a retail customer, or competing at a national level.
Structured for efficient reference, the book first establishes the core principles of board construction and hydrodynamics. It then provides a clear taxonomy of board types and actionable specification lists. This leads directly to a chapter on selection logic, which is built around matching rider weight and skill to core materials and rail profiles under defined surf conditions. The final half of the handbook transitions to the operational and commercial side, offering a detailed guide to board repair and maintenance, and a candid analysis of the business landscape, covering rental operations, private labeling, and retail positioning.
The text is practical and direct, avoiding promotional language in favor of concrete examples, maintenance checklists, and purchasing criteria. This allows the reader to diagnose a delamination issue, argue the merits of a polypropylene core versus a polyethylene one, and identify a viable niche in the aftermarket. It is a reference built for the workbench, the shop floor, and the office, intended to be consulted, not just read.
Reader Reviews
Ashley Green
★★★★★This is the book I wish I had when I started managing our rental shack. The chapter on maintenance alone paid for the cover price a hundred times over; we've already saved two boards from the trash that we would have written off a month ago. I appreciated that it didn't try to sell me a specific brand. It's a straight-ahead technical manual, and that's exactly what we needed.
Edward Allen
★★★★★The selection logic in Chapter 3 is genuinely useful. I've been riding for years but always just bought what was on sale. The way they break down core material and how it relates to water temperature and wave power made a lot of sense, and I used it to pick my new board. I gave it four stars because I wanted a little more depth on fin selection, but overall it's a solid, practical reference.
Joseph Green
★★★★★A very informative read. The material science section in Chapter 1 is a bit dense, but once you get past that, the book becomes a practical goldmine. I'm a coach, and the section on matching boards to junior riders based on weight and strength was spot on. It's a well-organized book, and the troubleshooting chart in Chapter 5 is perfect for a busy surf school environment.
Carol Hill
★★★★★As someone just getting into the business side of things, this was a revelation. It's so hard to find neutral information about this sport; everything is a forum argument or a brand hype video. This book is the antidote. The chapter on business opportunities gave me a realistic look at what it takes to run a rental fleet, and the advice on private labeling was realistic and helpful. I've recommended it to two other shop owners already.
Timothy Nelson
★★★★★It's a solid, well-written manual, but I felt it was a little too focused on the commercial and competitive side of things. I'm a serious hobbyist, and a lot of the content on business models and fleet maintenance was irrelevant to me. The board selection and repair sections were great, but if you're just looking to understand your hobby better, you might find yourself skipping large chunks. It is what it says it is: a professional handbook.
Anthony Nelson
★★★★★I bought this for the troubleshooting chapter because I had a board with a crease I wanted to fix. The clear, step-by-step instructions with material recommendations were better than anything I found on YouTube, and the fix has held up for two sessions. I docked a star because I wish it had more detailed photos or diagrams, but the text descriptions are very clear. This is a book you keep in the garage, not on the shelf.
Jessica Green
★★★★★Clear, objective, and well written. It covers everything from the raw materials to the details of reselling. I was particularly impressed with the comparison of PE and PP cores and how the book explains their behavior in colder water without any brand bias. It's not a casual read, but it is an excellent reference manual that I've already used to adjust how we set up our boards. A worthwhile investment for anyone in the industry.