Abstract:
The present invention describes a versatile body board having a fore section and an aft section suitable for wave boarding. The multi-purpose board of the present invention is provided with an aft section having crotch-sized width in order to allow a user&#39;s legs to kick within a general lateral outline of a wider fore section. The combination board can be utilized for wave boarding and body boarding.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a body board with an added narrowed tail section for straddling by its user. The body board of the present invention having an added tail section can be ridden as a body board but also allows for the rider to rise from a prone position to a supine position, i.e., ridden standing as a surfboard. The body board&#39;s tail section lessens drag thereby allows faster hydroplaning for catching waves, being more competitive in the lineup, and more easily getting through the surf breakwater. The body board is preferably used with swim fins on the feet. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Conventional body boards and surfboards are two distinct types of devices used in water sports such as riding ocean waves. 
         [0003]    Body boards are flotation amusement devices for riding waves. They are similar to surfboards, with the major differences being that body boards are shorter, lighter and generally more flexible than surfboards. In form, a body board is a contoured, elongated, foam plank having a plastic bottom skin, which is generally slick and shiny to enhance planing on the surf, and a top riding surface of foam or plastic. 
         [0004]    Body boards are traditionally ridden in a prone or procumbent position, with an arm extending forwardly for gripping the nose end of the board and the other arm positioned in a trailing manner for gripping a side edge. In this position, the rider can push or pull against the front or side edges, bending or twisting the board to assist the board in maneuvering. Although the rider&#39;s legs create considerable drag, slowing the board&#39;s potential speed, they can help with steering and maneuvering. 
         [0005]    Body boarding is particularly favored by inexperienced players as it is relatively easy to learn and is most popular among those who don&#39;t want to invest the time or money required to learn other methods such as surfboarding. 
         [0006]    The more advanced form of surfing is stand-up surfboarding done on a long, narrow and somewhat rounded board known as a surfboard. It offers a challenge to the surfer who must manipulate, maneuver and stabilize the relatively large board while standing on it even in steep or tight turns with the waves crashing around the surfer. 
         [0007]    Traditionally, body boarding and stand-up surfing require separate boards and consequently the player incurs two separate costs when his interest and experience shift. A player interested in participating in both activities in one setting is required to carry two separate boards. There is a need for a wave-boarding device that can be used for both surfboarding and body boarding as the player pleases, allowing greater skill development. 
         [0008]    Another unique advantage for the combination board of the present invention becomes evident as the advantages of the individual boards are examined. 
         [0009]    In the surfing culture, the person up first on the wave has the right to ride the wave alone. Surfboards, being longer, move faster and consequently they sit furthest away from the shore allowing a great advantage in the choice of waves. Body boarders, in contrast generally wait closest to the shore and have the least choices. Therefore, surfboarders have a competitive advantage over body boarders in the so-called lineup. For example, when a good wave is coming in, a long board may have taken it, limiting the body boarder&#39;s opportunities, even more so if there are many other surfboards riding the waves. 
         [0010]    Riding a surfboard is not without disadvantages. In addition to requiring a higher level of skills to ride, a surfboard, typically 7 feet in length or greater, may be too difficult to paddle through the breakwater in heavy ocean conditions such as when wave heights reach approximately 6 feet in beach break areas. Under this condition, smaller boards such as conventional body boards, despite the relatively slower paddling ability associated therewith, are easier to get behind the breakwater due to less drag on the board by the breakwater and it is possible to duck them under the white water rush. 
         [0011]    Therefore, there exists a need for a multipurpose board that can be used either as a surfboard or as a body board depending on the location, the wave conditions, and/or the experience and skills of the riders. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the separate surfboards and body board designs discussed above by presenting a combination board that incorporates the essential features of a body board in the fore section and a surfboard in the aft section. The fore section, acting as a forward torso section, has a lateral outline which is substantially chest size. The aft section, acting as the standing section, is a narrower, crotch size, extended piece resembling a portion of a surfboard. This unique crotch-sized section is straddled, allowing the legs to kick more effectively than if the chest section continued to the tail end. 
         [0013]    When the wave condition is more preferable for body boarding or simply when the player desires so doing, the player can ride the combination board in a manner as if riding a body board. The player&#39;s chest and torso rest prone on the top surface of the forward torso section. In this case, the player can straddle the extended aft section and the player&#39;s legs are allowed to kick within the general outline of the forward torso section. The combination board ridden as a body board has an improved ability in getting through the breakwater. 
         [0014]    The aft section allows the player in the prone position to get his legs out of the water and onto the top of the tail section. The body board ridden in this way hydroplanes faster than an ordinary body board for catching waves and for getting a competitive advantage in the lineup. 
         [0015]    The body board allows the player to switch from the prone position (as in riding a body board) to the standing-up position (as in riding a surfboard) and vice versa without changing the board, allowing for greater skill development and for a different experience. 
         [0016]    The player&#39;s swim fins preferably can be used with the body board, allowing the board to move easily in getting through the breakwater and be more competitive in catching waves. The swim fins are also safety devices which aid the player in swimming to shore when the board has been lost in heavy surf. 
         [0017]    The aft section can be formed as an integral piece of the combination board or as a separate piece from the forward torso section. When separate pieces are used, they can be made to readily snap into one piece allowing the player to choose either boarding format before or in between rides. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
         [0018]    The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a right side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, below, left, and right may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words “connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through mediate elements or devices. 
         [0022]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  in particular, there is shown a body board of the present invention  10  comprising a fore section  20  and an aft section  30 . Although the length and various dimensions of the body board of the present invention may vary, in a contemplated design, the combination surfboard-body board preferably has an overall length approximately between 5-9 feet long. Fore section  20  preferably has a width of approximately between 18-24 inches at its widest point. Aft section  30  preferably has a width of approximately between 4-9 inches. 
         [0023]    Accordingly, the dimensions of the subject body board apparatus may vary in conformance to user as well as manufacturing preferences. 
         [0024]    The width of fore section  20  generally complements width of the torso of a user. 
         [0025]    The width of aft section  30  is a matter of comfort and preference by a user. Aft section  30  is contemplated to be used as the standing section. This section, which is narrower than fore section  20 , is approximately crotch size, and is straddled, allowing the legs to kick more effectively than if the width of fore section  20  continued to aft section  30 . Thus, one inventive aspect of the present invention is that the width of aft section  30  allows the user&#39;s legs to kick within the general lateral outline of the width of fore section  20 . In the case of a surfboard, although a user was also able to straddle and kick, the user&#39;s legs created drag and thus slowed movement as the legs fell outside the lateral outline of the fore section of the surfboard. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , board  10  further comprises a removable fin  40 . Fin  40  may be permanently attached to underside  50  of board  10 . Preferably, fin  40  may be attachable and detachable from underside  50 . 
         [0027]    Although board  10  of the present invention may be constructed of various materials, it is contemplated that board  10  is constructed by an injection molding process having a core of polyurethane foam approximately 2-4 inches thick. Bottom portion  50  preferably has a coating of approximately 1/16 inch fiberglass, whereas top portion  60  has two coats of approximately ⅛ inch fiberglass. Preferably, aft section  30  can be formed as an integral piece of board  10  or as a separate piece from fore section  20 . When separate pieces are used, they can be made to readily snap into one piece at junction  70 , by any means known in the prior art, allowing the player to choose either boarding format before or in between rides. 
         [0028]    When the wave condition is more preferable for body boarding or simply when the player desires so doing, the player can ride board  10  in a manner as if riding a body board. The player&#39;s chest and torso rest prone on the top surface of the forward torso section. In this case, the player can straddle the extended aft section and the player&#39;s legs are allowed to kick within the general outline of the forward torso section. The user&#39;s swim fins preferably can be used with board  10 , allowing the user to move easily in getting through the breakwater and be more competitive in catching waves. The swim fins are also safety devices which aid the player in swimming to shore when the board has been lost in heavy surf. Board  10  ridden as a body board has an improved ability in getting through the breakwater. 
         [0029]    Aft section  30  allows the user to get his legs out of the water, while in the prone position. Board  10  ridden in this way hydroplanes faster than an ordinary body board for catching waves and for getting a competitive advantage in the lineup. It is understood that when the user is wearing swim fins, standing on the board is not as easy as standing without them, but there are techniques for doing this and the fins are essential for getting through the breakwater and for making a short board go faster for catching waves. One such technique is known as the “drop knee technique.” 
         [0030]    Thus, board  10  allows the user to switch from the prone position (as in riding a body board) to the standing-up position (as in riding a surfboard) and vice versa without changing the board, allowing for greater skill development and for a different experience. 
         [0031]    From the foregoing specification and discussion, it is appreciated that the present invention presents a unique combination surfboard-body board  10 . It follows that the same has substantial utility inasmuch as the same can be used for both surfing and body boarding without having to utilize two different boards. 
         [0032]    The subject method of wave boarding includes the steps of: a.) providing a wave board device suitable for conveying a wave boarding user to a first user selected aquatic wave boarding position wherein the wave boarding device is a body board having a fore section; an aft section coupled to the fore section, the fore section having a width substantially wider than a width of the aft section and wherein the width of the aft section is about 4 to 9 inches thereby permitting the user&#39;s legs to kick within a lateral outline of the width of the wider fore section when the user is in the prone position; b.) self-propelling the wave boarding user to the first selected wave boarding position; and c.) wave boarding the device by the user in any of a prone, kneeling or standing upright posture from the first user selected aquatic wave boarding position to a second, further aquatic position. 
         [0033]    It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the specific switching and biasing arrangements depicted in the drawings may be substituted with equivalent devices. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.