Surfboard
As it is low-density but high in strength, balsa is a very popular material to use when making light, stiff structures in model bridge tests, model buildings, and for the construction of model aircraft — especially free flight model aircraft, as well as full-sized light wooden aeroplanes, most famously the World War II de Havilland Mosquito.[5] When the Mosquito entered production in 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world...the Mosquito took part in "special raids", such as the attack on Amiens Prison in early 1944, and in other precision attacks against Gestapo or German intelligence and security forces. Second Tactical Air Force Mosquitos also played an important role operating in tactical support of the British Army during the 1944 Normandy Campaign. From 1943 Mosquitos were used by RAF Coastal Command strike squadrons, attacking Kriegsmarine U-boats...Several days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USAAF then requested one airframe to evaluate on 12 December 1941, signifying that the USAAF realised that they had entered the war without a fast dual-purpose reconnaissance aircraft
Balsa wood is often used as a core material in composites; for example, the blades of many wind turbines are made partially of balsa. In table tennis paddles, a balsa layer is typically sandwiched between two pieces of thin plywood. Balsa wood is also used in laminates with glass-reinforced plastic(fiberglass) for making high-quality balsa surfboards and the decks and topsides of many types of boats, especially pleasure craft under 30 m (100 ft) in length. Starting with the 5th generation Chevrolet Corvette, the floor pan of the Corvette was composed of balsa sandwiched between two sheets of carbon fiber reinforced plastic.[5] Norwegian scientist/adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, convinced that early contact between the peoples of South America and Polynesia was possible, built the raft Kon Tiki from balsa logs, and upon it he and his crew sailed the Pacific Ocean from Peru to the Polynesian Tuamotu Archipelago in 1947
Most modern surfboards are made of fiberclass foam (PU), with one or more wooden strips or "stringers", fiberglass cloth, andpolyester resin (PE). An emerging board material is epoxy resin and Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS) which is stronger and lighter than traditional PU/PE construction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfing
See also: History of surfing
For centuries surfing was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture. Surfing might have been first observed by Europeans at Tahiti in 1767 by Samuel Wallis and the crew members of the *Dolphin* who were the first Europeans to visit the island in June 1767. Another candidate is the botanist Joseph Banks[2] being part of the first voyage of James Cook on the HMS *Endeavour*, who arrived on 10 April 1769 on Tahiti. Lieutenant James King was the first one who wrote about the art of surfing on Hawaii when completing the journals of Captain James Cook upon Cook's death in 1779.
When Mark Twain visited Hawaii in 1866 he wrote,
In one place we came upon a large company of naked natives, of both sexes and all ages, amusing themselves with the national pastime of surf-bathing.[3]
References to surf riding on planks and single canoe hulls are also verified for pre-contact Samoa, where surfing was called fa'ase'e or se'egalu (see Augustin Krämer, The Samoa Islands[4]) and Tonga far pre-dating the practice of surfing by Hawaiians and eastern Polynesians by over a thousand years.
George Freeth (November 8, 1883 – April 7, 1919) is often credited as being the "Father of Modern Surfing". He is also thought to have been the first modern surfer.
In 1907, the eclectic interests of land baron Henry Huntington brought the ancient art of surfing to the California coast. While on vacation, Huntington had seen Hawaiian boys surfing the island waves. Looking for a way to entice visitors to the area of Redondo Beach, where he had heavily invested in real estate, he hired a young Hawaiian riding surfboards. Freeth decided to revive the art of surfing, but had little success with the huge 16-foot hardwood boards that were popular at that time. When he cut them in half to make them more manageable, he created the original “Long board", which made him the talk of the islands. To the delight of visitors, Freeth exhibited his surfing prowess twice a day in front of the Hotel Redondo.
Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS (24 February [O.S. 13 February] 1743 – 19 June 1820)[1] was an English naturalist,botanist and patron of the natural sciences. He took part in Captain James Cook's first great voyage (1768–1771).[2] Banks is credited with the introduction to the Western world of the eucalyptus, the acacia, and the genus named after him, Banksia. Approximately 80 species of plants bear Banks's name. Banks was also the leading founder of the African Association, a British organization dedicated to the exploration of Africa, and a member of the Society of Dilettanti, which helped to establish theRoyal Academy. Linneas, Kew, Geo III, Vancouver, Cook. Royal Society
Freeth
There is some confusion of where he came from with the Americans claiming him as one of theirs and Ulster saying he is theirs.[1]According to the San Diego Reader,[2] Freeth was born in Oahu in 1883. His mother was part-Hawaiian. His father was Irish. Freeth died at the age of 35 as a result of the global flu pandemic in 1919. Further information taken from various descendants,[3]mentions that his mother was Elizabeth Kailikapuolono Green, daughter of William Lothian Green and Elizabeth "Lepeka" Kahalaunani, a pure Hawaiian woman. Lepeka also conceived three daughters with Archibald Cleghorn, a well-known businessman of Honolulu. Cleghorn later fathered the well-known Princess Kaiulani with Hawaiian royalty Miriam Likelike, a sister to King David Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani.
Kalākaua, born David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua[2] and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch (November 16, 1836 – January 20, 1891), was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. He reigned from February 12, 1874 until his death in San Francisco, California, on January 20, 1891...
Kalākaua began his reign with a tour of the Hawaiian islands. This improved his popularity. In December 1874, Kalākaua sent representatives to the United States to negotiate a reciprocity treaty to help end a depression that was ongoing in Hawaiʻi. In November, Kalākaua traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet President Ulysses S. Grant. An agreement was reached and the treaty was signed on January 30, 1875. The treaty allowed certain Hawaiian goods, mainly sugar and rice, to be admitted into the United States tax-free....
In 1881, King Kalākaua left Hawaiʻi on a trip around the world to study the matter of immigration and to improve foreign relations. He also wanted to study how other rulers ruled. In his absence, his sister and heir, Princess Liliʻuokalani, ruled as regent (Prince Leleiohoku, the former heir, had died in 1877). The King first traveled to San Francisco where he was given a royal welcome. Then he sailed to the Empire of Japan where he met with the Meiji Emperor. He continued through Qing Dynasty China, Siam under King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), Burma,British Raj India, Egypt, Italy, Belgium, the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the French Third Republic, Spain, Portugal, theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and back through the United States before returning to Hawaiʻi. During this trip, he met with many other crowned heads of state, including Pope Leo XIII, Umberto I of Italy, Tewfik, Viceroy of Egypt, William I of Germany, Rama V of Siam, U.S. President Chester A. Arthur, and Queen Victoria. In this, he became the first king to travel around the world.[8] William N. Armstrong, who was a member of the King's Cabinet and accompanied His Majesty on the circumnavigation,[9] documented the trip in Around the World With a King.[10]
Kalākaua also built ʻIolani Palace, the only royal palace that exists on American soil today, at a cost of $300,000—a sum unheard of at the time. Many of the furnishings in the palace were ordered by Kalākaua while he was in Europe....
King Kalākaua is said to have wanted to build a Polynesian Empire. In 1886, legislature granted the government $30,000 ($779,000 today) for the formation of a Polynesian confederation. The King sent representatives to Sāmoa, where Malietoa Laupepa agreed to a confederation between the two kingdoms. This confederation did not last very long, however, since King Kalākaua lost power the next year to the Bayonet Constitution, and thus a reformist party came into power that ended the alliance....
.. During his reign, hula was revived, after having been banned in 1830 by Queen Ka'ahumanu after she had converted to Christianity. Today, his name lives on in the Merrie Monarch Festival, a hula festival named in his honor. He is also known to have revived the Hawaiian martial art, Lua, and surfing.
By 1890, the King's health began to fail. Under the advice of his physician, he traveled to San Francisco. His health continued to worsen, and he died on January 20, 1891 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. His final words were, "Aue, he kanaka au, eia i loko o ke kukonukonu o ka maʻi!," or "Alas, I am a man who is seriously ill." The more popular quote "Tell my people I tried" attributed as his last words was actually invented by novelist Eugene Burns in his 1952 biography of Kalākaua, The last king of Paradise.[11] Shortly before his death his voice was recorded on a phonograph cylinder, which is now in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum.[12]
His remains were returned to Honolulu aboard the American cruiser USS *Charleston* (C-2). Because he and his wife, Queen Kapiʻolani, did not have any children, Kalākaua's sister, Liliʻuokalani, succeeded him to the Hawaiian throne....
. King Kalākaua's ardent support of the then newly introduced ukulele as a Hawaiian instrument led to its becoming symbolic of Hawaii and Hawaiian culture.[citation needed]
He befriended American inventor Thomas Edison, with whom he discussed the lightbulb, which he later used to light up ʻIolani Palace. Also an inventor, Kalakaua invented an improved double screw and an improved bottle stopper and cover in 1872 he proposed a new type of fish ram in 1875.[13] He even proposed to build a torpedo-proof vessel in 1872. He wrote to Emperor Pedro II of Brazil on September 19, 1872 for funds to build such a vessel. Don Pedro was interested in the young Kalākaua, but not enough to invest money in his invention. Kalākaua then wrote to Queen Victoria.[14]