The 1973 Morey Boogie kit: Tom Morey wrote a four-page guide with the instructions for assembling the world's first commercial bodyboard | Illustration: Tom Morey

In 1973, the early Morey Boogie models hit the market and immediately conquered the hearts of water sports enthusiasts and the general public.

When the first Morey Boogie boards were sold, Tom Morey decided to develop a DIY kit so that consumers could assemble their new dream vehicle in the comfort of their homes, IKEA-style.

The four-page 8-1/2 x 14" instructions hand-drawn by the inventor of the bodyboard survived the test of time.

Craig Libuse, former Morey Boogie art director, scanned the document and shared his story.

"I bought my first kit around 1973 after seeing teenager Bobby Szabad ride one at Tamarack in Carlsbad. Tom shaped the white foam blank in his garage while I waited," explained Libuse.

"I picked out a blue and a white skin and took the core, skins, and instructions home to build one for my wife."

"After trying it myself when it was done, it was so much fun I went back to his house on Chestnut Street in Carlsbad and bought a green/black one for myself."

To build the $35 kit, and before the heat sealing era, you would also have to buy a can of contact cement, a throw-away brush, and some colored electrical tape to cover the seams.

The document "How to Skin Your Boogie" was released in 1973. It is a piece of bodyboarding history.

The main chapters are "Sanding," "Trimming Skins," "Glue Application," "Putting Sking and Glue Together," "Trimming the Bottom Skin," "Gluing on the Top Skin," "Bending In the Rocker," and "Final Trim and General Hints."

How to Skin Your Boogie: the Morey Boogie board kit instructions | Page 1

How to Skin Your Boogie: the Morey Boogie board kit instructions | Page 2

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