Sandboarding
Sandboarding is a recreational activity similar to snowboarding that takes place on sand dunes rather than snow-covered mountains. It was developed in the Brazilian city of
Florianópolis.[citation needed] For some, it involves riding across or down a dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board, while others use a board with no bindings. The latter method
is considered much more dangerous than the former.
This boardsport has adherents throughout the world, but for obvious reasons tends to be most prevalent in desert areas or coastal areas with beach dunes.
Equipment
The sandboard base is much harder than a snowboard, built mostly out of formica or laminex with special base materials now being made for this sport. To glide in the sand, the board bottom is
often waxed, usually with a paraffin-based sandboard wax, before a run. After use, the bottom of the board may have a lightly sanded look to it, while 'Race Base' tends to polish smoother and
glossier with use. Most terrain sandboards are composed of hardwood ply, while 'full-size' sandboards are a wood, fiber glass, plastic composite. However, a snowboarding base will sometimes work
on steeper dunes. Erik Johnson, a professional snowboarder and sandboarder, holds the Guinness World Record for Speed on a Sandboard at 51 mph (82 km/h). Unofficial speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h)
have reportedly been clocked.