The Snowboard by Aaron Mason

original template by Ray Lam, Fall 97

revised template by Rachel Shorey and Steve Bergen 2/9/98

First Base

Finding the basic who, where, when facts. This was done for Ms. Carlson and Mr. Holister in October 97.

Second Base

Expository Writing Paragraphs for Ms. Snyder and Mr. Carey in December 97.

Third Base

Creative Writing Paragraphs for Ms. Snyder and Mr. Carey in March 98.

Home Plate

"Guestimating" and "Analysis" Paragraphs for Ms. Lucenta and Mr. Toubman in May 98.

Left Field Center Field Right Field

Graphics from Electives: Pictures drawn for Ms. Swayze in Visual Arts, Mr. Bergen in CP1 and a movie for Ms. McElroy in Drama (too big to post on web, but we are making our own CD-ROM!

Sources

This paper contains information on the snowboard, and its earlier version, the Snurfer. The Snurfer was thought up and created on Christmas day of 1966 by a man called Sherman Poppen. He created the Snurfer after he saw his daughter trying to ride down the hill standing up on her sled. He made the first Snurfer with two skies wrapped together and molding for people to put their feet into. The molding had leather straps over them to keep the riders feet from moving around. Bigger than a skateboard, smaller than a surfboard, later versions of the Snurfer were one solid deck. He had no idea on Christmas day of 1966 that his invention would become very popular and that he would later make about half a million of them. The Snowboard, a later version of the Snurfer, was invented by Jake Burton. He started experimenting in 1977 and did a lot of his work and testing on Stratton Mountain, Vermont. He worked constantly on perfecting and modifying the snowboard so that he could please the Snurfers that wanted a board that could perform the way they wanted it to. He decided to make his board a little longer and wider than Poppen's. He also discovered that wood worked better for the top of the boards because it didn't become hard while in cold weather like plastic, and that a board had to be flexible for the rider to be able to control it. Smooth, sharp metal edges were also a necessity for quick stops on icy snow, and like skies, he put a flexible plastic on the bottom called P-tex so there would be reduced friction between the board and the snow. Even though many ski resorts would not allow snow boarding because they thought it was too dangerous, snowboarders soon started their own businesses which soon became popular, even to many skiers.