Introduction
Also see:
1917 Outing Magazine : Nelsen Surfboard, California.
and
1917 A. M. Nelsen : Surf Kayak.

For a far less practical craft, see:
Patent1324687.—Surfboard, Henry H. Newby, San Quentin. California.
https://www.google.com.au/patents/US1324687

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Page 41 SURF COASTING Surf Coasting is not a new sport entirely. It originated in Hawaii many years ago and is the national sport with the natives there. The large surf board which they use weighs about 80 pounds. It is possible for the most expert of these surf riders to perform all kinds of gymnastic stunts on the board while it is being carried in by a breaker and hardly an hour passes without seeing dozens of these riders enjoying  themselves in the cool refreshing surf. After all it seems reasonable that we should have something to amuse ourselves with when we bathe in the surf. As it is now, we enjoy being pushed and shoved and even knocked down by breakers as they roll in one after another. But give a small boy, a young girl, a woman or a man a surf coaster , and see what fun they will have. There are a wonderful aid to timid swimmers. It is not necessary to go out beyond ones depth to use a surf Coaster, the breakers can be caught near the shore as well as far out, in either case the breakers are strong enough to carry the rider well up on the beach.

Surf Coasting

The Nelsen Surf Coaster which is manufactured by A. C. Davidson Company, Los Angeles, California. is made in three sizes.
The small size which is three and a half feet long weights only six pounds.
The medium size, which is four and a half feet long weighs six and three-fourths pounds.
The Combination Aquaplane and Surf Coaster is eight feet long. two feet wide and weighs forty pounds.
All these boards are made under the Nelsen Patent.
The frame work is made of California Red Wood which is light and strong; it is then covered with canvas waterproofed and painted in attractive designs.
The air-tight compartment is sufficiently large to float a grown person for hours.

The curved front of the Nelsen Board is an aid in Surf Coasting as well as a safeguard from accidents.
While riding the breakers it sometime occurs that a bather may be in the direct course of the Surf Coaster.
In this case it is possible to steer ones board to the left or right by throwing ones weight from one side to another.
In case of a collision with the bather no damage will occur as the curved front is made of thin bass wood covered with canvas
and prevents a hard bump.

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Hardware News Official publication of the Pennsylvania Atlantic Seaboard Hardware Association Pittsburgh Volume 5 Number 6, July, 1920 Hathi Trust https://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433108133962

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