madeirite surfboard

A type of plywood surfboard used exclusively in Brazil for about six years, starting in 1959. After one or two false starts, the origins of Brazilian surf history can be traced back to the 1940s, in Rio de Janeiro. Beachgoers began riding small plywood boards, known as a jacaré (alligator), and for years to come, any kind of wave-riding—bodysurfing, bellyboarding, even stand-up surfing—was known as "alligator catching." The jacaré nose was curved up slightly to prevent pearling, and some had ...