Boogie Boarding is almost like surfing except boarders use a small rectangular piece of foam or "sponge" to ride on while lying down. There are some riders who "stand up" on their knees. Boogieboards are more pliable than surfboards and usually have no skeg. They come come in various sizes. Many boogie boarders use fins to help with paddling out to the waves and taking off. A wrist or bicep leash can be used to attach to the boogieboard for easy retrieval.

The term boogieboard and bodyboard are often used interchangably but the word boogieboard refers to a particluar brand of board. Bodyboarders paddle out beyond the wave break and situate themselves in an area that allows for take off. Once a boogieboarder reaches the speed of the wave the wave takes over and the ride begins. Bodyboarders perform and lot more tricks especially when they get air born of the lip of the wave.

For saftey reasons it really helps to know how to duck dive to avoid getting caught in the white wash of the wave once it breaks. When the break is a few feet away body boarders push down on the board to submerge and swim under the break and come up on the other side.

Know the saftey issues before boogie boarding. The first thing is to check with the life guard for current conditions and dangers like portuguese man-of-war. You must have confidence and know your limits, like your swimming ability. Follow the rules and be aware of people within the surfing area.