The world's oldest surf ski design is still in use today. Almost 2500 years ago, fisherman up and down the coast of Peru, South America, designed and paddled a craft to handle the Pacific swells that hit their coastline. Pictures of the design have been found on the pottery of the Viru culture (200 B.C.) and on the walls of the ancient mud city of Chan Chan.
Previously, reports in surfing magazines have suggested that these skis may be the earliest designs of a surfboard. This cannot be true because these craft were designed with a functional purpose; fishing. Their main concern was being able to get through a beach or reef breaking surf. They then had to guide their craft safely back through the break with a full load of fish. The paddles are made from a length of bamboo half pipe. This means that they were probably also the first to use scooped blades.
Today, the last place that they are still used is a small town called Huanchaco, on Peru's desert north coast. Here, the residents learn the age old skill of preparing the Totora Reed, before the fishermen skilfully tie the reeds together to produce two round hulls that taper to a raised bow. This writer can testify that they are a heavy and unyielding craft and very slow off a dead stop. The only way you'd ride one of them is if a broken wave is strong enough to pick you up from behind.
The Spaniards remarked that they appeared like horses, "…. each seated on his balsa horse, cutting through the ocean waves in a rough sea, fishing for sharks and other fish….". At the end of the day's fishing, the boats are stuck upright in a line, against the wall, where they dry out before the next day's catch