Tom Morey

Tom Morey

Tom Morey and the Boogie Board

“Creator of the original Boogie Board, Tom Morey, (now 68) has been surfing since he was a kid. He started the body board wave that came crashing down on Southern California’s beaches.”1

In 1973, he trademarked the name Morey Boogie for $10 and scrounged together enough money to place a quarter-page ad in Surfing magazine. Demand for Morey’s boards was practically zero at first, followed by an incredibly slow yet steady ignition fueled by years of pitching and pushing. By 1977, he was producing 80,000 per year and during the peak of summer, 1000 per day!2,3

The boogie board opened up the sport of riding waves to a wider population, including kids, tourist and senior citizens: 80,000 units were sold in 1977.4,5

Now, 32 years later, Morey has returned to his roots, the garage and the ocean, with new boards and a new name “Y”.6 According to Tom himself, “I’ve been More Y all my life. At 68, with eventual departure ever approaching, it makes sense to get rid of ‘More’.”

“He makes the boards in his Capistrano Beach shop below the home he shares with his wife, Marchia.”7

[1] http://ci.san-clemente.ca.us/Org/CityNews/Press/download/996%20%20%20Local%20Surf%20Legends.pdf

[2] http://www.tommorey.com/boogie.html, Jason Borte

[3] Tom aka “Y”

[4] http://ci.san-clemente.ca.us/Org/CityNews/Press/download/996%20%20%20Local%20Surf%20Legends.pdf

[5] Matt Warshaw, The Encyclopedia of Surfing, 2003

[6] http://ci.san-clemente.ca.us/Org/CityNews/Press/download/996%20%20%20Local%20Surf%20Legends.pdf

[7] http://ci.san-clemente.ca.us/Org/CityNews/Press/download/996%20%20%20Local%20Surf%20Legends.pdf

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