There are two basic categories of boards used in the sailboarding water sport. These are the long board and the short board. The types of board developed along with the sport.

The original boards were the long boards. These were boards that could be stood on without the board sinking. They needed to be so buoyant in order for the sport to develop.

For information on the history and development of the water sport of windsurfing refer to Suite 101 article "History of the Windsurfing or Sailboarding Sport."