Introduction To Skimboarding
Brad Domke Preparing To Make the Transition
Skimboarding is a sport similar to surfing which takes place near the shore. The skimboarder stands about twenty feet from the ocean with skimboard in hand and waits for a wave. When they see a wave they run towards it with their skimboard still in hand. Upon reaching the wet sand they drop the board and jump onto it as quickly as possible. Once on the board, the skimmer must remain as stable as possible and prepare to make the transition to the ocean. The skimmer then (hopefully) glides out into the ocean toward the oncoming wave, banks off of it, and rides it back into shore. There are many possibilities for riding the waves and this is where skimboarding gets really interesting. See Skimming 101 for a more detailed description of how to get on your board and prepare to ride a wave.
Skimboarding has a rich history. What started over 60 years ago on round wood boards has evolved into a highly competitive water sport. Most people know skimboarding as “that thing you do on the sand,” and while this is true, skimboarding has become so much more than that. As a trip to the picture section of Skim Online will show, modern skimboarding has evolved into a “real” sport where the limits are being tested by some of the best board riders on the planet.
Modern skimboards are made out of fiberglass or carbon fiber and high density foam to serve as a core. The fiberglass/carbon fiber is a fabric which becomes stiff when saturated with resin and left to cure. When this fiberglass or carbon fiber is laid over a shaped piece of foam, saturated with resin and left to cure, a skimboard is made. Skimboards vaguely resemble surfboards (Click here for a picture), they are about half the length, half the thickness, and slightly wider. Unlike surfboards, skimboards have no skegs (fins on the bottom of the board used for controlling direction). They are much less stable and require a lot of practice to be able to control. Because they are less stable and specifically because they lack skegs, many things can be done on a skimboard that cannot be done on a surfboard.
I hope that Skim Online is able to teach you everything you want to know about Skimboarding. If there is ever anything that you would like to see on the site, or if you have a specific questions, please Contact Us.
