A Beginner’s Guide on How to Skimboarding
Skimboarding is a popular sport that all ages can enjoy. It’s also known as skim surfing, which means it combines the fun of surfing with the speed and agility of snow skiing.
Skimboarding is not just for kids anymore! Anyone who enjoys water sports will find this to be an exciting new form of recreation. Read on to learn how you can get started in the art of skimboardin’ today!
The boards are designed, so they’re easy enough for beginners yet still provide plenty of challenge for experienced riders too! This blog post will teach you everything you need.
Table of Contents
What Is Skimboarding?
Skimboarding was once known as “skidboarding.”
It originated from the term “skid,” which implies to slide without rotating.
In the early 1920s, George Griffeth and his buddy Jimmy, a lifeguard who made a rounded redwood disk to glide over the water, started skimboarding.
The first design came about in the mid-1960s and was similar to a smaller and broader surfboard. Skimboarding was initially an excellent alternative for flat surfing days. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that skimboarding took off!
Skimboards are flat-bottomed hull boards with a deep sidecut. They have two fins on the bottom and come in different sizes. Due to their nature, you have to stand more upright than with surfboards. Also, they’re buoyant, so you can rest them on the water while you wait for a ride.
How to skimboard
Wave skimming is significantly more complex than sand skimming; learn how this technique has worked before. The wave skimming technique is not easy, and the sand skimming technique is a beautiful technique to gain balance using your arms.
The sand skimming technique is the easiest one to start with. A good place for sand skimming is beached sand at low tide, where there are no rocks under the sand and about waist-deep water. To keep your balance on this surface, it is best to walk at an angle of 50 degrees.
If you do not have enough space to skip over the waves, skip sideways instead, crossing over two wave peaks in front of you. Hold your board vertically at first if you are unstable or new to riding waves. This helps you prevent losing your balance quickly and continue jumping effortlessly until you become more experienced at riding on waves.
How To Use And Ride A Skimboard
There are two most popular ways to ride abroad:
The first method is “duck diving,” which means you jump with both feet strapped in and land on the water.
The second basic skimboarding technique is “heel-toe” or barefoot, where one foot stays on the board while the other goes over the side of the board. However, if you want to start easy, do it barefooted because your heels might hurt when they come into contact with hard stingrays or rocks!
Skimboarding can be done in waist-deep water up until 15 ft deep. As soon as you hit deeper than that, it becomes more challenging to stand up. One thing you need to remember is not to push yourself. If you try to stand up when it’s too deep, you’ll get caught in between the board and water and end up getting hurt!
What Gear Do I Need To Skimboard?
Skimboards are available in different shapes, sizes. The body is significant for your ability to execute stunts like spins or flips. However, beginners should stick with a traditional skimboard that measures 8 ft long x 24 inches wide because they’re easier to learn on and provide better control than shorter boards. Another thing you need is a good pair of trunks and preferably neoprene socks and gloves – otherwise, it will be pretty uncomfortable once your feet hit the board!
Choosing Your Skimboard
Skimboards range in quality and price, much like surfboards. If you’re not sure whether or not skimboarding is for you, start with a less expensive option.
Please don’t go for a carbon fibre skimboard until you’re confident you’ll stick with it. Check out our website as well! We’d be delighted to offer some suggestions of our favourite skimboards, regardless of whether you’re a novice or seasoned skimmer.
Get a Secure Grip on Your Skimboard With Surf Wax We strongly recommend purchasing surf wax for your skimboard so you can get a better grip. When the board is wet, and you’re jumping on it with bare feet, it’s easy to slip and fall because of its smooth epoxy glazing.
Pick out a good sort of wax that will provide you with a solid grip. It’s well worth the few dollars extra. Furthermore, look for a skimboard with a traction pad if possible. Even low-end boards like the Boogie Board EVA Skimboard have one, and it’ll give you the grip you need to stay on.
Wood is an excellent material for skateboards, and there are many different options to choose from. However, many wood skateboard decks do not include traction pads. If you need some more grip, you may purchase traction pads if your board doesn’t have them.
How To Ride A Skimboard
It’s essential to find the proper location for skimboarding. Sand skimming is the most straightforward approach to get started if you’re a novice. Here are five simple steps to help you get started.
- Pick the suitable sand. When you are choosing a beach to play sand skimming, make sure that the sand is good. It should be wet on top with water about one-quarter of an inch deep. Avoid beaches with rocky or sticky sand because that can affect your practice and make it difficult for you. You also want to find a slope on the beach so that it is easier for you.
- Run! The faster you run, the quicker your board will go. Try to gain momentum. Wait until after the shore break before going on to the next step.
- Drop. Hold on to your board with each hand at one end. When you see the wave coming, drop the panel onto the sand.
- Slide. Stand on the board like you are on a hardwood floor. Keep your feet turned sideways. Balance yourself and keep your feet in the same positions as before.
- Ride the waves. When the tide comes, it will push you up on top of the board.
Learn to Skimboard on the Waves With This Crash Course!
Here are some pointers on how to get started with wave skimboarding. Keep in mind that wave skimming is considerably more complex than sand skimming, as previously said.
Drop Your Skimboard
Controlling transitions lies in the amount of pressure you apply to the “nose” of your board as you transition from land to water. Depending on the bumps, ease up on the front foot and allow the board to stay above water.
This will ensure you don’t nose dive and lose speed with every bump and transition. If the spots and change are small, then take it as gentle as possible.
Choose Your Angle
Once you’ve dropped your board, you’ll want to plan for your landing by choosing an angle based on how large of a wave you’re looking for. If the waves are enormous, choose a steeper angle so that when you land in the water, it’s more like dropping onto land than sliding into the ground. You may also opt for flatter angles when facing smaller waves to prevent much impact when landing in the water.
Read The Waves
Observe the waves and where they come from. Check when they are at their highest point, then skimboard on that spot. Remember that every place is different. Always observe your environment and the timing of your wave before you start to surf there.
Prepare for Crashes
You’ll inevitably fall at some point during skimboarding. You should make sure you have a smooth surface where there are no rocks or sticks, and also make sure it’s not wet if possible. If you’re sand skimming, go back to step one!
How To Improve Skimboard Skills
The key to improving your skills is practice, but some techniques can help you achieve better results while practising. Here are five ways to improve your skimboarding skills fast:
Spend Time Doing Land Exercises – If you don’t have much time before going out on the water to do land exercises, don’t fret! You can do plenty of things to improve your balance and skills before trying out water skimming.
Balance Exercises On One Leg – Balance on one leg for 30 seconds at a time, then take a break until your other leg is ready. Repeat this process three times per leg.
Stand On A Cloud – imagine there’s a cloud under your foot when you stand on the ground for five minutes at a time. This works on improving your sense of balance as well as coordination with one foot off the ground!
Jump Rope – Jumping rope is another way to work on coordination as well as building muscles in your calves and lower legs which will help you jump higher onto the board. Start by jogging first then jumping rope.
Make Your Own Balance Board – if you have a few pieces of wood, then you can make your balance board work on balancing skills and strengthen your legs.
Work On Your Angles – Skimboarding is all about angles, so you must be able to transition from sand to water very smoothly. Smooth transitions between the two types of surfaces will help ensure a much easier time skating up onto the board without having too much difficulty or worry!
Top Pro Tips When Learning How to Skimboard
Skimboarding, like surfing, necessitates a lot of practice. And it’s not easy. Here are some tips for beginners while they’re learning how to skimboard.
Start Slow
Before attempting to ride an incoming wave on a skimboard, it’s critical to understand how to skimboard. It might take months for you to get the hang of it, so start with the basics. Start sliding your skimboard on wet sand coated with a 1/4″ layer of water from the previous wave and riding across it. This is the equivalent of catching your first surf wave aboard. Be patient and persistent!
Spend a Lot of Time Practicing
Skimboarding is based on muscle memory and reflexes. We recommend that you practice with your skimboard at least twice per week, preferably before the session.
It will take months of practice before you can ride a big breaking wave and do tricks.
Ask for Help While You’re Learning
It’s much easier to learn with help from an experienced skimboarder, so if you’ve never skimboarding before, it might be worth asking someone who knows how!
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, by now, you’ve mastered the fundamental techniques, so it’s time to get out there and enjoy! And keep in mind that skimming takes time to learn. You must practice, practice, practice just as you would when surfing. But getting the ideal wave is nothing more than fantastic. Good luck on your journey, and please let us know how it goes!
