Your First Skim Run :

Basically skimboarding is somewhat like surfing but the only thing is it starts off from the shore. A skimboarder stands about 10 feet to 20 feet away from the shoreline with board in hand and waits for oncoming waves. When a skimboarder sees a wave approaching, they start running towards the wave dropping the board as they reach the wet sand, hops on the board as fast as possible while maintaining balance and make the transition from sand to water.

Once in the water the skimboarder glides all the way till the desired wave, banks off it and ride all the way back. Because skimboards does not have any fins like surfboards do, it is much easier for a skimboarder to perform tricks while gliding into the ocean and back. For more details on how to ride check out www.skimonline.com or you could get a DVD on how to skim (skimming 101) from www.skimcity.com.

1) How to hold your board

Depending on your leg placement on the board, right leg front or left leg front you will hold your board on opposite sides. It all depends on your preference but basically it is the same either way. Hold the board with one hand on the tail and the other hand at the side of the board halfway. Make sure that the hand that is holding the side of the board is straight so that when you glide the board out with your other hand (hand holding the tail) the nose of the board does not dig into the sand but instead glides on the surface of the wet sand. Once you have drop your board either in front of you or at your side, hop on the board as quickly as possible and maintain your balance.

Once you have dropped your board or glide the board in front of you, hop on the board with both legs at the centre of the board front and back. This is to maintain and spread out equal balance of your weight on the board. Bend your knees and spread your legs further apart for better balance and stability. But remember do not spread your legs too far apart because either, one of your legs might slip out from the board or it will put too much weight on the nose and cause the nose to dig into the sand. If this happens, good luck with the bottle of iodine.

Riding your board on sand and in water is totally different. Boards on water are more buoyant and harder to control compared to sand skimming. So make sure you have practised a lot before attempting to catch a wave or else the consequences will be harsh. Make sure you choose the waves that are nearest to the shore. Catch the easy ones first and get use to the feel of the board before attempting longer rides. Keep your eye on the wave that you want and practise hoping on to your board without looking down at it. The moment you look down on your board you will lose precious time and this will prevent you from catching the wave that you desire. Basically it’s all about practise and perfect timing.

4) Coming back

When you glide towards a wave make sure the wave is at its peak and catch it before it breaks. Shift your weight to your back leg to maintain balance and bend your knees and body too so that you get lower to your board for more control and make a U turn (carve) at the peak of the wave. When it breaks, the power of the wave will push you back in. If you feel that you are off balance after making the turn, bend your body and try to hold on to your board. This action helps you balance.

Once you have mastered all this, it is time to add in some tricks to make it more interesting and to impress on lookers especially the chicks. From my experience big airs (Fly away) are always impressive but you could add in more technical tricks like shove-its, 360 turns, fakies, ollies, switch stance.. etc. For more info on tricks go to www.skimonline.com