How to Skimboard
- Determining which way to ride
A good way to do this is to have a friend stand behind you and push you forward (best done with the added element of surprise to their push) If your left foot goes forward then its likely you'll ride as a natural foot (Left foot forward) and if your right foot goes forward then its likely you'll ride goofy foot (Right foot forward). I say it’s only likely because it’s not always the case, for example: I surf Natural foot and I skim Goofy foot...how weird is that?
- Holding your Skimboard
Hold your board with your back hand (usually your strongest hand) at the tip of the tail and your other hand about a foot or so (or whatever feels comfortable) back from the nose of the board on the side closest to you.
- Launching your Skimboard
FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT THE AREA IN FRONT OF YOU IS CLEAR! Start to run slowly and then drop your board onto the thin film of receding water just ahead of you. If you want to you can practice just throwing your board a few times while standing still to build your confidence while always being mindful of the fact that the tail needs to be the first part of the board to make contact with the water.
- Stepping onto your Skimboard
Always try to step onto your board smoothly with your front foot first and then your back foot following. This is the safest way. Your front foot should be on the front third of the board and your back foot should be in a comfortable position, usually within a foot (12") from the tail. With practice you will learn to instinctively pace your run so that you just step onto your board and land in the correct riding position. WARNING: In your early days of skimboarding, injuries are inevitable so PUSH YOUR LIMITS CAREFULLY!
- Riding your Skimboard
When you have mastered pacing your run and stepping onto your skimboard, you will naturally feel the urge to take things to the next level. Each time you skim your rides will become a little longer. As you become more and more confident with your balance during the ride it will begin to feel “effortless” as you master the skill of smoothly transferring your momentum to your board.
If you skim "flat-lands" you could add 360, 540 or even 720 degree spins to your ride. Do this by dipping your hand and touching the sand, creating a braking effect on one side, or you could add a shove-it, or two to your ride. You could even build your own skate-style ramps and grinding rails and skim these for some extra fun. You can play with ideas by searching for “Skimboarding” on YouTube. The possibilities are limitless!
Skimming waves can be a little more difficult and you will need more practice. The principle is the same except that there are many more added variables. For example: The gradient of the beach and the speed at which the water recedes, the size of the shore break and the depth of the water after the wave has broken. But the basic technique combined with these variables in perfect synchronization might mean you pull into the wave of your life...and just step off at the end after you’ve just ridden back up the beach!
