How to Skim-Board

Drop your skim board and step on while running to ride the wet sand on a smooth board, very fast.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Hold the skim-board with one hand on each side. If you are regular footed, hold your right-hand slightly to the back of the board and your left more toward the front. Practice running while holding the board parallel to the ground.

2. Wait for the water from a wave to begin washing back into the ocean. Use this time to also check for any possible hazards. Once you're going it's hard to stop.

3. Begin running at an angle towards the ocean as the water is receding.

4. Drop the skim-board on the sand as you are running. You want to drop it in less than and inch of water, but not on dry sand. Drop the board while you are coming off your outside foot.

5. Step onto the tail of the board with your inside foot, and then step onto the front with your other foot. These steps should be the very next ones after dropping the board and should be in sync with your running pace.

6. Crouch low to keep your balance.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure not push the board as you drop it down, or else you'll have to run to catch up with it. Skim-boards move very fast.
• Always step onto the board while you and it are travelling the same pace; leaping onto the board that is way ahead of you always results in poor balance and a sore behind.
• Be careful: Skim-boarding is more of a land sport than a water sport, and falling on the sand can hurt.
• Skim-boarding must be done on a beach with few rocks, shells and especially, people.

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[DCarrier]

on 6/25/2007 How thick of plywood do you recommend? [e-mail]

[Prettyferfer]

on 6/11/2007 do I wax the bottom or the top of the board?

on 9/7/2006 Throw your board straight, do not go toward the waves. Do not throw it too hard, it's harder to do the trick going fast. After your through it, jump on then kick your front foot to the left or to the right. Kick your back foot the opposite way. Jump up, but don't spin your body, then land back down on the board.

on 8/8/2006 Don't use warm water wax for cold water, or visa versa, because your foot will slip right off like there is no wax to begin with.

on 8/8/2006 Make sure you skim-board in a place with very few shells. One bad fall on a sharp shell can mean stitches.