Hi all, new to this forum.
Just had a question, I was wondering how using a skimboard would be while kiting?? Have searched around and people seem to like the idea of it. How would it go, and has anyone tried it/does it?
Cheers
I used to use one a bit. The more expensive, stiffer carbon varieties (exile etc.) go a hell of a lot better than that 10 dollar job from crazy clarks 
. Overall though it's a bit of a novelty and for me unless it's really light wind kind of useless. If it's windy I just ride a wakeskate, as a wakeskate you can actually get a proper pop and flick for tricks and if there's waves I ride a surfboard. A skimboard is a great way to improve your board and kite skills though as riding a flat board without fins is fairly technical.
I have a Victoria skimboard and have added a 50mm slingshot fin.
They are really great super light wind devices and I go okay up to about ~20knots. After that I struggle to get an edge in.
But I will say a skimboard has improved my overall board skills tremendously, especially balance. I can go toe side, gybe etc.
There are no dramas using them on the flat or in the surf.
I have used a couple of Nobile skim boards. They are great for travelling with a twin tip as they are small and light and means your kite quiver can be smaller.
At home where baggage limits don't apply, I prefer to use a sector 60 if there's not enough wind or surfboard if there are waves.
I agree with Sir Rowdy that they are a little bit of a novelty (and therefore are dirt cheap to pick up second hand).
I enjoy it, something else to test out the kite control, can be a good ride in chop and waves.
I dont love riding a wake skate but do enjoy flowing around on a skim board- all the different things that make this a great sport.
Good in light wind. Fun but difficult.
Victoria brand look good with round rails. I used a Nobile for a while with sharp rails and my feet would get cut when slipping off the board.
If you check out the www.losethestraps.com/ website there is lots of info on skims.
Whilst I wouldnt go out of my way for a skimsession, I tend to travel with one :
- it can get you out on the water in very light wind
- improves balance and footwork
- cuts through chop and shoots upwind
- no fear of losing fins or damaging surfboard at lowtide on rocks or corals
- adds protection to surboard in travel bag
- sling it anywhere, zero maintenance care
- paid peanuts for it
- have added holes so it can now take a foil too
If you are thinking about such boards, The Shinnster or BRM Paipo is like a mix between skim and surfboard. Not quite as lightwind as has some flex, but does the rest of the above but also carves nicer, likes waves and better high end. My technique improved quickly with it. Also its superb for downwinders, where surfboards can be a drag, as its fast if not faster that TTs and takes you thru shallow or unknown water without fear of damage.
Select to expand quoteJasonwave said..
Whilst I wouldnt go out of my way for a skimsession, I tend to travel with one :
- it can get you out on the water in very light wind
- improves balance and footwork
- cuts through chop and shoots upwind
- no fear of losing fins or damaging surfboard at lowtide on rocks or corals
- adds protection to surboard in travel bag
- sling it anywhere, zero maintenance care
- paid peanuts for it
- have added holes so it can now take a foil too
If you are thinking about such boards, The Shinnster or BRM Paipo is like a mix between skim and surfboard. Not quite as lightwind as has some flex, but does the rest of the above but also carves nicer, likes waves and better high end. My technique improved quickly with it. Also its superb for downwinders, where surfboards can be a drag, as its fast if not faster that TTs and takes you thru shallow or unknown water without fear of damage.
Would definitely agree with the Shinnster being a fun light wind machine.
Alaia boards can be a lot of fun with a kite too. I started mucking around with one a few years back and had a ton of fun on light days.
Used to take the kids el cheapo plywood with foam grip for a run in the shallows a few years back, wasn't as hard as I thought, got me interested in the water bird by shinn but now discontinued, it'd be a doddle of a job to make your own
used a skim board in a light wind session at the end of last year. Was on a flat lake, was a fair bit easier than i thought it would be. was a bit of fun, super smooth just glided over the flat water. was on a 12m in probably 11 knots i would say (total guess haha, but couldn't get up and going on my AXIS patrol light wind board so wind was very light)
I am going to make a skim board/wake skate hybrid this season for those light win days. could be some fun
These are the best skimboards for kiting out there and Bernie is a real pioneer and amazing rider. All boards are handmade in USA.Hit him up if you got any questions.http://www.tminus9usa.com/
I've tried noble, arush, crazyfly, North and liquid force skim boards and would recommend the best one being the North Skim. It goes well in waves thanks to a slimmer and larger size and a good set of fins. It's the best board for around 10knots. Wouldn't use any skim in stronger winds. 
Good thread. I finally wanted to get into light wind kiting more to get more kiting days in.
I came across the Skim boards for that reason. Any other experiences that you guys can share about them?
I read that they are good for flat or surf, what about choppy conditions?
. Get a real skimboard, ride it finless and feel the difference.
I've always used Zap skims, cheap ones will work but are usually too small- Large Zaps are 49inches (125cm) which is good i find. i put grip tape on them these days and ride with shoes like a wake skate-easier on feet, better control for jumps/tricks, wax always gets smudged and so much maintanence, gets heavy quick.
Best conditions, straight onshore with lots of water moving around so you can use shallow water on wet sand rushing back out to give you immediate apparent wind. Usually only use it in light wind as prefer fins on the waves when wind allows but id rather skim when real light rather than grovel. Also fun in river mouths sliding the banks and ollying over rocks and other obsticles.
Hey there Kiting with a skimboard is awesome fun at the end of last season i turned my old skimboard (foam core) into a mini surf board by putting fins on it. But i haven't ridden it yet, when it didn't have fins on it, it was still soooo much fun and great in light winds. Defiantly get one but make sure it has a foam core like these http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/hillarys/surfing/skimboard-sandboard/1086651725 www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/waggrakine/surfing/exile-skimboard-ml-hybrid-s-glass-includes-board-bag/1078507405
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..
Putting fins on your skimmer will severely decrease it's low wind advantage.
yeah I thought that might be the case but I've still got my old one for low wind and this one will be far better at rosebud in the little waves
Select to expand quoteKite4Life007 said..sir ROWDY said..
Putting fins on your skimmer will severely decrease it's low wind advantage.
yeah I thought that might be the case but I've still got my old one for low wind and this one will be far better at rosebud in the little waves
Will be a lot easier to hold a rail on a cutback that's for sure!
I used to skim shorebreak heaps myself back in the day, but have only ever dabbled a few times behind the kite with the skim.
Have always wanted to do a heap more though, and am intending on doing so this season. Would be an awesome way to refresh a session.
I have seen you RichieRich, kiting with a Zap wedge at Mambo years back in 2008 I think.
You were shredding back then, so could only imagine you’d still be absolutely killing it now.
So any advice from RichieRich would be worth taking onboard, this cat definitely knows what he’s doing.
In terms of skimboards, the top tier American brands are Exile, Victoria, Slotstik, Zap etc Check out boards at http://www.skimcity.com/
There’s a couple of guys who could do you a custom skim in Australia for a way better price:
Rob Green – Throwdown Skimdustries – only on Facebook at the moment.
Myself (Andrew Deane) – Method Skimboards – www.methodskimboards.com
It’s a tiny scene in Australia – Rob is actively making boards – bloody legend.
A bit of truth – all higher end boards are made essentially the same with same ingredients: Generally a High density PVC foam core, eg H80 Divinycell, laminated with either polyester, vinylester or epoxy, with glass (or carbon) woven cloth. Usually artwork is done with pigmented resin in the laminate itself, and with screen printed tissue logos.
Get cha skim on!
Exile is amazing, their videos are also off the hook. Anything that's built like an Exile is worth getting in my opinion.
