I recently bought the awesome LF Kite Skim 2015 for cheap.
It's a really fun board and definitely challenges my balancing skills etc. The few times I have taken it out in low wind I was on the water earlier than most others.
I was wondering if people ride Skims with or without the fin and how big the difference is? So far I left the fin attached and the additional grip I can feel at my back leg is comforting for me at the moment.
However I have read that you're supposed to ride it finless.
I have not yet mastered the skill of switching, so when I change directions, the fin now is at the front and it makes the handling a bit weird. So so far I have always jumped off, turned the board and jumped back on, but it's not fun and I drift downwind etc.
Any comments or thoughts would be most welcome.
shallow water and light wind go without but if there is plenty of wind and you r in choppy water definitely have it in i put three in my old foam core and i way prefer it now
Thanks for the response Kite4life.
Does the fin induce a fair bit of drag? I was aiming to use the board mostly in light winds, so am I better off to remove it then?
Conditions around here are never completely smooth, there is always a degree of chop.
I intend to use the board in the surf too...
Since the fins aren't too big leave them on and learn to ride it as a directional. Switching feet takes a bit of time to learn but is part of the fun.
Practice
- gybe to toeside then switch feet
- quick switch to toeside then carve around
- small hop and spin the board under you
Select to expand quoteloftsofwind said..
Rowdy is your man for this question. 
Here I am all dressed in snakeskin 
.
Ditch the fins! You will thank yourself later! It's like debating whether to ride waves with straps, for some conditions it might be better, but the challenge of pushing yourself and progressing your technique and control is very rewarding when it all comes together.
I've got one too for about 12 months now and like you wanted to use it as a light wind board and use it
to learn directional board skills.
The first dozen times or so I left the fins on, then gave it a go with
them off and find it more fun. It goes in even less wind and skims over a few inches of water
and is just more fun to ride. I can make it go upwind just as well.
When it gets more windy or in the surf I'll put the fins back on but not much surf where I am.
As an aside, I decided to take the fins off my larger twin-tip too and find this much more fun too now. 
Much looser without fins, you need get your position just right to carve, relying on the board edge. It's a step up. Brad Domke on YouTube is inspiring stuff..
i haven't ridden a skimboard too much, but a wakeskate heaps, and i def agree to keep the fins off the board. Will give you a nice challenge at the start as you learn to rely on your edging to stay up wind, and will make it for fun to learn all the tricks on later down the track.
That's pretty sick. Ok I have taken off the fin. Should I plug up the two holes that are now in the underside of the board?
I'm thinking it may have a small performance impact perhaps?
Nah ...... put some wax in there if your concerned, but there should be no impact at all.
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..loftsofwind said..
Rowdy is your man for this question.
Here I am all dressed in snakeskin .
Ditch the fins! You will thank yourself later! It's like debating whether to ride waves with straps, for some conditions it might be better, but the challenge of pushing yourself and progressing your technique and control is very rewarding when it all comes together.
how about on a w8sk8?
Select to expand quoteaustin said..sir ROWDY said..loftsofwind said..
Rowdy is your man for this question.
Here I am all dressed in snakeskin .
Ditch the fins! You will thank yourself later! It's like debating whether to ride waves with straps, for some conditions it might be better, but the challenge of pushing yourself and progressing your technique and control is very rewarding when it all comes together.
how about on a w8sk8?
Same deal.
