SKim board choices?

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Aug 11, 08 12:56 pm **SKim board choices?**

So it seems time to buy another kite related goodie and I'm looking to buy a skimboard. I almost pissed myself when I saw the sticker price on some at the shop. Can someone give me the skinny on skims? Can't I get by with something cheap like...

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-48-FIBERGLASS-SKIMBOARD-SKIM-BOARD-SURF-WA016-48_W0QQitemZ150280105743QQihZ005QQcategoryZ155141QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Or will I be pretty bummed later on. It's not like I'm going to turn into gman or anything Smile

they just seem fun when the wind sucks.

Chooch · Mon Aug 11, 08 1:16 pm

Most kite specific skims have a few things in common
1. Little to no rocker for quick plaining
2. Size for the same reason stated above (48" long x 20" is about as small as you will want to go.)

Other than that there are a few other options that afre going to dictate the type of ride the skim will have. You can go with the classic pin tail which is easy to shuv-it and ride switch. You will find it has a "skate" feel to it so a little harder to carve with. Or you can use a square tail. This is going to be harder to ride switch (but possible) and will carve a bit better.

Some other options to look into are fins, straps, and deck options such as wax or pads. The fins are a nice option for the swell and small beach breaks for carving and locking into bottom and top turns.

I know that the Surf-tech skim is sweet and a bunch of the local shops have em for around $250

I ride a cyclone custom skim....a guy out of South Africa shapes em and he can make a square tail with 4 fins or a classic swallow tail with out fins. It cost me $300 shipped to my doorstep. Also since it is made to order it took about 6-8 weeks to get to me so keep that in mind. If you ever want to give it a spin feel free to catch up with me at the beach....I always have it with me
http://www.cyclonekiteboarding.com/index.php?page=boards&id=11&PHPSESSID=2e1e0f7a730ca5294728e8356db1b1ea

Victoria skimboards now makes a kite specific board....just not sure who carries them locally.

You can get away with some regular skims just make sure they are somewhat flat and large. Thumb's Up

Mark · Mon Aug 11, 08 2:27 pm

You need to make a woodie!

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Mark's board is fun to ride.

For those with no woodwork skillz - call me stumpy - Pepi at Second Wind carries the Roush boards - around $250 - bomber construction (required for rocky landmines at the spit - the cheaper boards would work fine for Sauvies)

http://www.roushcreations.com/

Loads of fun in the shallow seafoam and winter oc downwinders

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

Monkey,
For $40 bucks you might as well order one and give it a shot. Not that much money if its crap.

chanson · Since 31 Jan 2006 1874 Posts WISCONSIN Chimey

I gotta surf-tech Rousch design.. the Morphius. 51"

sick board...landed my first legit dangle-ollies yesterday at Lyle!!

you wanna try it, just let me know.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Mark's homemade board is totally fun! Maybe not as durable and easy to ollie, but the weight is probably a good thing for just riding around.

I'm on one of those $250 Roush boards from 2nd Wind and really liking it. No more fun way to destroy flat water than on a skim.

I scoffed at the $500 Nobile boards, but after looking at their razor sharp edges I might need to at least demo one. Maybe when they aren't all pink Rolling Eyes

FunShui · Since 16 Jul 2006 146 Posts Really, really Stoked

Nice looking board, Mark.

I've been thinking about skims and wakesurfs. That wakesurf video you posted last week G has really got me going and I am having a difficult time deciding as the ones I am looking at are >$400 Crying or Very sad

It is really hard to know how it will work for you until you try it. There seems to be a continuum between bigger skims (with fins) and wakesurfs.

I am interested in this one http://www.surftech.com/boardDetails.php?bid=SKIMBDS+%3A+SK0019-0404-ER&type=SKIMBDS&skill=&weight=&rshape=&cond=&qual= as it has removable quad fins. At 2" do you think it is too thick?

The quads here http://www.inlandsurfer.com/shop/Results.asp?category=5 are also really sick.

I want to take one to Maui this Fall Smile

Chooch · Mon Aug 11, 08 3:34 pm

I got to ride one of the Nobile skims and it was a great board.....my one problem with it was the sharp rails. It can cause a lot more damage during a shuv-it gone wrong.

Pepi · Mon Aug 11, 08 8:05 pm

Regarding the Nobile Skim boards:

You can actually file down a certain amount of the edge to take off a bit of the sharpness. I actually took some 50grit sandpaper to my board to bevel off the edge and round it a bit just to keep my shins safe.

Pepi

BTW - we still have the wood ROUSH skim boards in stock, as well as two of the Nobile skims, and we are working on getting in more inventory of the ROUSH Epoxy skim boards (these sold out in one week once everyone finally figured out that these were the same as the Cabals, but about $150 cheaper)

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon Aug 11, 08 9:28 pm

decisions decisions. I just can't see myself skimming all that much. Maybe I will go for th fee bay one like Kodiak said..its $40. and see what happens. I have a ratty old plywood skim, its pretty ghetto though and has no rocker.

forrest · Tue Aug 12, 08 7:52 am

One thing to keep in mind, if your skim flexes, it's just like riding a board with a ton of rocker. It's just not going to work in lightwind.

Brian, you should check out the Liquid Force WLF. Put some boots on it and you have a wakestyle lightwind board. Smile

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Aug 12, 08 8:05 am

That would be sweet a skim with bindings!! Actually, part of the main reason I want a skim is to put some of those sky hooks on it. Blake has a set on his surfboard, they are super cool looking.

brass · Since 15 Jul 2006 152 Posts Stoked

Not promote not buying locally but I just picked up a board from Victoria Skim Boards for $140 and it rocks. It's an Ultra Small (51") polyester, lightweight soft rails, rides great. If you go to their website they have some boards from 05-07 that are on closeout.

According to their guidelines (which I think are more for true skimming) I should have bought the Medium but they didn't have them. The small rides great for me and seems to be withing the size that most people are kiting with.

Lots of fun, keeps me from doing the same old tricks.

forrest · Tue Aug 12, 08 8:32 am

I'm riding a Victoria Foamie large.

scottman · Since 08 Jun 2007 150 Posts hillsboro Stoked

http://www.joessports.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2556367&cp=1744893.2151380&parentPage=family

$20 at joes

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed Aug 13, 08 12:32 pm