What is Skimboarding?

Written by: James | Last update: 8 November 2022

Skimboarding is nowadays a very popular sport among water sports enthusiasts. And that is not surprising, because which water sports enthusiast does not want to be able to glide over a thin layer of water at high speed at the beach? But what exactly is skimboarding? I explain it in detail in this blog.

What is skimboarding?

Let’s start the blog by answering the big question right away. What is skimboarding? Skimboarding is sliding with a small board at the beach over a thin layer of water with the board. The advanced skimboarders can even surf waves. They do this by throwing their board towards the wave, standing on it and surfing out the wave. Skimboarding is mainly done at high speeds as the board glides over the water surface at the speed you indicate yourself when you put the board on the water.

How does skimboarding work?

Skimboards glide so quickly and well on thin patches of water because the water is pushed down and then straight up. The thinner the water, the sooner the water will bounce off the ground and the board will be pushed back up. This creates the skimboard effect, also known as the ground effect.

If you really want to surf waves and skimboard in deeper water, buoyancy becomes an important factor. In addition, it is also important that you know how to make speed, because if you don’t make speed you won’t stay afloat. Since you need a lot more buoyancy for wave surfing there is a good chance that you need a more advanced board. Most beginners boards are mainly focused on the thin water as this is the easiest.

Skimboards in the sand

Fall and rise

In contrast to stand up paddling, skimboarding is a bit more extreme as it involves a lot of trial and error. This way you also learn best on a skimboard. This makes skimboarding such a challenging sport for all water sports enthusiasts.

Pumping to get ahead

Once you are an advanced skimboarder, you can also surf waves. The moment you start surfing waves, you will also soon realize that you need to learn a technique to keep moving forward during flat and deep sections. This technique is called pumping. Pumping is done by moving the board from front to back with your front foot. This allows you to make a pumping movement and keep moving forward without the wave. Keep in mind that if you make a wrong pumping movement, the board will probably sink too far down and you can’t go any further since the board is under the water. So pumping takes a lot of practice to learn.

Summer sports

Even though you can skimboard in the winter, it is mainly done in the summer. This is the same as with supping, it is a sport that is mainly practiced in nice weather. And I agree with everyone, skimboarding in the winter is not always advisable because the water is very cold and the chance that you fall is high. If you go skimboarding in the winter, make sure to wear a wetsuit.

Skimboarders in action

Buying a skim board

Check for yourself whether you are a beginner or advanced skimboarder if you want to buy a skimboard. If you are a novice skimboarder, a skimboard with foam inside will be the best choice. Just keep in mind that wooden boards are cheaper. So if you’re on a budget, a wooden board might be a better choice. These boards are generally vandal-proof and the easiest to get started with. In addition, the width is also important. 45cm is the minimum width of a skimboard and 60cm is the maximum width. As a beginner, make sure you have as wide a board as possible.

As an advanced paddler it is better to look at a carbon, fiberglass or wooden board. The experienced skimboarders who mainly skimboard on the coast take a heavier and thinner board. A heavier board goes faster, and the thinner the board the faster and more agile.

Finally, don’t forget that the grip on your skimboard must also be good. If you don’t have a good grip on your skimboard, you can practice less easily and also perform tricks less easily. View ….. for a high-quality and extensive range of skimboards.

Skimboard sizes

To know which size skimboard suits you best, it is important to know which size is recommended for your weight. In the size chart below you can easily see which size skimboard suits you best:

Skimboard size chart

Did you find our ‘what is skimboarding’ explanation interesting? Be sure to check out our blog in which we explain how you can train your balance with a balance board.