choosing a right skimboard

Choosing a Skimboard

People often send me email asking me what board is right for them. The answer is that I don't know. Even if I knew them and knew how they skimmed it would be hard for me to choose a board that they would like. There are simply too many factors for another person to be able to accurately tell you what kind of board you are going to like best. Only you can choose the right board for yourself. In this section I will tell you how to do it.

Know What You Want

Before you even go shopping you should know what you want. As a trip to the board design section will tell you, different board characteristics have predictable results on how the board performs. Get to know these different design factors and get an idea of what you want based on how you ride and how you would like to ride.

Know What is Available

Your next step should be getting to know what is out there. There are quite a few manufacturers out there and none of them are the best for everyone. Check out the buyer's guide for my general thoughts on the different board manufacturers. Keep in mind though that I am just one person with one opinion. There are certainly others who will disagree with me. Try to get other people's input. One good way to do this is to use the message boards or the skimlist.

Make Your Decision

Keeping in mind what you have learned and make an informed decision. If you are serious about skimboarding I always recommend getting the board you think is best regardless of price. Remember, you will probably be riding this thing for over a year. If the board you really want costs $100 more, that works out to under 28 cents a day. I think you can afford that right? Now stop reading this and go get yourself a board!

Board Sizes

Many manufacturers offer their boards in different sizes. I am often asked what the best size is for a rider of a given weight and height. Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. The general rule of thumb would be to get the smallest board that still allows you to reach the waves you want. This would provide the rider with the best turning ability while still providing enough carrying power. Of course this doesn't answer the question, it only rephrases it. The right size board depends on a riders weight, style, athletic ability, and experience. Let's look at them individually.

Weight

Your weight may be the most significant factor in determining what size board you should ride. Big guys like to skim too, and they usually need bigger boards to do it. A heavier rider will be able to turn a large board more easily and often need the extra carry to get out to the waves. Small guys can often get away with a smaller board. Many board manufacturers offer weight recommendations for their different models. This is a good starting point, but the other factors can matter just as much, or more.
Victoria Skimboards' Size Chart At the left you will find Victoria Skimboards' size/weight recommendations. Notice that many of the size recommendations have overlapping weights. If you weigh 180 pounds you can ride a Medium, a Medium/Large, or a Large according to Victoria. How do you decide? See below.

Extra Small Under 50 lbs.
Small 50 - 80 lbs.
Medium 80 - 180 lbs
Medium/Large 120 - 200 lbs.
Large 170 - 240
Extra Large Over 200

Style

Bigger boards turn slower but go faster, its a fact. Some riders have very fluid & smooth styles while others like to bust airs and tricks. Naturally, the smooth riders will generally prefer larger boards which allow them to reach bigger waves and charge down the line. Likewise a 'new school' rider will often prefer a smaller board which gives them more control when attempting difficult tricks.

Athletic Ability

Obviously, the faster you can run the less you need the the extra carry that a larger board provides. Conversely, if you run really slowly then you probably need a bigger board to help you reach the waves you want to ride.

Experience

Advanced riders know how to read the waves. They can see which waves will be the fastest and which ones to let go. Because of this they often don't need a big board to help them reach the "hard to reach waves". They are too busy going for the "easy to reach" waves. Likewise a beginner needs all the help he can get reaching and turning off of waves. A big board can be a real help to a beginning skimboarder.

Conclusion

So what is the moral of the story? Know what a board manufacturers size and weight recommendations are, but also consider the other factors. A manufacturers recommendations are just that, a recommendation. It is frequently the case that a rider prefers to ride a smaller or larger board than the manufacturer recommends for his weight. Keep this in mind when choosing a board.

credit:
http://www.skimonline.com/

i have chosen the right skim board for me.. but there is one problem.. i have no money to buy a board.. hahahaha..