The best way to start skimboarding
This page tells you what you need to know about skimboarding and a few basic techniques to help you get started.
First of all you will need a skimboard, the prices can start from £15 to around £300. I advise you to start on one that is fairly cheap, until you have advanced to a good level of skimboarding. Once you have purchased a skimboard, the first thing to do is either put some wax or foot-pads on the board to gain grip and to avoid sliding off the board. Wax is a really cheap solution for grip but if you wanted to have a permanent grip, that you don't need to re-apply, the best thing to use are foot pads. The wax and footpads can be purchased from any surf shop or skate park.
After you've prepared your board, you are ready to use it on the beach. But before you start skimboarding, the best way to determine what foot you put at the front of the board, is to get someone to stand behind you and lightly push you forwards. Whichever foot you put out in front of you first, is the foot that you position on the front of your board when getting on it. It's advisable, when starting to skimboard, to start off slowly. First to learn, is how to skim the board across the water, which can be quite difficult to grasp at first. Hold the board parallel to the floor, place your right hand at the bottom of the board and the left hand on the side of the board that is nearest your body (Opposite if you feel more comfortable using your left hand at the bottom etc.) . Once you've acquired this position, bend your knees and push the board across the water (Do this a few times just to get used to the technique of skimming your board across the water)
Once you have mastered this technique, you are ready to get on the board, the easiest way to start is to do it slowly and then when you gain more confidence you can gradually build up speed. But I would advise that you try slow at first, because the faster you go the more it will hurt. Using the technique explained earlier, skim the board across the water and run behind, or just diagonally behind the board. Then you want to slide onto the board with your feet rather than jumping on it. As this will decrease the speed of the board, distance travelled and it could result in falling off. When sliding onto the board with your feet, you need to ensure that your feet are positioned, shoulder width apart and nearer to the back of the board than the front. DON'T FORGET to bend your knees otherwise you will fall off resulting in injury to your knees and hips. The board will feel like its sliding away from you and don't worry if you keep falling off when trying it as you will learn from more practice.
Once you have mastered how to get on to the board you can gradually build up speed and you will therefore travel further than if you were going slower. Once you feel that you are well balanced on the board, you can start by doing some spins, tricks, cut backs etc (click here to go to my tricks page). The main thing to remember when skimboarding is to bend your knees and to wait for the right wash from the wave, you will want to go parrallel to the wave, if your going out to the wave it is much harder to learn. When you have completed the art of getting on the board it becomes naturaly for you.
Hope things go well when following all these steps. 
Edited By Jimmy Setterfield
