There is this trend i've noticed lately of kids about 11-16 paddling into waves on their skimboards, and using them just like a surfboard, popping up and all. Anybody noticed this? Why not use a surfboard? Seems weird to me is all.
We used to do this when I was a kid. Most of the riding was drop knee or prone. The reason we did it was because we couldn't afford surfboards. This was also before Tom Morey introduced the boogie board, so you could carve and turn on a skimmy much better than the other alternative (inflatable mat raft). Our boards were home made, from marine plywood. Today's skimboards are much closer to a surfboard, so I don't see why some wouldn't make it into the lineup now and then, either as a lark or in the case where a kid does not have a surfboard. Might be fun, along the lines of an alaia?
Its usually those local kids that cant afford a board or they just like to be different. I gave my neighbors kid a skim board last year because he was starting to get into trouble around town and has been using it all the time, I then gave him an old surfboard to get him away from that weird skimboard scene and he still uses the skimboard as a surfboard...I dont know?
I have seen this. I actually think skimboarding is the one surf alternative that deserves respect. Those guys are friggin nuts and I have seen them get better rides on knee high waves than most surfers would.
aloha, ola a version of this is very popular in hawaii (hapuna beach) when surf is small or just bustin sand...locals charge the incoming curl (1-2 foot max ht) from shore and ride up the face of a break, spraying water all over the tourists standing further out in the water waist to chest deep, then returning in on the wave as it breaks on shore. also popular in laguna beach ca. a bit more involved than just a standard pop on the wave...they really ride it for distance
basically the reason why i bodyboarded for as long as i did. Until i bought my own surfboard last year, i my parents didn't think if i bought a surfboard it would get enough use (too expensive) so i just got used to and even addicted to bodyboarding until i recently started surfing. Now im starting to make the transition to more surfing then bodyboarding.
My guess would be they went to skim but when the tide changed it started breaking farther out then they could reach so they paddle in on their skimboards instead of running out from the beach to catch the waves. I used to skim and never did this but could see why others would.
