I hope you dont actually mean this (decide whether or not to "cut people off" based on your opinion about their "style"). Those guys up there in the summer who "surf" that wave at knee high five at a time are pretty strange and inbred, but you shouldn't burn someone based on whether you like their style or not.
Well as a former skimmer myself in SO. Ventura CA. mostly. Ive never seen the wave conditions clash where the surf and skim meet. Pretty cool!! but I would not worry as I assume it needs to be real perfect for the 2 to meet and does not most of the time down there ? Skimming will always be the little brother of surfing and never be as good.Thats just a fact.That being said rushing right at a 5-6 footer in shallow water with a 4 foot thin board is such a rush and is not for the fainthearted. The sport has evolved very nicely. Being 6 ' 2" 200 + I never got "super" good at it but loved it for many years and stalked the beach constantly for just the right conditions. I miss it but now love surfing almost as much. Ill always love skimming the most for some reason. The sound of the board throw down. The feel of the glide/float and whip of the wrap just cant be exactly duplicated with other things.
Example number 4357 of why the naval jetty is a bastardized joke of a ****ing spot. I grew up surfing there since prior to the state handoff living minutes away and you might see me there 3 times a year tops now because it's a haven for the above mentioned poo stance and disgruntled middle aged ****heads. Honestly, even *****ing about anything that occurs in or around the lineup there in any circumstance makes you look like an idiot........because by simply surfing there you are subjecting yourself to the most absurd bull**** that can possibly occur in surfing. I was ironically talking to a friend who surfs there semi-frequently still and we were joking that it is easier to catch a wave, and you put up with less just mind-blowing bull**** in the water at lower trestles than you do at this bastardized cesspool of surfing culture. rant over.
As a Pro Skimboarder, you are the ambassador of your sport. Act like one. Talking trash and acting like you get to pick and choose who has style is not professional at all. If all someone can do is just stand up and barely make it down the line. That is their fun for the day. And we are all out there to have fun, right? Who are you to judge style and what others are doing on a wave? Stoke comes in many forms. The beach doesn't clear out because some pro shows up. And unless you are Sand Jesus, immaculately conceived and shot out of the womb onto a Zap skimboard into a macking 6' shore break barrel (with style, of course), you, too, were a kook beginner who could barely make it down the line. One wave. One rider. It really is that simple. Dropping in behind someone can be just as dangerous as dropping in front.
That video was great. I'll tell ya if I wasn't 47 years old and afraid of breaking my neck (which I almost did on a skimboard when I was 20) I would be a skimmer. To me it looks like as much fun as surfing with the ability to surf waves that most people don't want, well after this thread I guess someone else could potentially want them.
I guess I should be thankful that 90% of the skim boarders around these parts are limited to the tidal pools
The guy who is on the wave already deserves it. Of course, people should take turns catching them. You think because you throw technical maneuvers, you deserve the wave? Seems like your ego has drowned out your manners.
Very well done everybody, well put. I have nothing to add except freeze this thread because it is going to degrade real soon.
You guys act like I dont know about priority... Closest the peak, furthest out its pretty simple.. So like some of yall said running from the beach were not gonna have priority but when i see someone slowly losing speed and their wave is coming to and end im gonna run and slide out to the peak they arnt keeping up with any more. Dont get me wrong I let a fair share of sets roll through with out even picking up my board. Also quite a few sprints to knee deep water and stopping after a surfer stood up. I just dont appreciate it when I come to a spot and the first thing out of a surfers mouth is "get the f**k outta here" as if he owns the place. All the surfers that showed respect to us received respect from us if they were on a wave they stayed on waves uninterrupted. The little 13 year old sh*t that wanted to fight everyone got a few sprays to the face and was interrupted every wave. From what I can see were sharing pretty well....
That's all fine. Just don't say things like this: "Who do you think deserves a wave more...? someone who stands up and stands there/poop stances it for a 10 seconds or someone taking the wave all the way down the beach throwing technical maneuvers?"
Yeah, running from the beach while someone is on the wave IS dropping in. Its their wave. Let it go. Study up on "priority". Just like its not cool to drop in on someone who is deep and you are convinced he isn't going to make it. If he does make it, you are in the way. If he doesn't, you get blamed. Whether its your fault or not. Be careful with those sprays. Last year a surfer got a detached retina because he got splashed in the face by one of those rad moves. I don't appreciate people who show up at my break and think the rules don't apply to them. Skimmers don't bother me. I have only told one to leave after he ran into me. Bringing yourself down to a 13 yr olds level is not a pro move. File this under "just let it go." 13 yr. olds tend to have fathers on the beach. With friends. But you are a world travelling pro, you already knew that. Or at least you should.
If you take out the part of the comment about the better rider deserving priority his comments have been pretty valid. It's an odd wave setup with longboarders and skimmers having a go at the same wave. I don't see a problem with skimming into the peak behind the longboarder (within a reasonable distance). What's the l'boarder gonna do? A tight gouging roundhouse cutback?? I don't think so. The wave in front of him is his. If he chooses to outrun the unbroken part of the wave in the shorebreak with no chance of changing direction 180 degrees I say the skimmers can have at it. This is a packed spot. Not many waves will go unridden for more than a few yards.
I try to be careful, but sometimes when i do a turn...well you know...some buckets are gonna happen. If you dont want to get hurt, you might want to look away or keep a safe distance (say 50 feet) when you see me setting up a little cutback. Or put on some goggles.
I know this isn't technically skimming, more surfing on a skimboard, but Domke's skill set is ridiculous. About halfway through the vid he is riding some bombs. http://vimeo.com/40385304
BTW - Thanks for telling the other side of the story Shawn. It's nice to hear the other perspective when someone starts a rant on this board.
The detached retina incident happened on a day with similar skim/surf animosity was present. I cannot say he did it on purpose but it was the same skimmer that I told to leave after he dropped in behind me, tried to pass and hit me. Shred on.
Does anyone over 21 Skim? Not being a smart$$s, just curious. I'm 50 and tried it a couple years ago on my youngest son's skim board as a joke. I fell and my entire body damn near shattered like a plate glass window during the Rodney King riots.
If you're surfing the same waves as the skimmers, the waves are probably **** and you should find something better to do with your time kook.
Hey Kahuna you seem pretty angry today. I hope everything's ok..............Nice to see ya. Man, I never knew Delaware got so interesting.............so controversial. I thought part of the Delaware magic was staying hiden in plain sight. A forgotten hamlet along the I-95 corridor.........
