Surf Talk Guru

The 2010 catalog from Zap Skimboards is out and it’s kickin’! Zap’s new line of boards, amazing board art, and skimboarding accessories is the best yet. They also have a fair amount of clothing items to check out that are pretty stylin’.

The best thing about their boards, besides the quality, is that they are tailored for the rider, not only by the rider’s size, but also their experience level. They have wide sandsliders for beginners, narrower high-quality core boards for intermediates, and extra-sensitive control sticks for the experts.

Everyone knows, or at least many claim, that skimboarding was invented at Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach, CA. Victoria skimboards started making and improving skimboards in 1976 and has been the industry leader ever since. Besides making excellent boards, Victoria Skimboards is going green! From their website:

“We at Victoria Skimboards recognize that the process of manufacturing a skimboard is not the most environmentally friendly process. It is with that recognition that we review our manufacturing methods daily in hopes of refining them to reduce our carbon footprint.”

That makes me feel better about buying from them rather than another brand. Plus, Victoria offers some of the best board art on the market.

Looking for where to rent skimboards in Oregon? Skimboarding is not just for kids. It’s a small, but growing sport that you can really learn to thrash with.

A mix between skateboarding and surfing, its popularity is spreading from California to Florida and on up the coasts. Skimboarding is popular lots of people, especially surfers who want to get out, but there are no waves to be had.

Sure, any beach will do if you’re just beginning to skimboard and still getting your bearings. For those of you (California transplants, perhaps) who’ve been wondering where the skimboard scenes are in Oregon, here’s a list of the top skimboarding beaches.

1.) Gleneden Beach–steep, no crowds, best between tides 2.) Pacific City–both steep and flat sections, a little crowded in summer 3.) Rockaway Beach–both steep and flat sections, best at high tide 4.) Short Sands–protected cove, a little crowded in summer 5.) Otter Rock–pretty steep, no crowds, best at high tide 6.) South Beach–both steep and flat sections, a little crowded in summer

Don’t forget–when skimboarding in Oregon, you’re going to want a wetsuit. With our wind, your spring john might not cut it, but you’ll probably be okay with a 3/2mm full suit. Skimboarding is not that popular in Oregon, so you’ll most likely have the shore to yourself, especially in the non-summer months.

Surfing is practically a way of life on the West coast; it has inspired clothing trends, slang language and even musical genres. If it weren’t for that most leisurely of sports, what would the Beach Boys have sung about in the ’60s? It’s really no surprise then that surfing has also spawned a number of similar boardsports. Skimboarding, a pastime that takes place close to shore, is just one of these offshoots.

Skimboards are smaller in scale than surfboards, and their wood or fiberglass material is carved in an oval or teardrop shape. What began as just a secondary activity for beach-bound surfers has since evolved into a serious sport in its own right. Skimboarders can be seen plying their craft up and down the coastlines of Oregon and California, waiting for the perfect wave to hit shore and hopping onboard to ride it out.