Surf Talk Guru

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.

Most people have aspirations of riding a huge wave on a surfboard when they go to the beach, but to garner the skills necessary to accomplish this feat can take years. For those of us who don’t have the opportunity to take professional surf lessons, there are other options for enjoying the surf. One of my favorite watersports at the beach is bodyboarding.

Bodyboards are much shorter than a surfboard and require that the rider lie flat on their stomach. There is not as much skill involved as in surfing, which allows people to take part in the sport more casually. Bodyboarding is a great option for people who want the thrill of extreme watersports but don’t have the time to perfect the technique of surfing.

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.

Should you buy a used surfboard? If you’re in the market for a new board and aren’t sure whether to go with a new or a used surfboard, here’s a pros and cons list to help you with your decision.

NEW SURFBOARDS:

Pros: They’re NEW, it’s exactly what you want, custom-made even, lasts longer

Cons: Very expensive, not recycling, waste of money if you don’t like it

USED SURFBOARDS:

Pros: Much cheaper, recycling, helping out a fellow surfer, good for beginners, try out different shape w/o buying new

Cons: Been used (up?), harder to find the right fit, might need to be repaired, might not last as long

There’s a reason Rusty surfboards are some of the best-selling and most-ridden boards in the world. Rusty Preisendorfer has been shaping boards since 1969. He helped to pioneer the use of epoxy as a mainstream material and continues to experiment with new materials as he shapes for the pros and the everyman.

Rusty boards come in every shape, size, dimension, and model you can imagine. Think of what you want in your next board and chances are Rusty has the board you’ve had in mind. Check out your local shop or the Rusty website next time you’re looking for a new ride.

There’s a lot of gear out there for every sport, hobby, and craft. No matter the activity, there are always gearheads to buy it up. What surf gear do you REALLY need for a successful surf session? A board, wetsuit, boots, and wax.

The basic necssities for the job are a surfboard and a wetsuit (and even the suit is optional in some southern waters). In our coastal Oregon waters, you also NEED booties. The minimum thickness required for your suit is 4/3mm and 3mm for boots.

Your board also NEEDS a little prep; wax. Best is a base coat, then cold or cool water wax, then a top coat. But, if you’re a minimalist, the cold/cool wax without top and bottom coats will suffice.

This winter has brought us plenty of big, burly waves and local tow surfing teams have enjoyed what the storms have delivered, but it won’t last forever! Summer will come before you know it, and weeks of flat or wind-sick surf will populate the calendar. If you are looking for a new skill to add to your surfing quiver, tow-in surfing lessons are available on the Oregon Coast. Springtime is one of the best times for towing into monster waves.

Since tow surfing is an extreme sport with relatively few experts in the field, it can be difficult to find someone trustworthy to learn from. In fact, there is only one certified instructor in Oregon. If you want to learn to do it right, and do it safely, sign up for a lesson from Dan H. at Ossie’s Surf Shop in Agate Beach. Now is the time, as the conditions will most likely continue to be good through the winter and on into early spring.

Ocean kayaks are one of the most fun and environmentally sound ways to explore our coastal waters and wildlife. But before heading out for the first time, it’s a good idea to go with someone who’s had experience. Make sure this person has been out plenty of times in the specific waters and the weather conditions you’ll be boating in. Whether you’re planning to paddle the bay, a river or creek, or the ocean itself, the tide changes and wind speed and direction will be important factors to pay attention to. An experienced guide can take you out for your first kayaking trip and show you the ropes for a relatively small cost, considering the valuable life-saving training you’ll be exposed to.

A guided trip is especially essential before renting kayaks to take visitors on a tour of our waters. You’d hate to needlessly endanger others, and wind up looking foolish just because you didn’t prepare yourself for the responsibility. Kayak rentals are a cheap, clean way to exercise and see the sights. Just make sure you know what you’re doing!

Every summer I take my family on a vacation to some exotic local around the world. This Christmas, our trip brought us to the Kona Coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. While my wife and I had no problem diving right into the pristine waters, my kids were constantly complaining about the cold ocean water.

After our first afternoon at the beach, it was evident that we would have to have to find some solution to this conundrum. We visited a local surf shop and were able to find some small kids wetsuits. The rest of the trip my kids were constantly begging to go to the beach and enjoy the surf, which my wife and I didn’t mind.