We get a lot of questions asking how to catch a good wave. Catching that perfect wave can be one of the most challenging feats in skimboarding. It is also the most rewarding and the biggest rush in skimboarding. Surfers and skimboarders are always talking about catching that "perfect wave". If you haven't experienced that perfect wave then it's very hard to imagine what it's like and why boarders spend every free minute they have just trying to catch those perfect waves.
We're going to help you and teach you how to catch that awesome wave in the simplest terms we can.
You'll need a wave that you can number #1-reach, and number #2 -turn off of, or catch some air off of it. To get help with your speed as you go over into the deeper water, try a maneuver we call side-slipping. This involves turning the board sideways as you go over the flat areas of the water this should make you lose speed at a much slower rate. As you're approaching the wave, you'll need to start your turn by putting your weight to your back inside/outside rail of the board depending on which way you're going.
To slow your speed down, try using the side rail more towards the middle of the board, instead of the back rail. This is much harder than you would think though, it requires much more practice and skill, and it gives you less direct control over the wave. As you're going up the face of the wave, you can turn off of it and come back down the other side towards shore. Eventually you may try aerials, grabs, and other tricks that skimboarders love to do. Make sure to kick the tail of your board out hard at the top of the wave as it starts to crest over to change directions and to get a good spraying effect going. This is all a detailed explanation of something that can be very complicated. Every beach, wave, sand texture, board, person, and condition is different. In order to master this it just takes practice and careful reading of these instructions.
Don't give up, practice makes perfect.
Thanks,
Jason Fackrell
Jason Fackrell
