Skimming, skiff boarding and skimboarding is all one and the same thing
. Skim boarders use skim boards to surf and glide across the water. This is a smaller version of a surfboard. The thin wash of the beach is where the board is positioned. Momentum then causes the board to skim towards new breaking waves.
The momentum is then used to skim out towards new waves that are breaking, in a similar fashion to surfing. Flatland is a technique used by skimmers whereby they do tricks as one would on a skateboard. This may include shove-its and ollies.
There are many ways to ride your skim board. Inland skimming or flatland can be done on rivers and tide flats. Shallow water is needed for this purpose and distanced from any waves. Wet sand and shallow water are other places that you can glide over in order to get to the waves. Wave riding is a more advanced skill than skimming inland. Ramps, rails and tricks have made this more complicated. This is fast becoming par for the course for this exciting sport.
Before getting fancy with tricks like grinding the rail and wave riding, the basics have to be mastered. Starting is simple enough as you throw the board on the water, run, and jumps onto it while at the same time gliding on the water.
Novices should start out by practicing sand boarding. This is because it is relatively simple. Tricks are also done here. The wrap barrel or wrap is particularly impressive. Skimmers will head on towards the waves and once reaching the wave will be encased by the wave and change direction back towards the shore. In the case of the wrap barrel the skimmer would be farther inside the wave.
Side slipping is used to help a rider reach waves that are harder to reach. This allows the rider to a larger surface area and therefore he is less prone to sinking. Southern California is considered home to skimboarding, which is really done all over the world. Inland boards are made of woods and water boards of kevlar, carbon or fibreglass.