Jack's Surfboards carries skimboards from Victoria and Morey. The Victoria Woody is a hand-built wood skimboard with a tough fiberglass bottom, made for learning to run, drop and slide along the shoreline, in sizes for kids through adults. Morey's foam and EVA skimboards are light, grippy and a great first board for the beach. Prices run from about $48 to $160.
What size skimboard should I buy?
Go by your weight. A board that's too small sinks before you get a good slide, and one that's too big is hard to control. Victoria's size chart for the Woody:
| Size |
Rider weight |
Board size |
| XS |
30 to 85 lbs |
35.2" x 17.8" |
| S |
65 to 110 lbs |
36.5" x 18.5" |
| M |
110 to 140 lbs |
38.1" x 19.3" |
| ML |
120 to 190 lbs |
39.7" x 20.1" |
| L |
150 to 200 lbs |
41.6" x 21.3" |
| XL |
180 to 220 lbs |
43.8" x 22.2" |
Are there different types of skimboards?
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Wood: the classic flatland board for sliding along the shoreline. The Victoria Woody has a Russian birch core and a fiberglass bottom, and Victoria says cheaper pop-out wood boards tend to warp.
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Foam and EVA: light, soft and grippy, like Morey's fishtail skimboards. Easy to carry and forgiving for kids.
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Foam and fiberglass or carbon: lighter, stiffer performance boards for riding out into the shorebreak and catching waves.
Skimboarding's home is right down the coast
Modern skimboarding took off in Laguna Beach, where steep beaches and shorebreak made it the perfect proving ground. Tex Haines and Peter Prietto started Victoria Skimboards there in 1976, naming it after Laguna's Victoria Beach, and the Vic Skimboarding World Championship has run at Aliso Beach ever since.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good beginner skimboard?
A wood board like the Victoria Woody, which is built for learning to run, drop and slide, or a light foam board like Morey's. Pick the size that matches your weight.
How much does a decent skimboard cost?
At Jack's, foam and EVA skimboards from Morey run about $48 to $60, and the Victoria Woody, a hand-built wood board with a fiberglass bottom, is about $160.
Are fiberglass skimboards better than wood?
For riding waves, yes. Foam and fiberglass boards are lighter and more buoyant. For learning and flatland sliding, a wood board with a fiberglass bottom, like the Victoria Woody, is tough and slides a long way.
Is skimboarding harder than surfing?
It's different. Getting your first slide is quick, but timing your run, drop and jump onto a moving board takes practice, and riding into the shorebreak takes real skill. Plenty of surfers find it harder than it looks.
Is skimboarding the same as boogie boarding?
No. You ride a boogie board lying down in the waves. A skimboard is a thin, finless board you run with, drop onto the wet sand and ride standing up, sliding out to meet the waves near shore.
Do you wax a skimboard?
Wax the top, never the bottom. Wood and fiberglass skimboards need wax on the deck for grip. Foam and EVA boards like Morey's usually have enough grip on their own.
What is an adult size skimboard?
Most adults ride a medium-large to extra-large board. On Victoria's chart, that's about 39.7" to 43.8" long for riders 120 to 220 lbs.
Where can I buy a skimboard near me?
At our six Southern California shops in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Dana Point, Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica. Skimboard stock is limited, so call ahead or order online.
