Skim boards have been around for a long time now. Mostly, they are used by young children hurtling themselves towards the shore brake on the beach. These adventures are known to end up with mouth and butts full of sand. There are professionals, who can catch, and ride a wave all from running on the shore. A normal skim ride lasts a matter of seconds. Kite skim boarding, in contrast, is a continual ride for as long as you like. Lets explore South Padre Islands kite skim board scene and see how it measures up.
Normal skim boarding can be done on the surf, flat-water, or behind a boat. The average ride lasts a few seconds, and you usually eat some sand at some point. The boards are light and they carry in high wind which is not great for a wind needy sport. They are of poor quality and break easily. You have to run to start, then you jump and try to land on the board. You hope that there is enough water under the board to glide and not stick, and that you land evenly on the board so you don’t fall off. Sounds great. If you practice you can get good in a few days time and really have some cheap and easy fun.
Now lets look at kite skim boarding on South Padre Island. Kites have access to all the same locations as regular skimmers do and more. By using a kite and a skim board you have total access to the waters surrounding the island. Many areas of the island are flood plains and canals that are to shallow for conventional kite boards, but the skim board operates in just an inch of water and can access the shallow areas where migratory birds roost and nest by the thousands. Then you can cruise out to the deep water and be able to ride back upwind or downwind to your destination. If you fancy the surf then the kite allows you to catch more waves. The skim board is a great piece of gear to add to your arsenal for another reason besides its ability to go shallow. Because they are so wide, and without fins or straps they boards are able to operate in the least amount of wind. Keeping one of these boards handy will allow those sessions when the wind is to light otherwise. Its pretty much the ultimate in light wind specialty gear. But you can take it out in heavy winds for a new feel. In review both sports are fun. But add a kite to the equipment and your options at least double any day of the week.