Interview - Kayotics Skimboards

Kayotics is a flatland skimboard manufacturer based out of Vancouver, Canada. Kayotics has been very instrumental in progressing the flatland skim movement. Company founder John Minns tells us more in Inland Skimboarding’s interview with him.
Inland Skimboarding: Tell us a little about your company.
Kayotics Skimboards: Kayotics skimboards is my child. It was started in 2001 and has grown up to destroy the beaches all over North America. I began making skimboards as a side venture when i noticed the lack of good boards and also industry. Since then, everyone and their dog has been attempting to jump into the skimboard scene.
Inland Skimboarding: How did the name of your company originate? Is there any interesting story behind the name?
Kayotics Skimboards: I used to write Kayotics across desks in classes in high school .. I guess you could say it was a tag or graffiti and then i was trying to think of a name for my boards and I thought that it was perfect.
Inland Skimboarding: Where is Kayotics Skimboards located?
Kayotics Skimboards: Kayotics is home grown on the beaches of Boundary Bay in Vancouver Canada. I do Manufacturing out of Richmond/Vancouver but the address hasn't changed. Mail the same number same hood its all good.
Inland Skimboarding: How have you seen the skimboard market change over the years you have been in business?
Kayotics Skimboards: I think raising the bar for skimboarding is what has created the growth. People didn't think you could do anything on a skimboard before we started making power moves to show the world what is possible. We in Vancouver and the brothers in Sac have definitely started to turn heads. The only way you can make people pumped on your sport is when you can shock them with tricks or obstacles to really show them how far they can take it. If skimboarding only had 2 tricks to learn, people would treat it like skip rope or something lame that can't expand very far. I think it's really important for kids to see the potential because ultimately they are the ones trying to follow suit.
Inland Skimboarding: How long have you been making skimboards?
Kayotics Skimboards: I've been building for I guess, 7 or 8 years.
Inland Skimboarding: What is the difference between skimboards used for wave riding and skimboards for inland use?
Kayotics Skimboards: For the longest time it was just a difference between foam core and wood. Flatland skimming is still predominantly wood core, however some brands are starting to dabble with foam core boards. A foam/wave board is generally thicker and longer and is basically the look of a mini surf board. A more buoyant board is needed in order to get over the deeper water and make it out to the waves. A wood board needs more weight to it. Often times flatland riders throw their boards and chase it to get on, therefore it is imperative to have a board that carries well. I also believe that flatland skimboarding should resemble skateboarding more than surfing. In turn, I believe that the pricing should also mimic that market.
Inland Skimboarding: A lot of inland skimboarders start off on boards that they have made themselves. What are the advantages of moving to a professionally manufactured board?
Kayotics Skimboards: I highly encourage people to build there own weekend warrior boards. It gets people into the sport that may not ever get the addictive feeling of skimboarding because they don't want to spend 150-200 bucks on a pro board.
Inland Skimboarding: What makes a good inland skimboard?
Kayotics Skimboards: I personally look for and cater my boards to key in on the Rocker, shape, perfect amount of flex and slick bases for riding rails. Also weight is a big factor. Many people think that lighter is better and therefore foam is the answer. I disagree with that and feel that making a board that carries further with more weight to it is preferable.
Inland Skimboarding: Tell us about your inland skimboards.
Kayotics Skimboards: First off, inland skimboarding is the same as flatland. In my opinion flatland skimboarding covers all flatland riding, where as inland only defines the actual inland skim scenes. Therefore, to answer your question, we make flatland skimboards that taylor to all the needs of every scene; weather you're riding, inland or on the coast.
Kayotics skimboards manufactures high performance skimboards for the flatland/inland world. We make 4 shapes that take care of all weights and rider sizes.
Inland Skimboarding: Why should I buy a Kayotics skimboard?
Kayotics Skimboards: We are the most legit and core flatland brand in the game son..haha. We have been down since day one. Some companies run both wave and flatland boards, we only do flatland. This is what we know best and focus on. If you want to put the money in the hands of the creators and innovators, go with us. We also run with our slogan "skimboards and lifestyles" which started off meaning that we offered "skimboards and apparel" but it has grown way past that. It is now recognized that there is a lifestyle that goes with our skimboarding for every one of our team riders and our customers to follow. Skimboarding is fun because of all the trips, parties, girls, jokes, and all round adventure behind the whole sport. What Kayotics is basically saying is, while we can kill it on our boards, we also have attitude and style to go with it. Therefore, to answer your question, you're not buying into a lame brand, you're buying the best boards and the culture that Kayotics knows best. Spend a week with us up north and it will change your life, on and off the beach.
Inland Skimboarding: What makes your inland skimboards unique?
Kayotics Skimboards: Our boards are handcrafted by Canadian skimboarders. Our lemon shape is definitely a signature for us as having a distinct nose and tail makes for level popping but also for directional throwing.
Inland Skimboarding: What kind of testing/quality control do your boards go through?
Kayotics Skimboards: I have tested all my boards since day one and they are also passed around through the hands of most of our riders. Different bases and slicknesses can make a difference. On the actual production side, I'm usually there or have my guys inspect every board during the finishing part of our process, making sure there is no warping or blemishes.
Inland Skimboarding: Rails have become an integral part of inland skimboarding. As a result, boards take a fair amount of abuse. Talk a little bit about the challenge that presents when designing and building inland skimboards.
Kayotics Skimboards: I think that depending on your set up you shouldn't have too many problems with durability on rails. Boards get more warn down on the biggest piece of sand paper in the world... the beach. If you're building your rails right and mounting the board properly, you shouldn't be gauging the front of your board. Gauges do happen, but i feel like the longjevity of a skimboard should be equivalent to that of skateboards. Advanced skateboarders will go through dozens of skateboards where as, a beginner may only need one for 2 years. Skimboarding should follow suit with that, as the price ranges follow as well.
Inland Skimboarding: When you get feedback from inland riders, what positive things do you hear most often?
Kayotics Skimboards: How sick our boards are or how they can order one.
Inland Skimboarding: Where do you see the sport of skimboarding 10 years from now?
Kayotics Skimboards: I would like to be traveling to a lot more locations internationally. I think as we build and forefront the industry it's important to look at all the scenes developing globally so we don't cut ourselves short on the locations we travel to. I get a bit tired of the same spots so the things that really stoke me are new locations with new scenery to shoot photos and video at. Indoor parks are also something I would like to get happening as I've been dreaming of this since I was a kid. However this will require some major investors and at this time I really don't think anyone in the skimboarding industry has the bank roll to make something like that happen, not to the extent of what I'm looking to do anyways.
Inland Skimboarding: Do you see anything new on the horizon technology wise that will improve the next generation of inland skimboards?
Kayotics Skimboards: Again following a similar business model to skateboarding, I feel that keeping boards simple and cheap is a better alternative to putting more and more money into them. Plus, selling boards for over $300 starts to really narrow down your market. The reality is that even if you build a higher priced board, we will still be able to do the same tricks on a cheaper board. For a company to come along and drop a board like this, they would have to draw customers in by demonstrating never- before- seen tricks with their riders, thus proving the worth of the new technology.
Currently, I think the ultimate goal is implementing minor adjustments to the boards, without drastically changing the wholesale price.
Inland Skimboarding: Inland skimboarders often get called names, talked down to, and shown little respect from some wave skimboarders. Inland skimboarders are often told what they are doing is not “real” skimboarding. What is your view of the inland skimboarding scene?
Kayotics Skimboards: As far as I'm concerned Flatland skimboarding is its own industry. I could personally care less about how the wave riders feel about flatland but I also think that people are always going to hate different industries. We are starting to see a few more cross over riders these days which is starting to bridge the gap a bit more. I just think flatland as a whole is trailing behind because we really didn't get started til much after the wave industry.
Inland Skimboarding: As a board manufacturer, is there anything you can do, or are doing, to increase the respect for inland skimboarding?
Kayotics Skimboards: I ride for my own company and represent flatland skimboarding to the fullest. To keep the industry wheels in motion I'm always coming up with new tricks, obstacles and new events creating the spectacle that skimboarding needs.
Inland Skimboarding: What inland skimboarding events have you been involved with? Tell us about your experiences at those events.
Kayotics Skimboards: I've competed in every major event in north America and have placed 1st in all the biggest ones. In all honestly, that was a major goal of mine when I was younger, but now the bigger contests don't hold as much importance as they once did. I still enjoy hooking up with the road brothers that I've made over the years, but I am much more stoked on the more mellow scenes. I went to Louisiana to visit Sam Collette and skimmed in Mississippi with a start up scene. It is becoming more and more enjoyable to witness the progression of the scenes from the ground up.
I personally have been putting on Jamfests since 2001 and its the longest running flatland even in Canada. We missed jamfest 7 this year because of some permit issues, but we are definitely going to make it happen next year. Bank Statements was another huge achievement for me to show the public what was possible on a skimboard and what they can expect for the future.
Inland Skimboarding: Do you have any sponsored inland skimboarders? What does it take for an inland skimboarder to get sponsored by Kayotics?
Kayotics Skimboards: Yes we have lots of riders. Some are considered team riders and some are considered flow riders. Team riders travel a bit more and compete in contests etc. Flow riders are often times younger and i just make sure they have a board under their feet. In order to get sponsored, you obviously have to be able to shred incredibly well. We also love some attitude and style. If you can show that you can be pushing the Kayotics "skimboards and lifestyles" we're probably going to like you.

Thanks John, for a great interview. Find out more about Kayotics Skimboards by visiting their website at http://www.kayotics.com/

Interview - J-Gordon Skimboards

J-Gordon Skimboards have been making high performance ocean and inland wood skimboards since 1980. Find out a more about J-Gordon Skimboards in Inland Skimboarding’s interview with company founder Jim Gordon.

Inland Skimboarding: How did the name of your company originate? Is there any interesting story behind the name?
J-Gordon Skimboards: When I first made surfboards in the 60's, I didn't want to call my product Gordon surfboards because there was already Gordon & Smith surfboards. I knew that Gordon's first name on G&S was Larry, so I decided to use my initial J of my first name, Jim, along with my last name, Gordon. This is how I named my company.
I also manufactured skateboards back in the 70's, and under the J-Gordon label. Back then, I was the only
J-Gordon. In the 80's, the name expanded to include my wife, Janet, and our sons James and Jared.
Inland Skimboarding: Where is J-Gordon Skimboards located?
J-Gordon Skimboards: I was located in Santa Cruz, California but move up to Coos Bay, Oregon, 12 years ago. It's not as crowed here and the cost of living is much less than California. You can also find us at http://www.jgordonskimboards.com/.
Inland Skimboarding: How have you seen the skimboard market change over the years you have been in business?
J-Gordon Skimboards: More people knowing what skimboards are. There are many more manufacturers, especially from overseas. You now can buy skimboards at K-Mart ,Wal-Mart and Big-5 sport shops, which are mostly manufactured in China. Skimboarding has also changed with the usage of skimboards. The application just isn't for wave riders. Now skimmers are riding rails, kite riding and bunngie skimming.
Inland Skimboarding: How long have you been making skimboards?
J-Gordon Skimboards: I started manufacturing skimboards around 1980, but made them for myself years before that. I've been in the skimboard business for over 28 years.
Inland Skimboarding: What is the difference between skimboards used for wave riding and skimboards for inland use?
J-Gordon Skimboards: Skimboards for rails are usually twin tip (skateboard shape) and wave boards are more pointy (surfboard shape). Wave boards are larger than rail boards too.
Inland Skimboarding: What are the advantages of moving to a professionally manufactured board?
J-Gordon Skimboards: A professionally manufactured board should be from a company with years of experience. Experience in the industry, along with years of test riding, made with the best materials and utilization of skimboard designs and shapes makes for maximum performance.
Inland Skimboarding: What makes a good inland skimboard?
J-Gordon Skimboards: A board that is fast on the water, fast on rails with good flex and pop. Also, a board that's not too heavy, yet strong enough as not to snap on rails.
Inland Skimboarding: Tell us about your inland skimboards.
J-Gordon Skimboards: As far as I know, I have been making inland boards longer than anyone and was the first manufacturer to make a board with flex and pop. It seems everyone has tried to copy our boards but has failed. I guess this is because they lack experience. Like I said, I've been perfecting my boards for years, before most of you were born!
Inland Skimboarding: Why should I buy a J-Gordon Skimboard?
J-Gordon Skimboards: If you want a durable wood skimboard, you should consider buying a J-Gordon. Quality is number one with us. We don't mass produce our boards while other companies outsource their manufacturing overseas in order to make as much money as possible. All our boards are made by me and my two sons. We don't not use cheap, inferior materials in order to make a higher profit. We are happy making less boards so we can give you a board that we would want to own. Another reason to buy a J-Gordon is that people all the time tell us our boards are the best board they have ever ridden. Being in business for over 28 years, we must be doing something right.
Inland Skimboarding: What makes your inland skimboards unique?
J-Gordon Skimboards: Great flex and a lot of pop. (Much like a compound bow, it loads up and then the energy is released.)
Inland Skimboarding: What kind of testing/quality control do your boards go through?
J-Gordon Skimboards: We have a skim pit with rails to test new designs and shapes for better performance.We also test our boards at the beach. Input from team riders on new designs and materials is critical in testing our skimboards. As for quality control, we are a small family company. Each board is handmade buy a J-Gordon. As I said before, our name is on the line, and we stand behind our product. We don't stockpile our boards because when we come up with a new design, we manufacture it to the public right away. The board that you get is the same as our team riders use.
Inland Skimboarding: Talk a little bit about the challenge that presents when designing and building inland skimboards.
J-Gordon Skimboards: The challenges presented in making an inland skimboard is to withstand the abuse in riding rails. Rail skimmers are very hard on boards, this presents new challenges in design and construction. We do extensive test riding so we can anticipate what needs to be addressed.
Inland Skimboarding: When you get feedback from inland riders, what positive things do you hear most often?
J-Gordon Skimboards: People all the time tell us they like the flex, and durability of the board and how fast it is on rails or just flatland riding. Also, the high quality and workmanship of the boards.
Inland Skimboarding: Where do you see the sport of skimboarding 10 years from now?J-Gordon Skimboards: Growing bigger, and expanding, mainly in the middle states. More people making skim pits in their back yards.
Inland Skimboarding: Do you see anything new on the horizon technology wise that will improve the next generation of inland skimboards?
J-Gordon Skimboards: Not in basic construction of wood boards. Other companies have tried to make foam skims for rails, but they just don't work as good and just don't hold up. I think wood boards will stay around for a long time just like wood skateboards.
Inland Skimboarding: Inland skimboarders often get called names, talked down to, and shown little respect from some wave skimboarders. Inland skimboarders are often told what they are doing is not “real” skimboarding. What is your view of the inland skimboarding scene?
J-Gordon Skimboards: I think inland skimboarding is cool. I'm a wave rider myself, but my son likes rails. He is the test rider for rails, and I'm the test rider for waves. And yes, you can ride waves with a wood skim! At least our boards you can.
Inland Skimboarding: As a board manufacturer, is there anything you can do, or are doing, to increase the respect for inland skimboarding?
J-Gordon Skimboards: Show respect and just have fun skimming. Remember, you once were a beginner too. Also, I'm always on skimonline, a forum mainly for wave skimmers. They listen to me because I can talk waves or rails. I think they respect my opinion.
Inland Skimboarding: What inland skimboarding events have you been involved with? Tell us about your experiences at those events.
J-Gordon Skimboards: Throughout the years I have donated prizes (skimboards, T-shirts, hats, stickers and wax) for various skim contest. This year alone, J-Gordon has been a sponsored for over 6 contest.
Inland Skimboarding: Do you have any sponsored inland skimboarders? What does it take for an inland skimboarder to get sponsored by J-Gordon?
J-Gordon Skimboards: Yes, I have 2 in California, 1 in Canada, 2 in Michigan and 1 in Louisiana.
First, someone has to leave to make room for a new person to be sponsored. Unlike other companies, you don't need to win contests to be a team/test rider, just be good enough to give me feedback on new designs, your opinion on shapes, etc. Importantly, I don't like conceited jerks, and I must like you as a person.

Inland Skimboarding would like to thank J-Gordon Skimboards for taking the time to let us find out a little bit more about their company. Check them out at http://www.jgordonskimboards.com/

Skimboard Rail Building: Curved Kicker

Ready for you and your skimboard to fly. Build a kicker. The main idea is that you cut out the sides of the kicker in the shape you want from plywood. You then use 2x4’s to connect the sides together and support the kicker. Cut out a rectangle that is the width of your kicker and the length of the top. Since the top of the kicker is curved, use a piece of string to measure the curved length. Attach the rectangle to the top of the kicker. Because it is curved, soaking the top rectangle piece of plywood in water for several hours will help it bend easier. If the curve is dramatic, use a thinner piece of plywood for the top (3/8” or 1/4" thick) for easier bending. Now attach the pvc. For help on attaching the pvc, see this post on skimboard rails.







Now get out there with your skimboard and "kick" it!!!

Interview - DB Skimboards

DB Skimboards is an up and coming company out of Washington State putting out some sweet boards. Find out a little bit more about them, their boards, and everything they’re doing for the sport in Inland Skimboarding’s latest interview.

Inland Skimboarding: Tell us a little bit about DB Skimboards.
DB Skimboards: The company originated in 2003 when a group of friends decided to start making skimboards for themselves. The first boards were made in our basement. They were all hand painted and skimmed pretty well. We now have a manufacturing center where we make our boards. During this time we also started making some videos. Our first video "Low Tide" was made over the summer of 2004. Since then we have made 3 other video's that have been put out on DVD. Our newest video, "For the Moment", was our most ambitious project and turned our really well. It is definitely one of the best flatland skimboarding video's out there and by far has the best cinematography and is well edited. Check out the teaser for this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltIpwqrVwFY.

Inland Skimboarding: How did the name of your company originate? Is there any interesting story behind the name?
DB Skimboards: The name Dashboards Skimboards came from Dash Point which is the local skimboarding beach. DB is an abbreviation for Dashboards. We go by both Dashboards Skimboards as well as DB Skimboards.
Inland Skimboarding: Where is DB Skimboards located?
DB Skimboards: DB Skimboards is located in Tacoma Washington.
Inland Skimboarding: How have you seen the skimboard market change over the years you have been in business?
DB Skimboards: The flatland skimboard market is growing rapidly. Companies are taking it more seriously and better flatland specific boards are being produced. Flatland skimboarding has been progressing rapidly over the last couple of years. Some of the tricks that people are doing now a days are pretty amazing. Also, the build features (rails, boxes, etc) are getting larger and more gnarly.
Inland Skimboarding: How long have you been making skimboards?
DB Skimboards: DB Skimboards has been producing skimboards for 5 years now (quality since 2003).
Inland Skimboarding: What is the difference between skimboards used for wave riding and skimboards for inland use?
DB Skimboards: Inland (flatland) skimboards generally have a different shape and less rocker than wave boards. Also, flatland skimboards are generally bi-directional, meaning they are made to be ridden in either direction. Flatland skimboards are usually made of wood while wave skimboards are usually made with a composite structure. Wave boards are generally larger in size than flatland boards.
Inland Skimboarding: A lot of inland skimboarders start off on boards that they have made themselves. What are the advantages of moving to a professionally manufactured board?
DB Skimboarding: It is true that it is pretty easy to make a beginner inland skimboard yourself. Some of the advantages of buying a manufactured board is that they will ride better and go further than a homemade board. You can do much more advanced tricks on a manufactured board. DB Skimboards has gone through much testing to make the boards that we do today. They have the perfect rocker as well as some other features hard to achieve by making a board yourself. All our boards have a wear resistant base which will last longer and slide better than a wooden base with lacquer. Also, all DB Skimboards come with a full EVA traction foam top. DB Skimboards is constantly testing new ideas.
Inland Skimboarding: What makes a good inland skimboard?
DB Skimboarding: A good inland skimboard will have good pop, skim far, and have the perfect amount of flex.
Inland Skimboarding: Why should I buy a DB skimboard? (This is your chance to brag a bit)
DB Skimboarding: DB Skimboards are the best boards on the market. From our wear resistant base to our foam traction top we use the best quality materials to ensure the best quality board. Check out our videos and you'll see what's possible on these boards.
Inland Skimboarding: What makes your inland skimboards unique?
DB Skimboards: Our boards are unique in that we are one of the few flatland specific companies. They have been tested by our team of rider who help us ensure we are making the best boards. Also, we were the first company to have a traction foam top. The traction foam top gives you a nice cooshy ride with superior traction to wax. Also, you do not need to deal with the mess of wax.
Inland Skimboarding: What kind of testing/quality control do your boards go through?
DB Skimboarding: Our engineers and riders work together to test and make new boards. We are constantly testing new idea's. All our boards are quality tested before being shipped out.
Inland Skimboarding: Rails have become an integral part of inland skimboarding. Boards take quite a bit of abuse as a result. Talk a little bit about the challenge that presents when designing and building inland skimboards.
DB Skimboarding: Making a board that is durable to withstand the abuse of rails is difficult. Both the HPL and plastic base materials we use are tough to withstand use on rails. Both materials slide well on pvc. Our boards are made with hardwoods to help with ding resistance. No board is going to be completely bomb proof but we are working on some that are close. We had the balsa boards that came out in limited production this year. These boards featured a plastic sidewall to help with side impact dings. It also had a balsa wood core to reduce weight. Look out for a similar boards in 2009.
Inland Skimboarding: When you get feedback from inland riders, what positive things do you hear most often?
DB Skimboards: Everyone loves the foam top. It provides superior traction and a little coosh for your feet. Riders also like the rocker pattern of our boards. It helps them to pop high and travel far.
Inland Skimboarding: Where do you see the sport of skimboarding 10 years from now?
DB Skimboards: I see many more people getting into it. I don't think it's ever going to be huge but it will definitely grow.
Inland Skimboarding: Do you see anything new on the horizon technology wise that will improve the next generation of inland skimboards?
DB Skimboards: Check out our Balsa board from this year and similar boards in the future.
Inland Skimboarding: Inland skimboarders often get called names, talked down to, and shown little respect from some wave skimboarders. Inland skimboarders are often told what they are doing is not “real” skimboarding. What is your view of the inland skimboarding scene?
DB Skimboards: Everyone on the DB team as well as everyone working for the company is passionate about inland skimboarding. We all have fun with it and don't really care what the wave riders think.
Inland Skimboarding: As a board manufacturer, is there anything you can do, or are doing, to increase the respect for inland skimboarding?
DB Skimboards: We are making legit video's that showcase the talent of flatland skimboard riders. Check out the teaser for our last video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltIpwqrVwFY. I think that is the best think we are doing to get the sport more recognized. Also, we show respect for wave skimboards and others at the beach.
Inland Skimboardings: What inland skimboarding events have you been involved with? Tell us about your experiences at those events.
DB Skimboards: We have put on a contest at Dash Point State Park for 5 years now. Every year it gets bigger and better. This year we had about 60 competitors and hundreds of spectators. People came from all over the west coast. This is one of the biggest and best flatland contests of the year.
We also put on the Chambers Creek Throwdown. This year was our second year putting on that event. This event is smaller and showcases more local riders. We hope for it to grow bigger in the coming years. Chambers Creek definitely has a different scene than Dash Point so it is cool to put on two different events with different conditions.
Inland Skimboarding: Do you have any sponsored inland skimboarders? What does it take for an inland skimboarder to get sponsored by DB?
DB Skimboards: We do have a skimboard team. We currently have 7 sponsored riders. To get sponsored by us you need to be a dedicated rider who has talent. We like to see some good contest results as well as some video of the rider. Feel free to email us with your sponsorship videos.

Thanks DB for a great interview. Check out their website at http://www.dbskimboards.com/

Skimboard Rail Building: Up Rail

Ready to build a skimboard rail? Here we go. The main idea is to cut out the sides of the skimboard rail in the shape you want from plywood. Use 2x4’s to connect the sides together and support the rail. Cut out a rectangle that is the width of your rail and the length of the top. Attach the rectangle to the top of the rail. Now attach the pvc. For help on attaching the pvc, see this post on skimboard rails .

The following 6’ x 1’ x 1’ up rail can be built from
1 – 4’x 8’x 1/2” piece of plywood ($12.33 each at Home Depot)
2 – 2”x 4”x 8’ ($1.68 each at Home Depot)
3 – 10’x 1/2” pvc pipes ($1.43 each at Home Depot)

Total Cost = $19.98 (You will still need to purchase some screws to get it all put together)


Now get your skimboard and get out there!