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Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

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Larry Pinta
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Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby Larry Pinta » Mon Aug 17, 2015 2:11 am

I have a 5'5" North Nuggett that I use as my LW board but I just purchased a 5"2' Vanguard. Wondering if I could use a skimboard as my LW board and go without the Nuggett?

I have never ridden a skim board and I ride 12/9/7 kites.

Thanks in advance

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby Bushflyr » Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:06 am

Read up over on losethestraps.com. Those guys are the skim gods.

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laz
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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby laz » Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:09 am

Yes you can. The skimboard is the ultimate lightwind board. Just make sure you get a large enough skimboard for example the Zap Pro Large is great. Avoid the carbon fiber skimboards or super high end models as they are too stiff for kiting. The kite specific models are great too.

I ride my Zap Pro Large for lightwinds and for fun in small waves/medium wind. Even in light wind I will be shooting upwind. One thing I will tell you is that it takes a lot of practice to get down kite skimboarding and figure out how to edge, etc. At first you will be slipping all over the place be sure not to get discouraged early on as it is a very fun addition to kiteboarding once you get good on it.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby Bushflyr » Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:44 am

Why do you say the carbon models are too stiff for kiting? I would think a stiffer board would plane better in light wind. I'm going back and forth right now between building an alaia or a skim to go with my 5.4 Vanguard on the low end.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby Larry Pinta » Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:48 am

I have the Slingshot SCUD which I picked up at a swap in Hood River

http://www.kiteboardinguk.com/acatalog/ ... _2011.html

Hope it might work.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby laz » Mon Aug 17, 2015 5:54 am

I had a carbon skim and it was too much bouncing around on all the chop/waves. You want a little flex for kite skimboarding unless you have butter flat water.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby bigtone667 » Mon Aug 17, 2015 11:26 am

Larry Pinta wrote:I have the Slingshot SCUD which I picked up at a swap in Hood River

http://www.kiteboardinguk.com/acatalog/ ... _2011.html

Hope it might work.
I have the slingshot scud and the north nugget, and the slingshot scud will certainly go in less wind than the nugget. It will require better balance and not as much back foot to make it work, but they are a lot of fun. Just don't push to hard until you get a big edge buried hard in the water.

There were two sizes in the slingshot scud range and unfortunately I had the smaller size, so I eventually purchased the largest Victoria skim board I could find (and cheapest). I drill two holes and added the little slingshot fin.

It's my number two light wind board after my 23 inch wide fish surfboard.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby Bletti » Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:30 pm

I recently got a Shinnster for lw and it's very fun and versatile! With the fins it grips upwind like crazy. Without the fins it's loose and skatey. Almost like riding a snowboard in powder.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby snowflake » Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:50 pm

I think you will lose a little bit on the low end depending on the conditions. With a decent LW kite you can ride the nugget around 6-8 knots. A normal sized skim will start going around 8-10.

In flat water the difference will be small but in choppy water you have to edge a skim harder (smaller or no fins) which gives you less surface in the water. The nugget can be ridden relatively flat while you go upwind via the four relatively big fins. It will be outperformed by (free-)raceboards (massive fins) and foils though.

I have a Liquid Force Twin Skim http://liquidforcekites.com/old/archive ... twin-skim/

Due to the small size, round outline and the non existent fins it gets going pretty late for a skim but it is a lot of fun to ride. I will soon get myself a 5'2'' Nugget TT for increasing my lowend.

You could also try a massive sized Alaia shape but I have no experience with those. You will have the same problems as described above in choppy water. The Paipo/Shinnster has quite some rocker, which makes it fun as soon as the wind picks up, but I would not consider it as a dedicated LW board.

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Re: Could I replace my LW North Nugget with a skim board?

Postby windfreak » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:08 pm

I own a nugget and i bought 2years ago ,a cheap skimboard to practice little moves in shallow water ,it s a fun toy but it will never replace my nugget ! My advice is buy a cheap one and Add it to your quiver ! :thumb:


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