I hate to be negative, and you have to consider the source (I found this link on kitesnowboard.com), but these videos make the Skimbat look pretty dull:
http://www.americanwindsurfer.com/html/skimbat.html
Randy, please tell us that riding the skimbat is much more interesting than what these videos make it look like...
-Coach
Skimbat? I don't know about that...
Moderator: MK
Skimbat? I don't know about that...
Last edited by Coach on Sat Jun 07, 2003 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Jim Garrigan
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 6:13 pm
Skimbatting
I've had a Skimbat for about a year and could be found on Minnetonka nearly every weekend last winter. They are great and very fast and fun. I found that with our early snowless winter, the Skimbatting was unreal on the nice ice we had. Once the snow came, I transitioned from skates to snowblades and had a blast. On really windy days, you can go to full sized skis and have a good time too. I'm not sure what video you saw that made it look not so fun, but I'd disagree. It's a lot of fun. With the kickers that were built out at Kite Island, you could get some really good air if you wanted. I highly recommend the Skimbat and would love to see more out there. They're pretty hard to get. If you want, contact Dave Petty in Austin, TX (thekitedude@aol.com) and he could set you up with one. Ping me directly at: Garrigan@visi.com if you want anything else--I'm happy to help! They're great!
Skimbat
I have to honestly say I've had my most fun 'winter sailing' with this contraption. Since the early '80's I think I've tried damn near everything that's been invented and I'm convinced that every year someone will once again contact me about 'their' unique invention.
I know it's wrong to compare, and all of these devices offer a ton of fun. I think many of you know my thoughts about doing spectacular aerials over hard surfaces, and I suspect this comes from my age, but the two main things I like about the Skimbat are the 'non-attached rig' and the safety in having my wing next to my body on those 'big' winter days. For me kiting's great in light to moderate winds, but once the wind gets over 30MPH surface level, putting a wing 100' up in the air around here just doesn't feel right. And this is where the Skimbat comes into its own for me.
It's very accessible. Anyone can learn how to do it on skiis, snowboard, rollerblades, ice skates.. Being able to throw the rig around without having it attached to the board is a great sensation...sometimes much for freeing than what I get on a windsurfer.
In reply to what something "looks like" from a video, I'd have to say the vehicle we chose and our decision to stay with it or not can only come from 'listening to our heart'. The Skimbat puts me in that zone in a way few other instruments have and until you've had a powder day in 30MPH winds, I'd hold off judging it...or until you've had a 30MPH ice day, I'd hold of judging...actually...I've found it best to just hold of judging any of our riding choices and give them the openness to expanding our riding. They're as unique and varied as we are, and only as 'good' as we let them become. Just watch Henry Wiznewski perform magic on a fifteen year old board...yea, I know, bad for business, but not for Riding.
As for why we don't see more Skimbats, they're expensive and the dealer can't make any money with it. The inventor wants an unrealistic royalty and I'm convinced once we could get them down from $800+ t o $400, we would see a lot more on our lakes... for now the kites hit the price point and thrill factor much better, I agree. By the way, they can be ordered through The House, but as most of you know, efficient bartering with the distributor could get you a better price than what we pay for it...consequently, we really haven't pursued it....too bad, but just the way it is.
I know it's wrong to compare, and all of these devices offer a ton of fun. I think many of you know my thoughts about doing spectacular aerials over hard surfaces, and I suspect this comes from my age, but the two main things I like about the Skimbat are the 'non-attached rig' and the safety in having my wing next to my body on those 'big' winter days. For me kiting's great in light to moderate winds, but once the wind gets over 30MPH surface level, putting a wing 100' up in the air around here just doesn't feel right. And this is where the Skimbat comes into its own for me.
It's very accessible. Anyone can learn how to do it on skiis, snowboard, rollerblades, ice skates.. Being able to throw the rig around without having it attached to the board is a great sensation...sometimes much for freeing than what I get on a windsurfer.
In reply to what something "looks like" from a video, I'd have to say the vehicle we chose and our decision to stay with it or not can only come from 'listening to our heart'. The Skimbat puts me in that zone in a way few other instruments have and until you've had a powder day in 30MPH winds, I'd hold off judging it...or until you've had a 30MPH ice day, I'd hold of judging...actually...I've found it best to just hold of judging any of our riding choices and give them the openness to expanding our riding. They're as unique and varied as we are, and only as 'good' as we let them become. Just watch Henry Wiznewski perform magic on a fifteen year old board...yea, I know, bad for business, but not for Riding.
As for why we don't see more Skimbats, they're expensive and the dealer can't make any money with it. The inventor wants an unrealistic royalty and I'm convinced once we could get them down from $800+ t o $400, we would see a lot more on our lakes... for now the kites hit the price point and thrill factor much better, I agree. By the way, they can be ordered through The House, but as most of you know, efficient bartering with the distributor could get you a better price than what we pay for it...consequently, we really haven't pursued it....too bad, but just the way it is.
Ride...just be it!
www.just-be-it.com
www.just-be-it.com
I'm glad to hear that you guys have had good experiences with the skimbat. Too bad the inventor doesn't realize he needs to make the licensing attractive for the device to be competitively priced.
Those videos didn't seem to exude the excitement of riding a skimbat. Maybe some audio of the riders hootin' and a hollerin' would have helped.
They tried to make it look more like a cool-guy snowboarder video.
-Coach
Those videos didn't seem to exude the excitement of riding a skimbat. Maybe some audio of the riders hootin' and a hollerin' would have helped.
They tried to make it look more like a cool-guy snowboarder video.-Coach