words by Tandy Versyp

photos by Trey Reckling

As skimboarders competed in the 2nd annual Tybee Island Takeover on Saturday June 19, a semi-drunk beach bum called out, “I didn’t even know they had a competition for that!” This year it was the largest skimboarding competition yet, with twenty-five competitors.

Skimboarding is a hybrid of surfing and skateboarding. The sport has taken off on beaches where waves, as local skimmer Jonathan Yoho said, are almost nonexistent or where shark attacks prevent surfing. The boards are shorter, fatter cousins of surfboards and are used to skim across small breaking waves along the shore.

Brad Allison, a Savannah native and judge for the Takeover, started the competitive skimboarding scene on Tybee seven years ago. Allison and cohort Austin Keen were 14-years-old at the time. The boys didn’t even have driver’s licenses, but they did have the gumption to acquire sponsors for the 17th Skreet Bros. Skimboarding Contest. The sponsors, skiminvasion.com, Exile Skimboards and Forever Skim Magazine are important players in the skimboarding world. The name of the competition may have changed to the Tybee Island Takeover, but it’s still a progressive event creating a community among local skimmers.

NYB talked with some of these locals at the competition and documented their take on the sport of skimboarding. Read their reactions below.

“I’m not sure what has contributed to the success of the competition,” said Allison, wearing a large-brimmed meet-cute hat. “I—”

“Boobs,” interrupted Tad Mask, a travel writer for skiminvasion.com and Apex Skimboards. “Of course it’s the boobs.”

Allison laughed. “That couldn’t hurt, but no, it’s nice to see people come out and enjoy the beach. I guess the success comes from the fact that skimboarding is just fun, and more people are realizing that.”

Toby Sanders, a recent graduate from UGA, took home first place in the Adult Men’s category. “Winning is a bonus,” he said. “But it’s just what I do to have fun.”

Jonathan Yoho started skimboarding only a year and half ago and won 2nd place in the Junior Men’s category. “Of course I’ll come back next year. I skim because there’s no waves on Tybee, and it’s close to my house,” he said, laughing.

Frank Hastings, the event director for the Takeover, grew up skimming on Ft. Walton Beach. “Skimboarding is a small scene, and it’s definitely worth promoting in beaches where surfing isn’t possible.”

For a more in-depth look at monkey crawling, throwing suitcases and ridin’ a fifty-yard liner, Allison and the now Pro Exile skimmer Keen will be holding a weeklong camp July 6-9 on Tybee. If you’re interested but are intimidated by these pictures of young muscular dudes, forget it. Young, old, male, female are all welcome. For more information, click here, or contact Brad Allison (912-224-4731) or Austin Keen (912-604-6379).