Skimboard
Date1960s
Object number00033574
NameSkimboard
MediumPlywood, paint
DimensionsOverall: 600 x 600 x 10 mm, 1.42 kg
ClassificationsToys, games and souvenirs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionMade in Australia in the 1960s, this plywood skimboard bears a Skim board logo and a two black printed feet. Skimboards made from thin plywood enjoyed popularity, particularly with children, throughout this period. Used in the shallows of a shore break, they allowed the rider to skim along the sand in shallow water to give a skidding ride.HistorySkimboards were first used in the 1920s when Californian lifeguards from Laguna Beach used pieces of wood to skim the waves as they hit the shore. In Australia Skimboards were originally known as skiffle boards and were popular with children at flatwater beach areas such as Port Phillip Bay in Victoria and St Vincent's Gulfin South Australia. They were often made at home, though production boards were also available. These were usually tougher, heavier and more decorative. More recent designs are made from fibreglass and foam and are an oval or tear drop shape.SignificanceThis skimboard is representative of Australian made plywood designs from the first half of the 20th century up until the 1960s.
1920s - 1930s