Local brothers grow unique sport in Cape Fear

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — When you head out to the beach, you’ll most likely find someone surfing, paddleboarding, or kiteboarding, but one sport you might see more often now is skimboarding.

It’s actually an older sport that is getting a lot of new attention, especially here in our area.

“Skimboarding is basically the act of surfing the shore break and adding skateboard maneuvers and airs into the wave,” skimboarder Will Buchanan said.

Skimboarding is a board sport you might not be too familiar with, but brothers Will and Matt Buchanan are no strangers. They started in Kure Beach when they were just kids.

Will said, “We started by riding on little tiny wooden boards just going across the sand.”

It was skimboarders like Keith Fanning, Kyle Holt, and Scooter Hays who paved the way for guys like the Buchanans to catch on to the sport in the area.

“I saw actually Kyle Holt skimboarding right in the middle between the Kure Beach pier and another access, and that was the first time I really saw someone ride a wave and do tricks, and it was really amazing to watch, and since then I’ve been hooked,” Will said.

Their passion has grown over the years leading them to compete across North America. Most recently, they competed in the Outer Banks and Florida.

For the past few years, Will and Matt have held a skim school at area beaches.

“It’s progressing each year with new people, and we always have the local kids who come out, so it’s very cool to see the next generation and just see how good they are becoming,” Will said.

Matt is currently the president of the UNCW Skim Club. He says their Facebook page help build the skimboarding community within the Cape Fear.

“You post on there and hopefully people see where you are going out,” Matt said. “All you say is, ‘Hey, I’m going to skim the south end in Wrightsville Beach,’ and occasionally people will just come and meet you out there, it’s pretty cool.”

Unlike surfing, where you need bigger waves, you can skim during most conditions. That’s why the guys say more people are trying it out.

“It just really gives you a chance to do something different,” Will said.

In 2017, Will says there will be a Pro-Am skimboarding competition held in Kure Beach.