As much fun as I am having in Port Phillip Bay on my twin tip, I thought it was time for me to knuckle down and log some more time strapless.

I have been trying on my shortboard but am having trouble learning basics like switching feet, tacking and jibing because of the chop and dodging shallow sections. Also, my board has a very aggressive rocker so I am finding it hard to get any speed especially on those lighter wind days.

I was wondering if a skim would be a wise investment to help with learning these basics. Especially at Altona (which is my local for the next few months), there are some lovely flatwater shallows before hitting the waves, with lots of space for me to practice.

If it is a good idea, are there any particular skims which will give me a closer feel to a regular strapless board?

Out of curiosity, how do regular boards like a fish perform without fins for those super flat super shallow days? Im not expecting amazing performance, just enough to have a bit of fun.

Are they similar tacking to a finned surfboard? I imagine not so much due to having no fins to pivot around?

Im 181cm and 85 kg.

I had a look at North Whip and Naish Skater today. Both seem to be along the vein of what I am looking for.

Whip goes really good in small surf, maybe 5'8 for you? As does the Cab Skillit, which I used to own in a 5'6. Underground make some good looking shapes too. My favourite pop-out board so far is the BWS drifter 5'9 but this doubles as a paddle surfboard.

But yeah you could pretty much pick up any say 5'8 x 19 x 2.3 sized surfboard and it will go fine. I have a 5'9 which cost $100 and kites great, although it's in bad nick these days (in the for sale section for $40 not because I don't like it just beacuse I have too many boards)

I'm not as big as you and have ridden 5'0, 5'2, 5'6, 5'8 and 5'9 - short is good, but strapless riding gets easier with width so make sure the board has some width which carries through to the nose and tail. Flat rocker helps in small surf also.