SKIM MAGAZINE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1999 IN LAGUNA BEACH. THE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, BUTCH MC INTOSH, IS A LIFE LONG SKIMBOARDER (AND AT THAT TIME ALSO AN EMPLOYEE OF VICTORIA SKIMBOARDS). BUTCH WASN'T THE ONLY ONE TO FEEL THE VOID AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THE FIRST MAGAZINE ON THE SPORT IN THE EARLY 90'S. WHILE WORKING AT VICTORIA SKIMBOARDS, BUTCH WOULD ROUTINELY FIELD CALLS FROM AROUND THE U.S. AND ABROAD FROM PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OLD MAGAZINE OR IF THERE WAS A NEW ONE. ONE DAY AFTER A CONVERSATION WITH TEX (OWNER OF VICTORIA SKIMBOARDS AND ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE FIRST MAGAZINE ON THE SPORT) AND DURING A TRIP TO THE WEDGE WITH BILL BRYAN, BUTCH WAS SOLD ON THE IDEA OF A NEW MAG. "WHEN I WENT TO THE WEDGE WITH BILL THAT ONE DAY, I WILL NEVER FORGET IT, I SAW BILL DO THINGS THAT WERE SO ABSURD, IT REALLY FREAKED ME OUT THAT FEATS LIKE THIS WERE GOING UNNOTICED AND UN-RESPECTED"
BUTCH, AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MAJOR WITH NO MAGAZINE OR PUBLISHING EXPERIENCE AT ALL, PLUNGED HEAD FIRST INTO THE REVIVAL OF THE SKIM MAG. THIS WAS AND STILL IS NO EASY TASK. IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OF SERIOUS TRIAL AND ERROR TO GET THAT FIRST ISSUE OUT. "I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TAKE PHOTOS. I JUST WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A CAMERA, GOT SOME POINTERS ON PHOTOGRAPHY FROM BILL AND STARTED SHOOTING. AT THAT TIME NOBODY WAS TAKING PHOTOS OF SKIMMING AND DIGITAL CAMERAS DIDN'T EXIST, SO I HAD TO SHOOT IT ALL. IT GOT REAL EXPENSIVE REAL FAST. THANK GOD FOR THE DIGI CAM." ON TOP OF THAT, BUTCH HAD NO PUBLICATION EXPERIENCE AND LEARNED MAGAZINE LAYOUT ON THE FLY WITH THE HELP FROM HIS FRIEND LISA JOHNSON.
SINCE THEN THE SPORT AND MAGAZINE HAVE BOTH ENJOYED STEADY GROWTH, AND BOTH HAVE CHANGED GREATLY. THE MAGAZINE CONTINUES TO BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL WITH EACH ISSUE. AND THE SPORT, WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE NO BOUNDS, CONTINUES TO DROP JAWS AROUND THE WORLD.
