Downhilling Dinghies: The New Professional Standard

For some reason, the author put Caguamas on a Dinghy — Pure. Speed.

For some time now, downhill racers have realized that smaller decks, smaller trucks, and wide wheels is the right setup to head down a hill quickly. It gives riders ultimate control. Push your board to its limits, gain delicate mastery of your deck, and execute perfect slides. Longboarders have been creating ultra-fast lightweight, small setups. Pros are asking themselves, “We went narrower, but why’d we even make these boards long to begin with?” Every year they buy the latest smaller deck, only to wish it was even narrower, but what if it could be shorter too? If narrower makes you faster, why not shorter? Why not ride the smallest, most nimble platform you can get your hands on?

Now professionals have found the answer that was in front of them the whole time.

Here’s why the fastest professional downhillers are reaching for the Dinghy for more than running to the corner store.

Downhill Dinghy

“So, I was heading to the corner store for some Doritos and Mountain Dew and I was like, why don’t I go down the other block? Well. That other block? It was downhill! I was on my Dinghy, what was I to do? I was already halfway down before I realized I wasn’t on my normal deck and was doing 60MPH on my Dinghy. Sixty! How did I even get so fast in a block? So, yeah, I bombed that hill. Must have broken a speed record. That’s when I realized, Dinghies were the future of downhill, nothing’s this fast.”

– Account from a professional downhiller

It makes sense, doesn’t it? Narrow trucks, wide wheels, and a tail for putting your back foot into the right angle for a perfectly aerodynamic tuck? It’s perfect. Do you know what else has a flipped up part in the back? Race cars. Spoiler alert: it’s for speed.

Not Just a Cruiser

Someone seeming to try to tuck on very small skateboards — Why use a lot of deck when a little deck will do? Sorry, Gaia, it’s the Day of the Dinghy!

The Dinghy is beloved by experience skaters for a go-anywhere deck. Big soft cruiser wheels, nimble trucks, a kicktail, and a size that you can bring anywhere? It’s perfect for visiting friends, going to bars, grabbing snacks, and more. But “conventional wisdom”* told us that short wheelbases and narrow TKP trucks weren’t for downhill. However, after a few bold runs, riders have realized small cruisers like the Dinghy are perfect for downhill. It’s the conclusion to our goals of making smaller, narrower, and faster setups. Or is it?

Some pros are already practicing on 22-inch Penny Boards, stating, “We can go smaller, can’t we?” One pro secretly told us he was looking into the Urskog Frö. “Swedish speed,” he whispered, leaning closer, “Swedish speed.” He closed his eyes and nodded, sitting back in his chair. Another said, “What if the answer isn’t even skateboards?” She was holding a sneaker that seemed to be hiding a wheel in its heel, staring at it, contemplatively.

As for me? I like nimble setups, but I think I’ll stick to something with a slightly longer wheelbase, maybe a bit more width too. I’m still riding reverse kingpin trucks with larger wheels, stuff like that. I’m just not ready for the pros. Not yet, anyway.