Patent ID: 7628412

Claim:
A kicktail skateboard comprising: a blank having opposite end sections and top and bottom surfaces, the end sections terminating in respective convex end edges, at least one of the end sections having a top recess formed in the top surface and a bottom recess formed in the bottom surface, wherein the one end section has a portion of reduced thickness defined by the top and bottom recesses, and a replaceable element including an upwardly facing side and a downwardly facing side spaced apart by a bridging portion, wherein the element has a generally U-shaped cross section and receives the reduced thickness portion such that the upwardly facing side and the downwardly facing side of the element are situated in the top and bottom recesses, respectively, wherein the upwardly facing side is substantially flush with the adjoining section of the top surface and the downwardly facing side is substantially flush with the adjoining section of the bottom surface, the bridging portion including a concave surface facing the convex surface of the blank's end edge, the element formed of a material having a lower mechanical damping capacity and higher modulus of elasticity than the blank, the downwardly facing side and the adjoining bottom surface section being unobstructed in the downward direction of the skateboard and exposed for directly contacting a skateboard-supporting surface during the performance of ollie maneuvers and sliding maneuvers of the skateboard.