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"The king of the castle\u2014Todd Vander Pluym, winner of nearly 200 sand-sculpting competitions\u2014shares his trade secrets.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTest the sand. Squeeze wet sand and roll it back and forth in your hand. If it stays together, it\u2019s good sand. If it falls apart, \u201Cyou\u2019re in the wrong spot\u2014or on the wrong beach,\u201D says Vander Pluym.\r\n\r\nBuild a base. Make a circular wall out of dry sand, 6 inches high and 3 feet wide. Add 2 inches of water to circle, then 2 inches of sand. Tamp until water drains. Add dry sand to wall and repeat layering, angling inward to form 18-inch mound.\r\n\r\nConstruct towers. Place a bucket, with the bottom cut out, handle side down on the mound. Alternate layers of sand and water in the bucket, 2 inches at a time, tamping as you go, finishing with water.\r\n\r\nPerform lift-off. Have one person tap the bucket to release sand right before another one lifts it straight up. Repeat process for more towers, and remove loose sand from around the mound.\r\n\r\nAdd details. Use an offset spatula to square off towers and make stairs; a funnel for roofs; a melon baller for corbels; and a disposable knife for arrow slits\u2014\u201Ca neat little detail that makes a castle look like a castle.\u201D\r\n\r\nVander Pluym\u2019s Redondo Beach\u2013based company, Sand Sculptors International, offers lessons and a how-to DVD, Sandcastles for Everyone;&nbsp;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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