Is wakeboarding hard?

[ThreeMileBayWaker]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

For a beginner - Continuous rocker wakeboard, removable fins are a plus. There are several decent boards in the iboats store that won't cost an arm and a leg. Obviously you'll want an open toe binding which will allow a few seasons of use, stay away from a closed toe for now. Wake skate is a whole other ball game and requires more skill as your feet are not bound to the board.

Skiing maybe easier for them to learn how to get up.

 

[mxfever]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Have a look here. http://waterski.about.com/cs/wakeboardandboot/bb/buy-wakeboard.htm

There is a lot of termonology in wakeboarding that can sound foriegn to someone that's new to the sport.

 

[produceguy]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Have a look here. http://waterski.about.com/cs/wakeboardandboot/bb/buy-wakeboard.htm

There is a lot of termonology in wakeboarding that can sound foriegn to someone that's new to the sport.

Great site, Thanks.

 

[cajunman83]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

I got up for the first time last year, I'm 27, and I was a little intoxicated. (not a good combo) It took me two or three pulls to get the hang of it but I got up...then busted my tail! Make sure they lean back when crossing the wake.

 

[rallyart]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

The hardest part about wakeboarding is getting the faceplant right. I keep practicing but, although the speed with wich I can stop my face has increased, I don't seem to really be getting this to be enjoyable. My 11 year old does not seem to be as good at this as I am. He is not able to even do it most of the time and when he does after jumping the wake he usually just quits. Obviously I've given him too many warnings about silly stuff like concussions for him to develop my skill level at faceplanting. I think I'll try to work on some other trick this season. :redface:

 

[trejac]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

I watched a ton of video on how to get up on a wakeboard and was able to do it after about three times (with a driver who had no clue how to drive a boat). I cannot water ski to save my life!!!!!!! For my son I got in the water, showed him what his body would need to do then threw him up as the boat started to pull. he has never failed to get up since.

Kneeboarding, now the kneeboards have the hook on the front that makes them so easy to get up on. I had a 4 year old that had never been behind the boat get up first time using the hook.

The wakeskate is a little more difficult as you have no bindings to hold your feet. It took more than three times to get up on it.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Wakeboarding has been VERY hard so far this season. Wind won't stop blowing and tearing up my lake!!!

Only been up once, so far, just to try out my new non-stretch rope. Didn't want to stay up more than a couple minutes, due to the waves beating me to death!

Winds finally died down yesterday afternoon, but I had already had too many beers and the skier's cove was pretty crowded with other boaters.

 

[TX H210SS]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

I agree the wind has been a beast this year - i haven't even made it out yet....as far as the question - wakeboarding difficulty is directly related to your age! Older you are the harder it is...oh, the more gravity your sporting counts in the equation also. Your kids will get up on it way before you do

If the kiddos are somewhat athletic they will get up on either the wakeboard or kneeboard with a few tries....never had one yet who hasn't made it up on one or the other. Thats assuming you are operating the boat correctly.....biggest mistake is hitting it too hard at the start....main thing for the kids is to start from stop with no slack in rope - i typically will start from still to around 13 mph at a steady increase in throttle reaching 13 at about the count of 5. Best speed depends on kiddos weight - more equals more for comfortable ride on top of water without plowing.

Keeping that speed is the trick - unless you are equipped with perfect pass, which i don't have...oh, a tower makes it easier, but is not required. I only got a boat with tower last year.

 

[Yellow Yota]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Compared to some other towing related sports, it's easy. If it was hard, they'd call it a waterski!

Best advice I can give is the same that's been mentioned already. Stay sitting on the board 'till you're completely out of the water. Then stand up! Crash, and repeat. Eventually the crashes will get further apart.....

 

[produceguy]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Well a little update.
THE WIFE bought me a wake board. I think she wants to see me do one of those face plants.

Were going to go to the lake tomorow and try it out.

My 6 year old son had me pulling him around the the yard lastnight. ( grass ) That was a lot of fun. Neigbors think I'm nuts. LOL

Stand up, crash, and repeat, .................. got it.

 

[badchad450]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

which lake you going to?? I ahvnt decided yet, it crowded anywhere

 

[produceguy]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

which lake you going to?? I ahvnt decided yet, it crowded anywhere

If Canyon is packed , we'll drive up to Apache.

Have fun and be safe buddy.

 

[produceguy]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Well....... I can not get up on the board.

I see the thread on wakeboarding behind a i/o.

I was useing a rope that was very long, maybe 20 to 30 ft, not at all close enough to the prop to think I would hit it, but maybe thats why I can't get up on the board, the rope is to long.

Any suggestions?

 

[LazzyHoney]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

i suggest you watch a couple instruction videos on youtube....they really offer some good pointers for newbies. also dont know how old yours kids are. but good luck getting a wakeboard and bindings for 100 bux unless your buying used.Continuous rocker wakeboard, removable fins are a plus. There are several decent boards in the iboats store that won't cost an arm and a leg. Obviously you'll want an open toe binding which will allow a few seasons of use, stay away from a closed toe for now.

 

[hibbert6]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

WATCH A VIDEO!

When we bought our first wakeboard 12 years ago, it came with a great instructional video. My 15 year old son and his buddy watched it the night before going out on the boat, and they both got up. Each time my son brought a new buddy, he would have him watch the video the night before and the kid would get up.

That son is now out on his own, and my 12 year old son wants to try the wakeboard. But I can't find that blasted video anywhere! I hadn't thought to look on YouTube - I'll try that!

Dave

 

[Augoose]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

I might have missed it already but how tall are you, what is your weight, and how long is your board? If you are close to 200 lbs, you need to be at around a 140 cm board.

When first starting out, treat it like skiing in that you could try a slow drag to get the feel of how the board moves through the water. Start with the board perpendicular to the direction of travel, knees inside your elbows - otherwise you'll slip right or left. As the boat starts to take off (you will likely need less pull than you would with skis) resist the urge to straighten the board for just a second or two. Once you have the water flowing under the board and you feel your body rising to the surface of the water, turn the board forward and "step" up onto the surface. I like to hold the handle flat and with "palms down" once I'm up as I find it give me a more stable platform. To carve, treat it like a snowboard if you've done that before. Rocking on your feet, angle toes down or heel down to turn right and left depending on your stance. Once you get the hang of the start, the rest is easy. Once you get used to carving, try popping up off the wake just a bit, and eventually graduate to 180 spins and some other easy tricks.

 

[Peter_C]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Well....... I can not get up on the board.

I see the thread on wakeboarding behind a i/o.

I was using a rope that was very long, maybe 20 to 30 ft, not at all close enough to the prop to think I would hit it, but maybe thats why I can't get up on the board, the rope is to long.

Any suggestions?

Too short. The rope should be around 65'. I like to ride at 24.2 mph PP set with a GPS with a 75'-80' line depending on how much ballast is in the boat.

Most men fight the board and wear themselves out quickly. Women seem to relax and let the boat pull them up. Having an extended tower makes a big difference in the fact that you are pulled up out of the water. Having taught hundreds of people to ride the biggest thing is body position. Often we started with the person in the water with the board against the swim platform, and pulled them by hand up to show the body position. Muscle memory is key to every sport. Once you get up once, you will be able to every time.

FWIW bindings are very important and cheap ones can kill an ankle very quickly. I have seen and had way to many serious injuries and don't take equipment lightly.

 

[golf101]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

I just learned to wakeboard last weekend, and it is a blast. Much more fun than skiing to me. A couple of pointers on getting up the first time that I learned the hard way. Some say not to turn the board until you're up. That seems to work for kids, but it didn't work for me at all. As soon as I start moving, I turn the board and get up right away. Otherwise, I'm just being drug in the water trying hard to hold on to the tow rope. To get up, you need to push against the board and stand up. Once you get up the first time, it's like riding a bike. You will get up every time after that.

With regard to kneeboarding, I taught my 10 year old son to kneeboard last weekend, and he got up 1st try (even though he was very nervous about doing it). We got him to lay on the board and just towed him slowly so he could get used to the feel. After about a hundred yards, he pulled himself up and was good to go. The kneeboards that have the hook for the tow rope handle are better for beginners because then you don't have to worry about holding on to the rope at the same time you're trying to get up.

 

[yetiman]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

I just learned to wakeboard last weekend, and it is a blast. Much more fun than skiing to me. A couple of pointers on getting up the first time that I learned the hard way. Some say not to turn the board until you're up. That seems to work for kids, but it didn't work for me at all. As soon as I start moving, I turn the board and get up right away. Otherwise, I'm just being drug in the water trying hard to hold on to the tow rope. To get up, you need to push against the board and stand up. Once you get up the first time, it's like riding a bike. You will get up every time after that.

With regard to kneeboarding, I taught my 10 year old son to kneeboard last weekend, and he got up 1st try (even though he was very nervous about doing it). We got him to lay on the board and just towed him slowly so he could get used to the feel. After about a hundred yards, he pulled himself up and was good to go. The kneeboards that have the hook for the tow rope handle are better for beginners because then you don't have to worry about holding on to the rope at the same time you're trying to get up.

I'm with you, just learned last weekend and got up the exact way you are describing. This really is a fun sport and can't wait until Saturday so I can try it again.

 

[Leardriver]

Re: Is wakeboarding hard?

Wakeboarding is super easy. There's a reason why younger people do it rather than slalom water ski, and snowboard rather than snow ski. It's much easier.