Kneeboarding - can't get on

[Peter1950]

I can wake board, water and snow ski, skateboard (I'm 44!), but I can't figure out how to get my knees into the knee board. How do I hold the line, get pulled while on my belly, and still get my knees pulled into the strap? Should I go slow for that? The board is real bouyant and even tried getting into position before moving. Maybe I'm too fat especially with the life jacket on. I'm 5'9" and about 200. suggestions?

 

[parrisw]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

When I used to do it years ago, I'd hold the rope handle and grab the front of the board at the same time, then just pull myself up, then once up hold rope with one hand and put strap over your legs with other hand.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

strap as long as possible, elbows on the board right at or in front of where the knees will go on the pad, with the strap in front of your elbows. Right as the boat starts moving, while keeping the elbows on the board, kind of hop your knees up the pad in one quick movement, then raise your elbows up and straighten up your body so that you are in good riding position. If the board starts bouncing either you stayed laying down too long or they got the speed up too quickly on you. If you are in your riding position and its bouncing, you did not get up far enough on the knee pad.

You can also ignore the strap the first couple of rides.

 

[Tabes117]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

sickwilly is right. I am the same size as you and kneeboard all the time. Start off slower while you are getting to your knees, the board will be more stable. You do not have to strap in right away. Once you are strapped in have the drive increase speed. I will start my wife around 15-17 mph till she is strapped in.

 

[smartwork]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

Your size is no problem. Sickwilly is right on target. Ideally, you only have a short window of time to efficiently get up on the kneeboard. You want these few seconds that are when the boat first pulls you... but before the kneeboard planes out. You actually use that "plowing" action of the board to help push the board toward you and make it easier to hop up... or crawl up after you've had a long day of boarding. If you can't hop all the way into position, try getting as close as you can and then scoot up the rest of the way. Bouncing can also be from being too far back on the board, so get into position as quickly as you can. This is more important than dealing with the strap. Once the board smooths out, then deal with the strap.

We've boarded for years and always started by holding the rope's handle (back in the day, that was the only way). Recently, we picked up a newer board with the holder mounted in the front of the board. At first, I thought that wasn't my thing, but now I LOVE it because it's one less thing to deal with during starting. It holds the rope for you. If you get the chance to try one of those, give it a shot.

How about telling us what happens during your starting attempts and maybe we can provide some tips relating to what's happening.

 

[arks]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

Back when I kneeboarded, I found it MUCH easier to strap it on while still on the beach and do a 'beach launch'. The boat would take off and literally pull me (and the board) into the water. The downside to this metnod is the water has to be deep enough for the boat so close to shore.
One other note- we found kneeboarding was a lot more fun if the towline was shortened to 40' or 50'.

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

go slow to start and hang back till board tips up to not accelerate or you will dive if you are not right all the work is done with boat going slow then pick up speed . driver has to learn how to help with throttle.

 

[parrisw]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

Hmm, never knew it was so technical, back in the day when I did it, I just did whatever got me up. Now the board that holds the rope, that would be cool!!

 

[smartwork]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

Yep, look at the little spot in the center of the front deck of this board. It's a small spring-loaded "catch" that grips the handle and holds it for you while you do your hopping on. When you grab the handle, the "catch" flips back down to stay. Pretty cool.

 

[riverkeg]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

I remember when I was young (I'm 41 now), my Dad got a hold of a kneeboard and we took it with to visit my siblings in Oklahoma. Not a one of us had a clue how to use the dang thing but we sure tried. But every attempt was from the strapped in position and after an hour or so, we gave up and got on the skis. It wasn't until a couple of years later I went out with some friends that knew the trick and it's exactly as slickwilly stated. That was a big fat "DUH!" for me. I haven't been on one in years but I just picked up a kneeboard on ebay and I'm anxious to teach my kids. I do wish it had the handle hook though. That would be convenient. I wonder if you could epoxy or glue some kind of plastic hook onto an older one. Maybe dangerous?

 

[parrisw]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

Yep, look at the little spot in the center of the front deck of this board. It's a small spring-loaded "catch" that grips the handle and holds it for you while you do your hopping on. When you grab the handle, the "catch" flips back down to stay. Pretty cool.

That's really cool. I like that. Makes my old knee board look like and ancient old POS.

 

[smartwork]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

RiverKeg - Just knowing how much pull is on that hook (or your arms when you hold the rope), I doubt any glued device is going to withstand the stress. The cool thing about the factory ones is that it's srping-loaded so once you take the handle away, it snaps down and out of harms way.

That photo is a board available here on iboats. Ours is very similar but also has the flip-down fins. Oh, you mentioned that you originally were trying to start "on" the board. There are different types of boards. The ones with more buoyancy are probably not going to allow you to start on the board (which you discovered). There are compression-made boards that I believe are more like wakeboards, and I think some people are able to start on those while being "on the board". I've never ridden one, so I can't confirm that. The first boards we rode were the first versions of Hydroslides which were MANY years ago. The pad was hardly a pad and the strap needed an immediate upgrade by mom's sewing skills. When they introduced one with retractable fins, it was like a new world. I really like the deep molded formed pads of today, but for myself, I need a little more rise about where the ankles are to take some stress off my toes (which eat away at the pad). I've seen online where guys use partially deflated ski buoys under their butts to provide a small cushion to reduce the stress on their ankles/feet while jumping.

 

[riverkeg]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

smartwork - I have heard of the compression ones but I don't think I've seen one. The one I got is an older style O'brien that is hard plastic. You're probably right about the glued on hook but I like to tinker and I don't have much money in it so who knows what I'll try. Our watersports season is done this year anyway so it will be next year before I get them on it.

 

[jkust]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

I was a hardcore, advanced kneeboarder when I was young. I haven't boarded in several years now and the last time I did really knocked me down a notch. I am 36 now. Anyway, at the instant the driver guns it and before the board planes out, I hop up onto my knees and your done. It is a quick motion and if you miss that split second opportunity, it is infinitly harder to get onto your knees. Someone else described the 'hop up' motion above but my point is that split second is the key. If you are having a hard time getting up, you will have a lot of fun with the basic tricks once you do.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

I put one on my old hydroslide pro over two seasons ago and its held up strong. I got this one from these guys: aquatichook.com. I have even had one of my 250 lbs friends use it to get up.

The thing I don't like about it is the kids tend to over-rely on it, sometimes re-hooking the board and riding in a more boogy board position. Also, I give them a lecture about not getting their fingers between the handle and hook ever time they go.

 

[jkust]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

has to be deep enough for the boat so close to shore.
One other note- we found kneeboarding was a lot more fun if the towline was shortened to 40' or 50'.

Our tow rope was 17 feet to get in the sweet spot on the wake and we used an outboard bowrider. Tricks require that you be able to fully clear both wakes and that spot on the wake is important. At 50 feet you would likely be missing out on the best wake.

 

[raven7]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

Here's where the boat driver has to do his part. The driver should only give enough throttle to keep the nose of the knee board up. This steady speed gives the rider the time he needs to get his knees up on the board. Then when the rider is in place, then add throttle to bring the knee board on plane. Then the rider can settle in and cinch the strap. Then it's on up to 'boarding speed. You don't jam the throttle like you do pulling up a skier.

 

[cadunkle]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

www.kneeboardworld.com

 

[tawood]

Re: Kneeboarding - can't get on

This year, we taught everyone who wanted to try, how to kneeboard. We had a system that worked for people older and bigger than you:
We would tell the new boarder to NOT GET UP...just let the boat pull you on the board on your stomach, at about 12-15 mph--gps (hard on the boat driver, but pretty easy for the prospective kneeboarder). Only danger here is waves, because the board may bounce at speeds above 12 mph, so if the driver sees waves they should slow a little. We would tow them all around the lake on their stomach for at least 5 minutes, before we would gradually work the boat speed to about 15-16-17 mph, no more. Finally, after this much time, at any speed above 15 mph (with calm water ahead), we would signal the rider to "climb up", and they would do this by just slowly crawling on their knees and elbows, up onto the board. The secret here was to stay on your 2 knees AND 2 elbows, to help stable the board. Sounds simple, but it worked for my wife's friend who never kneeboarded at 45 (and is out of shape) and kids as young as 6.
Beach start is REALLY easy, and this year my sons best friend and I got up on the kneeboard TOGETHER this way, with him on my shoulders!!! (If you are wondering, we did it first try, but IT WAS NOT EASY...I was towed under water--face douche--for at least 50 yards, and I thought for sure we were going to break the rope) You should have seen the looks we got from the other boaters. They stared at us so long they could have crashed.
Tim

 

[WVboater]

Add-on Front Hook is available

Add-on Front Hook is available

To the poster who wondered about the add-on hook for those boards without them, try:
Aquatichook.com
I just ordered one ($25 w/shipping) but haven't received it yet. the testimonials on the web-site look good, so I will give it a try for the daughter who wanted the board, but as with others, has yet to get up on it.
WVboater