Anybody wakeboard???

[MrMasterCraft]

So I went out today, and decided I'd try to wakeboard again. I say again, because the first time, I couldn't get my feet into the bindings. The GM of the company i work for used to wakeboard "back in the day", and told me I could use his, since he has neck problems nowadays. So, I brought some.... ain't gunna say, cause I'm sure this thread will turn into a big joke if I do, but anyways, I was able to get my feet into the bindings.

It took like 3 or 4 pulls until I could get up, but I'm just having a hard time jumping the wakes. Any wakeboarders in here, that could give me somem advice?

[Cutlass]

I tried it a couple times but couldn't stand up for more then 4 seconds. I prefer tubing .
I also just listed my boat for sale on Craigslist. I'm gonna miss her for sure.
http://madison.craigslist.org/boa/1719547668.html

[MrMasterCraft]

Right on man, a 20' boat with a big block in it, eh? Damn, talk about a hole-shot

I'm headed out to the lake again tomorrow to see how much I can improve on. I've been hounded left and right about getting a tube, so I guess I'll have to get one sometime this week. Loaded the camera into the truck today, forgot about it at the dock, so I'll have to make sure I remember it tomorrow.

[walterchang]

Practice, Practice, Practice. My first time wakeboarding it took me all day to stand up. After that it was second nature. Once you get up get comfortable riding outside the wake, practice turning. Then try and jump the wake. Practice riding on both sides of the wake. Oh dishwashing detergent is a life saver to get into bindings.

[Zboner]

we just bought a wakeboard, were goona try it as soon as the weather stays warm

[Knight]

Working on getting the boat ready. Been wanting to try it though too. I've done lots of skiing and used to snowboard, so I'm guessing it shouldn't be real hard. Watch me fail epically! lol.

[cant.b.caught.z28]

Ive been wakeboarding for 6 years now, each person ive tried to help teach how to wakeboard was a little different, so its kind of hard to help somebody if your not on the boat with them. You should really try surfing. I'm assuming you have fat sacs or a balast system, so all you need next is a short rope and a wakeskate. you should look it up, imo surfing is better than wakeboarding because you can have a beer while you surf

[suede]

Working on getting the boat ready. Been wanting to try it though too. I've done lots of skiing and used to snowboard, so I'm guessing it shouldn't be real hard. Watch me fail epically! lol.

lol although the concept is the same.... completely different feel

Ive been wakeboarding for 6 years now, each person ive tried to help teach how to wakeboard was a little different, so its kind of hard to help somebody if your not on the boat with them. You should really try surfing. I'm assuming you have fat sacs or a balast system, so all you need next is a short rope and a wakeskate. you should look it up, imo surfing is better than wakeboarding because you can have a beer while you surf

Im going on 5 years, and so far what i have learned.....

Bindings.... a good pair of bindings make a world of difference... our first wake board my uncle bought as a challenge for me to figgure out b/c noone we knew knew how to do it at all, so i got to be the guinea pig our first board was made to be a universal for anyone and just had a arch strap over and a second strap over that and a securing strap (all velcro) that tight in the water was not tight on your feet when you got up and had pressure down on it... needless to say it sucked, but we used it and i learned to get up on it, but it was the squirreliest dam thing ever. then i decided i liked it enough to buy a new board. i picked up a mid range board with the best bindings scheels had at the time, and the difference was night and day. I went from crossing the wake pretty gingerly to having no problem catching a foot or two of air of the wake and landing it no prob.

Boards... a little bit of difference in board will make a big difference in how things handle... personally i started out on a full flat with a molded fin and one plastic tailfin to the board i bought, which is a three stage rocker with front and rear aluminum fins and the difference is horribly noticeable, the full flat is greasy feeling where-as the 3 stage is on rails compared to the flat. A good number of my friends have went out and bought a full flat and cant figgure out why they aren't all that good, so i take their board away and put them on mine and youd swear i just added a couple years worth of experience to them. now while the 3 stage doesnt give near as crisp of a pop off the wake, no one just starting out is going to be that good enough to put a full flat to good use. even after 5 years, i think this summer im going to go back to a nice full flat, after getting all the basics down real good.

Towers... often overlooked but make a big difference, esp getting up out of the water. I didnt think much of them till i got up behind one, and it dawned on me that straight off the back of the boat, your being pulled straight forward at best, if not a little bit downward, but with the tower, your already being pulled "up" and makes getting up 10x easier. then you also get the added height for when you go to start jumping, you no longer lose height from being pulled downward but instead upward to level with your bar



as far as tips go...

getting up, have your driver hammer it out of the hole, hanging on should not really be a problem, if your getting the rope pulled out of your hands, your not turning your hips quick enough, my little sister can keep a hold on my board sized for a 200lb person and shes 5'3 and 120lbs. Its all about timing. The easiest way to put it is keep your knees bent in front of you like your sitting in a chair with the front of your board slightly higher in the water and tell them to hit it, let it get you "bunched up" and kick your trail foot downward and stay low as this starts to bring you out of the water, then once you have the board planed out, then go ahead and stand on up the rest of the way.

then like everyone else has said get comfortable while in the wake, just practice turning and get a feel for what the board is going to do when you get to leaning one way or another, then work your way out of the wake, on both sides, once you have no problems getting in or out of the wake then start worrying about catching air and so-on



just cuz i feel like whoring out some.... this was 2 years ago the first time on the water going from the generic one size fits all board to my board i put together...












Just incase anyone is wondering, that board is a Hypertech Apex series, i forget the binding brand and series, but i highly recommend a board with the 3 stage rocker design for someone starting out



sexyws6 can chime in too, she does quite a bit....

[suede]

we'll see if she yells at me but these are some of her pics.... shes alot better to look at then yours truely

[Cutlass]

I just sold my boat A couple of guys drove 750 miles from W. Virginia to Madison, WI to buy it. Crazy!!
Now I'm sad, wondering if I did the right thing. But now I do have an enormous empty spot in my garage!

[Mieux97]

sexyws6mama does a lot of wakeboarding...check her out.

[SexyWS6Mama]

So I went out today, and decided I'd try to wakeboard again. I say again, because the first time, I couldn't get my feet into the bindings. The GM of the company i work for used to wakeboard "back in the day", and told me I could use his, since he has neck problems nowadays. So, I brought some.... ain't gunna say, cause I'm sure this thread will turn into a big joke if I do, but anyways, I was able to get my feet into the bindings.

It took like 3 or 4 pulls until I could get up, but I'm just having a hard time jumping the wakes. Any wakeboarders in here, that could give me somem advice?

Come in with an progressive cut, continue to edge as you approach the wake. Keep your eyes up towards the horizon (not the wake). Extend your knees (into almost a lock straighten position) as you hit the wake. That will send you booted into the air, then land with knees bent. (just remember bend, extend, bend knees) Make sure when your approaching the wake, that your handle is low and your eyes are up. Those are key. Practice, Practice, Practice is the other.

I would try some basic drills. Just going back and forth across each wake with knees bent, focusing on handle, eyes and your form. Then when your comfortable, then try to extend your knees at the wake for pop. The biggest mistake is using too much speed, so remember control is essential. EYES UP EYES UP or your going to bite it!

Good Luck to you. Which side you trying to jump? Make sure you try TS and HS!

[SexyWS6Mama]

sexyws6mama does a lot of wakeboarding...check her out.

I've kicked my wakeboarding into high gear this year. I've been going every weekend since March 14th; damn cold water LOL I now go at least 3 times a week. Working on 360's and hoping to attend tantrums. Actually headed to wakeboard camp on Tuesday.

I so need to get you guys new pics of me wakeboarding. We don't even have that boat anymore and I ride the Ronix Faith Hope Love setup............ someone said it, the right bindings make a HUGE impact!

[SexyWS6Mama]

Right on man, a 20' boat with a big block in it, eh? Damn, talk about a hole-shot

I'm headed out to the lake again tomorrow to see how much I can improve on. I've been hounded left and right about getting a tube, so I guess I'll have to get one sometime this week. Loaded the camera into the truck today, forgot about it at the dock, so I'll have to make sure I remember it tomorrow.

say no to the tube and go for a wakesurfer or wakeskate! I just picked up the LF Custom 4'2 one, but to get started I have a CWB Ride. Great for friends

[FSANE]

[MrMasterCraft]

I've kicked my wakeboarding into high gear this year. I've been going every weekend since March 14th; damn cold water LOL I now go at least 3 times a week. Working on 360's and hoping to attend tantrums. Actually headed to wakeboard camp on Tuesday.

I so need to get you guys new pics of me wakeboarding. We don't even have that boat anymore and I ride the Ronix Faith Hope Love setup............ someone said it, the right bindings make a HUGE impact!

Didn't you guys get a moomba? I thought that's what I remember anyways......

The last two weekends have been B.S. for Lake Anna, too many morons out there tubing and jetskiis screwing the water up. I can't seem to get anyone to wake up early enough so we can get on the water while it's still good

I've been jumping heelside edge, and getting a little better on my toeside edge but still not able to cross wakes on my TS edge.

And I think you're right about eating it, without keeping your eyes up. I seem to like to look down alot, even when I'm switching up. Will have to put what you and Suede just said into action this upcoming weekend

[grouch0jr]

i cant even figure out what to say about this picture.

[MrMasterCraft]

i cant even figure out what to say about this picture.

I can...

I wish I could be on top of that glass when I'm boardin'

[suede]

yea thats downright impressive on both the photograpers and the riders parts

[ChvyCruzen]

Suede and SexyWS6Mama have good advice.

I've been wakeboarding for 13 years. We started off on a board/binding just like Suede mentioned - my wife rode this and almost tore up her ankle because of the horribly designed bindings. Definitely not the best board in terms of stability and support. We migrated our way over to 3 stage rocker board and it is a night and day difference. 3 stage rocker is much easier to manuever and more stable.

It took a good while before we could jump the wake (we being my dad, myself and my bro). The balance and control takes time, at least it did for us on the crappy board. Then we started jumping, sometimes we would try just "darting across the wake" instead of jumping it - which was instead of extending your knees at the approach of the wake we would just fly across so that we could work on our landing which is critical after a jump.

13 years later we still use a regular runabout boat. Started off on an 88 Sea Ray 18' 350 V8, added a homemade tower and now we run a 22' Cobalt 496 V8 with a tower. The Cobalt produces a nice wake and gives us good height. We've been working on tantrums, backrolls, 360's and all that. Our family is extremely tall so its hard for us to do a lot of tricks. I'm 6'6", Bro is 6'5" and dad is 6'3". We've landed a couple of them but fail way more often than we actually land them. We continue to do it because it's fun.