Wakeboarding for Beginners

So, I got my first wakeboard in the mail yesterday. And I am excited as I have never been on a wakeboard before. I have a few newbie questions that I am curious about if anyone can throw out some suggestions.

It came with the boots attached to it, but it appears that they are mounted too far forward and for a first timer seems that it would be more beneficial (and safer/easier) to mount them more towards the rear of the board. Is this a correct assumption?

How far apart would anyone recommend putting the boots on the board from each other for the stance? Should width stance? Closer stance?

Any other tips that you learned when you first tired it that would be helpful? Thanks.

Boot placement even front and back, slightly duck footed and go out just slightly wider than shoulder width.

"LET THE BOAT PULL YOU UP." Too many people yank themselves up, only to go back down with line slack.... Crouch with the horizontal tip just out of the water, knees bent and your arms straight.

One thing beginners tend to do is once up, go into this 45 degree angle ride, never getting the tip forward...sometimes as bad as the board staying horizontal. This is due to pulling too hard with both hands.... 80% or more of your grip is going to be with your forward hand. The other is just there for balance. If you are having trouble with this, just drop the rear hand.....it will pull the board straight... It is actually the best way to learn 180's....(just switch hands and the board will flip for you).....

Anyway, this stuff may not translate to the written word very well....but I gave an effort.... Love wakeboarding, surfing....just being at the lake....

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Originally Posted by Deuce

Boot placement even front and back, slightly duck footed and go out just slightly wider than shoulder width.

"LET THE BOAT PULL YOU UP." Too many people yank themselves up, only to go back down with line slack.... Crouch with the horizontal tip just out of the water, knees bent and your arms straight.

One thing beginners tend to do is once up, go into this 45 degree angle ride, never getting the tip forward...sometimes as bad as the board staying horizontal. This is due to pulling too hard with both hands.... 80% or more of your grip is going to be with your forward hand. The other is just there for balance. If you are having trouble with this, just drop the rear hand.....it will pull the board straight... It is actually the best way to learn 180's....(just switch hands and the board will flip for you).....

Anyway, this stuff may not translate to the written word very well....but I gave an effort.... Love wakeboarding, surfing....just being at the lake....

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x2
Letting go with your back hand when your up is a big tip. Most people pop up and end up riding the board 90 degs to the boat. Oh and prepare to peel your eyelids off a few times until you getter figured out.:lol8: This might not make any sense right now but it will.:haha:

Mark

Have Fun.

Thanks for the input so far. I'm hoping to get a video camera going when I try so if I can I'll let you enjoy my crashes. I was hoping to get out today, but it looks like it's going to be Powell in a few weeks now.

I misread the topic, thought it said waterboarding for beginners!

A couple of other hints. Pulling a wakeboarder up is not like pulling a skier. Don't just hammer down and stay on the hammer. Give it a pretty good hit for the bigger crowd, if they are light weights it doesn't take much to pop them up. Once they pop up let up. Pull them around 18 to 20. I have a direct drive ski boat and I probably use about third to half throttle to pull up most wakeboarders. If you are pulling them with an Inboard Outboard you'll find it is hard to hold 18. You will probably have to pick whatever speed works best for your boat. Your boat will keeping wanting to get on plane and take off. We definitely will want pictures.

Have fun.

Mark

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Originally Posted by moab mark

Oh and prepare to peel your eyelids off a few times until you getter figured out.:lol8:

Mark

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Sounds like the topic may serve well to change the title to "Waterboarding." :eek2:

It probably looks retarded, but I wear contacts and so when I am on a tube and what not I usually wear a pair of goggles so I don't get a face full of water and I can continue to see. Maybe I'll have to do the same.

I have been watching some Youtube Vids and it looks pretty straight forward. A week ago I got up on a knee board on the first try and was stoked. This looks like it might be just as easy to get up on, I don't know about staying up. I can get up on double skis with no problem, but have not been able to do a slalom. I hope that with the wakeboard the larger surface to stand on will help over the slalom/balance issues I have.

I like a wide stance on the wakeboard. I started wakeboarding 17 years ago, it's changed a bunch since then. The speed used to be @ 18 MPH but we've all learned that it's easier to go in the mid to high 20's range, with a longer rope. It all depends on how your wake is though. I used to be maybe 30' off the boat but now it's closer to 50'.

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Originally Posted by Sombeech

The speed used to be @ 18 MPH but we've all learned that it's easier to go in the mid to high 20's range, with a longer rope. It all depends on how your wake is though. I used to be maybe 30' off the boat but now it's closer to 50'.

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It seems like everyone says speeds and rope lengths differently for beginners. I have heard on speeds anywhere from 15 - 25 mph differences.

On rope lengths like you mentioned I have heard a difference between 30 - 65 feet. The rope I bought is 70 ft long with 4 sections.

Yeah it really just depends where that sweet spot is on your wake. That's what dictates the speed too. A nice rolling top is right where the driver wants to have the board cross the wake. Sometimes a little white on top but not much.

Few of behind the boat.....:2thumbs:

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Attachment 37401


Just for the record, I would not suggest going any faster than 20ish, probably under when someone is just learning..... Even if you cannot clean up the wake going that slow, it really isn't going to matter. People just learning are not going to be using the wake, so having a nice clean wake is irrelevant. Individuals that are just learning will feel MUCH more comfortable going slower, assuming you are not sinking them(bigger people are just going to have to ride at a higher rate of speed). I will go as slow as 12ish pulling kids when they are learning...

Added bonus with going slower, those faceplants are going to be a little easier on the body.....:lol8:

^^ Not me.....I am a much better driver than rider....

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Originally Posted by moab mark

Oh and prepare to peel your eyelids off a few times until you getter figured out.:lol8:

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Went to the big Reservoir in the Desert yesterday and yep, got my eyelids peeled back one really good whack. Got up quite a bit, but it was a lot harder on my arms once up the I thought it would be. Pretty stiff today. I did get video of my face plant and once I figure out how to get it off my camera an on here I'll post it. Can't wait to get out again once I am healed. (Probably not this season though).