Riding the Wake

Riding the Wake
On the Lake

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Beginners Tips 4: "Deepwater Starts"

Let your boat driver know that a slow and gradual speed increase is all that is needed to pull a wakeboarder out of the water
.
The board needs very little to plane out of the water. Your maximum wakeboarding speed should be around 14-18 miles per hour.

The shorter the rope, the easier it is to get up. Rope length should be somewhere between 30 and 50 feet.

As you are in the water, have your body facing the boat, and the board perpendicular to the boat. The board will naturally swing towards the boat as you plane out of the water. Make sure the toe of the board is slightly above water.

Have your arms extended and placed on each side of your front knee as you hold on to the handle.

Pull your ankles in close, with your knees close to your chest, in a squatting position. The closer you are to the board, the easier the start will be. Push your chest slightly up.

Relax and do not fight it. This cannot be stressed enough.

Weight distribution and balance are key. As the boat starts to pull you out of the water, have about 60 percent of your weight on your front foot, and the other 40 percent on your back foot. This will cause the board to not waggle and go out of control as the boat pulls you up.

Stay squatted down until you are out of the water and balanced. Stand up slowly and with your upper body first.

Shift your weight back after you have stood up. Don't try to stand up too fast. Take it slow.

After you are up, keep the rope handle low to gain more control.

What You Need:

Boat and Boat Driver
Wakeboard
Towrope
Life Jacket
Spotter

No comments: