Second Wakeboard

[eavega]

So, I took the challenge this summer to learn to wakeboard. Not wanting to get too deep equipment and money-wise, I pretty much cheaped out and bought a Hydroslide wakeboard with Suction bindings on e-bay. It was enough for me to learn how to get up, edge across the wake, surface 180s, switch starts, single wake jumps. I really don't plan to try to learn any fancy tricks, spins, or inverts (at 45 years old, I do have limits), but would like to be able to get better with jumps to go wake-to-wake, get bigger air, etc. I think the cheap hydroslide board has taken me as far as its going to, and I'm wanting to start looking for a newer board that can help me progress, so my question;

I weigh about 200 Lbs. By some charts, I can be riding something as small as a 138 all the way up to a 146. What are the advantages/disadvantages of riding a smaller or larger board? I get that a larger board is easier to plane, harder to maneuver. Does a smaller board make jumps harder or easier (surface area vs weight)? I just recently tried a smaller board (137) and really found very little difference in getting up and holding an edge, but it did seem a little more squirrely. That may have been a function of the board design rather than the size...

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Rgds

E

 

[tgietz]

The ability to jump and maneuver varies greatly with board design and size, as well as numerous other factors. A smaller board will be lighter and easier to get out of the water, where as a larger one will not. What other information can you provide about your set up, boat, weight, tower/pylon?

 

[eavega]

The ability to jump and maneuver varies greatly with board design and size, as well as numerous other factors. A smaller board will be lighter and easier to get out of the water, where as a larger one will not. What other information can you provide about your set up, boat, weight, tower/pylon?

Boat is an I/O Bowrider with a Mercruiser 3.0L. Currently there is no tower, but there will be by next spring. Boat is light (I think it tops out at 1800 Lbs with the engine). Usually only 3 of us go out, so its fairly lightly loaded. I do use a non-stretch wakeboarding rope at 60 feet.

-E

 

[tgietz]

So the biggest thing right now that will help you in your situation to get better air is to get the rope up higher, until then that boat is going to pull you back to the water faster than you can get out of it, if that makes sense. So until you can get that tower on the boat just practice your comfort level on the board, cutting, landing and jumping. You may also want to see what difference speed, rope length and weight make on the wake and your ability to jump it.

 

[eavega]

So, the angle of the loaded line is critical when trying to get air...Thinking about it, I guess it makes sense. Oh, well. W2W will have to wait until next year then. Meantime I'll keep strengthening my basic skills, and maybe try to get on someone elses' boat!

-E

 

[rallyart]

You also want to learn to Ollie. That is basically a bunnyhop you do by pushing your back foot down and the board will ride up the water ramp you just created to push you into the air. This technique gives you a bigger jump and more air anytime you use it. When you do it going up the wake ramp you launch much higher and further. Also adding a 400# water ballast into the bow will help improve the wake. Then trim up to get the best shape once you are at speed.

Board design makes a big difference. The size makes some but it's almost a personal choice thing. A bigger board does not cut into the water as deep so it won't give you as much force for tricks, but it gives more speed so you have more force for tricks.

 

[eavega]

By the way, I did finally pick up a new board. Got a Ronix Vault on clearance for about $200 w/ bindings. I actually went a little bigger (144 cm) on the advice of a local board shop. told me more surface area means the board floats better thus can get more speed off the wake. The tradeoff is more board to sling around when trying to do spins, inverts, etc. I think I can live with a bigger board. The tower will be an add-on for next spring, as will a weight sac.