Best for family of beginners?

[Fu-Inator]

I keep getting different answers from people, so I figured that I would check with the best on-line boat community I know. Family and I only used tubes last summer and I would like to kick the water sports up a notch. I read where kneeboards are a good starter for towed water sports but everyone you ask has a different take on it.

What is the best for beginners?
-Ski
-Kneeboard
-Wakeboard

Here are the people to consider:
Me= early 40s (short chubby) haven?t skied in 25 years
Daughter= early 20s never skied
Son= 16 never skied

Thanks for the help folks!

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

you will get a hundred takes on this, but here is mine. I am 40 and have been into competative slalom skiing my whole life, love to ski. However when I had kids I wanted them to do what sounded fun to THEM. I had my first son up on a kneeboard when he was four(deep water starts without a aquahook) once he got pretty good at that he learned to ski on two got pretty good at that, and is now learning to slalom. He also has expressed interest in wakeboarding so I am currently looking for a junior wakeboard. In your case I would say a kneeboard or wakeboard would be a good place to start for the kids. Both are very easy to get up on and have success on quickly and that is what keeps interest alive. Towers are nice but not needed at the beginner or intermediate level. The kneeboards with the aqua hook on the front are a slam dunk for people to get up on I would start there and see if they have an interest, then if they do move up to other activities. Remember to set rules/handsignals/safety before anyone even gets in the water. Good skipper skills can make or break the trip so now is the time for you to shine as well. Kneeboards and wakeboards only need 15-20 mph. Good luck and have fun

 

[Fu-Inator]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Ya.. ?hundreds of takes? is the problem? lol. I?m leaning towards my original plan, kneeboard, but I have read where they can hurt your back. I guess a little Motrin can take care of that.

Thanks for the advice Utah!

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

I still kneeboard everytime out and hit it pretty hard, maybe just lucky but I have never hurt my back while kneeboarding. I have tweaked my back way bad on a wakeboard though. If you always remember the golden rule of kneeboarding and lean back if you think your getting into trouble you usually can make it through about anything. Remember if the kneebd doesn't have a hook, you want to encourage riders to get from their stomach to knees asap. As soon as the boat starts to pull, rope in one hand tip of board in other. As soon as boat starts to pull, get the board under your knees, then worry about the strap. you can get the feel without the strap, then once you start to cut or do 360 you need to be secured to the board a bit. On a wakeboard to learn getting up remember, stay in a ball, knees on insides of elbows, board edge about 1" out of water. Once the boat starts to pull stay tucked up a bit and the board will straighten on its own, THEN stand up with knees slightly bent. Again keep pressure on rear foot when starting out, face plants hurt if you catch an edge because you have too much weight forward.

 

[electricjohn]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

What to try first? What came first?

 

[skibrain]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

My opinion: Kneeboarding is going to be the easiest for immediate success for the kids. Easy to get up on and low speeds of 15 -16 mph makes spills less impactful. Aquatic hook making starts a bit easier, but there is minimal pull getting up so I'd say not necessary. I WOULD suggest removing the thigh strap while learning to knee board. Surprisingly you will stay on the board just fine and then rider isn't locked to the board if you take a spill. As you advance or start to jump the wake, put it back on.

Since you already know how to ski, I'd get some skis and give that a try again and maybe the kids will want to as well.

We have LOTS of watersports gear. three tubes, 7 pair of combos, 5 slaloms, trick skis, kneeboards etc. Much of it has been purchased used for very little money. I can take or leave wakeboarding, but heck, get one of those too.

My approach always been start cheap (used) and once you know more about an activity, upgrade or buy new.

 

[Cksteiger]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

I'm 55 & love to ski, but my boys all kept telling me that wake boarding is soooo much easier on the body. I tried it and agree. I have taught dozens of high school age kids how to wake board. I don't think it harder to learn than skiing & once you get the techniques down it really is something an olde guy can enjoy - even without all the jumping my kids like to do.

 

[Fu-Inator]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Thanks everyone! I guess I?ll try the kneeboard and then go from there.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

What is the best for beginners?
-Ski
-Kneeboard
-Wakeboard

I would have a pair of combos and a kneeboard in the boat. You just don't know which they will love. Plus, variety is the spice of life. Watch craigslist and find someone dumping both.

I would get a kneeboard with the aqua hook, or add one. The youngest in my group just let the kneeboard hold the rope but are getting a feel for the water, how to turn, getting over their fear of the bumps, etc.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Keep your eyes open for sales on used or traded in stuff. Or even garage sales alot of equipment can be had dirt cheap if you look around. Even if a pair of skis is 20 years old if the bindings are in decent shape they will be fine. I still have two hydroslide kneeboards from the eighties and they work fine its fun to pull 2 or 3 kneeboarders at a time. Find out what you like on the older cheap stuff then invest the $ if you so desire. I took the plunge about ten years ago and bought an air chair it was super expensive but it has been well worth it, those things are nuts. If you do get skiis make sure one has a rear toe plate so you have the ability to try the slalom if you choose. Most combo sets are way less aggressive so learning to slalom on these tyes of skiis is much easier. Stay away from a slalom ski that has an edge to edge concave(they are much harder to learn on) but if you or your kids takes to slalom skiing then look into a more advanced ski once skills get better. I have taught many people to slalom on an old wood flat bottom ski they are much more forgiving when starting out. I have always taught people to drag a foot on a slalom but thats a whole different can of worms to open up.....

 

[Rogue427]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Both of my girls learned to ski this last year. 7yrs and 9yrs. With beginner skies.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Before all, there was skiing. It has always been for everyone.

 

[briguy2817]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Or even garage sales alot of equipment can be had dirt cheap if you look around. Even if a pair of skis is 20 years old if the bindings are in decent shape they will be fine.


I bought a almost brand new et of skis last year from a garage sale for $5.00, unfortunatly, I haven't been able to use them yet but the bindings were like brand new. The skis them selves don't have a mark on them.

Brian

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Go with ski's beginner style with a lot of surface area. The family will love them. (just my opinion though)

 

[ZK]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Do like my father did to us...

Buy some of those "training" skis, the kind that are tied together, to make it even more difficult to balance.

Then pull your kids around a lake half underwater.

And then when they say they want to try one ski, because it might be easier, refuse to listen to them for like two days.

After two days, give in, let them try one ski, and when they get it, refuse to acknowledge they were right.

Still to this day, I cannot ski with two skis. Only one.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

I say try them all. We have a surfboard, wakeboard, Single Ski, double Skis, and a tub that always go out on my boat.

Everyone may like somethign a bit different.

Let each start on wha tthey wish to start on. They will try harder and probably have more success if they WANT to.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

I say try them all. We have a surfboard, wakeboard, Single Ski, double Skis, and a tub that always go out on my boat.

Everyone may like somethign a bit different.

Let each start on wha tthey wish to start on. They will try harder and probably have more success if they WANT to.

I agree with that in principal but the cost could well be out of reach for some as well as space on the boat.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

Buy skis, take them to the lake and let your kids learn on those while they look at what others are doing. Soon they will let you know what they want.

 

[blktout67]

Re: Best for family of beginners?

my son picked -up a obrain knee board at a garage sale for 5 buck that looks brand new just keep your eyes open.he said he wants to try that next weekend
i just dont know if the water is going to be worm enough for his first time on a board well have to see how he does (weather is going to be in the mid 70s and lake has snow run off coming into it )