simple question... maybe

[bklait]

we are a "new to boating family" (2 years) we have a 2004 fourwinns horizon with the 5.7 280hp i/o. We have been tubing (17yr old boy, 11 yr old girl + friends) The boy wants to either wake board or ski, there is no tower or ski pylon, only the tow ring at the transom. For true beginners would the wake board or skis be an "easier" option.

 

[convergent]

Re: simple question... maybe

I don't know anything about wakeboarding, but I just got back into boating after many years a few weeks ago. This week I bought a pair of Obrien Celebrity skis and this afternoon my wife and I took my two youngest kids (18 year old son and 14 year old daughter) out to the lake to teach them how to ski. They both got up on their first try and loved it. My son was actually going outside the wake and zig-zagging back and forth before we finished and can't wait to go back. So in terms of easy to learn, I don't think you can get any easier than that. We will eventually move on to slalom later in the summer. I was towing them on a simple harness attached to the two transom tie-down points.

My daughter had wanted to try wakeboarding, but it seems to me like it would be harder. In addition, I believe its best if you have a taller pylon for wakeboarding and a boat that makes a huge wake.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: simple question... maybe

Depends on the kid. If they are a skateboarder/snowboarder then the wakeboard will come more naturally, otherwise the skiis are probabally easier. Entry level equipment is pretty cheap, buy both and try them out.

You can have plenty of fun on a wakeboard without a tower or monster wake, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: simple question... maybe

The ski-tow ring wil be just fine for either watersport. The advantages of the wake towers don't come into play until after they've learned to get up and get good control to start doing tricks which require more "air". For most kids, they probably won't find skiing or wakeboarding easier per-say, but they are just different methods of getting up on the water. Deep-water slolam starts can be more difficult to teach, but it's not normally what you teach a kid to do when they don't know how to ski at all.

 

[kyle f]

Re: simple question... maybe

Getting up on a wakeboard and just cutting around is by far much easier than on skis. Wakeboarding doesnt get hard until you try tricks.

 

[SeanT]

Re: simple question... maybe

Yes. I don't know how people thing skiing is easy. I've never been able to do it!

Also, there's a reason why training skiis actually have clips to hold them together. Teaching a gangly kid to control both legs on individual skiis is just an exercise in frustration.

Wakeboarding for the win in my opinion. My 10 year old son kneeboards as well, and loves it. He's trying my wife's wakeboard next week. Also my 10 year old is about 130lbs...so...not typical.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: simple question... maybe

Actually, as a kid I had trouble getting up on the training skis. After 4 or 5 attempts, my dad got out the knife and cut the ropes between the skis and gave me the rope handle instead of having it connected to the front of the skis. I popped up first time.

I don't think skiing is any harder than wakeboarding at all, it's just a different application of the same techniques. I have only taught 3 or 4 people to get up on skis, but it never has taken more than 10-15 attempts before they get up.

 

[SeanT]

Re: simple question... maybe

I honestly believe that giving you the handle attached the boat made more difference than cutting the line on the skis there, but I will agree that your point stands.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: simple question... maybe

Actually, as a kid I had trouble getting up on the training skis. After 4 or 5 attempts, my dad got out the knife and cut the ropes between the skis and gave me the rope handle instead of having it connected to the front of the skis. I popped up first time.

I don't think skiing is any harder than wakeboarding at all, it's just a different application of the same techniques. I have only taught 3 or 4 people to get up on skis, but it never has taken more than 10-15 attempts before they get up.

Our trainers have a bar between them, but I've never attached the rope to the skiis - always have the kids hold the rope (so they can let go).

 

[saxrulez]

Re: simple question... maybe

I've recently learned both. I don't think either one is drastically either for someone with no experience on either. However, I have a bit of time snowboarding(not a lot) and I really did pop right up on the wakeboard partially because of that.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: simple question... maybe

Our trainers have a bar between them, but I've never attached the rope to the skiis - always have the kids hold the rope (so they can let go).

Yeah, I don't know why some training skis have you attach the rope to them, either way I don't think the bar is even necessary for most people to learn.

 

[hckplyers]

Re: simple question... maybe

On the true, handle rope attached to the skis, it is NOT attached to the boat, someone actually holds the end of the rope in the boat and lets go when the child falls. You can have a second skier right next to them to help hold them up and boost them out of the water.
This summer we are going to try without the handle to the skis rope, just the regular handle for our 10 year old, last year was his first outing.
I don't feel a bar between the skis is good either, ok for straight but can't turn well.
It also helps to practice on dry land, they get in the crouch position holding the handle and you pull them to a standing position, in the correct skiing stance, then move to the water with the skis on, do the same thing, just gets them aquainted with the feel. Then hit the lake.
Always get your rope straight from the boat to the skier with a little tension, then hit the throttle enough to pop them up, don't pull their arms out the sockets, with too much power, but also don't drag them, not using enough, plowing the lake. When they fall, always turn the boat towards the drivers side to they are always in your sight and of course always turn off the motor when dropping off or picking up.
Now starting with a wake board is a bit differnt, but do a google search or search here on how to do that, this has gotten wordy enough.