Finding the Right Board
Well, when you are first starting out don't worry too much about the board. Howtowakesurf.com does a great job of describing the different types of boards. There are 2 basic styles of wakesurfboards, skim board style and conventional style.
Skimboard style wakesurfboards are thinner and smaller than surfboard styles.
Advantages: Easier for a beginner to get up on. Easier to spin (180s, 360s etc.). Easier to do shuvits. Easier to stow on the boat. More likely to fit into a wakeboard rack. Less tendency to roll and nose dive.
Disadvantages: More difficult to learn to freeride. Boat typically has to go back to get a fallen rider.
Conventional style wakesurfboards are thicker than skimboard styles and have greater buoyancy.
Advantages: Easier to freeride. Will freeride in a smaller wave than a skimboard style. Easier to recover from far back on the wave. More adept at classic surf moves that require bigger turns and cutbacks. Fallen rider can paddle quickly back to the boat (assuming the driver stopped soon after the rider fell).
Disadvantages: More difficult for a beginner to get up on. More difficult to spin. May not be able to do shuvits. Requires special racks to stow on the tower. More difficult to stow in your car without surfboard racks. Some have a significant tendency to roll and nose dive (not all). Shred Stixx boards (for example) do not have this roll and nose dive tendency.
A beginner may have difficulty getting started and standing up upon a conventional style surfboard. The same person may just pop up on the skim board style. They may not freeride as quickly, but they can still have lots of fun lineriding.
There are a lot of great wakesurfboard manufacturers out there. As I said earlier, don't worry too much about the brand of board that you are riding. The most important thing to do at this point is determine what style of riding you are going to focus on and then try out both the skim and conventional style boards. Once you have got your riding style down and have gotten comfortable with a certain style of board, then take a look at which brand caters most to your style.
Skimboard style wakesurfboards are thinner and smaller than surfboard styles.
Advantages: Easier for a beginner to get up on. Easier to spin (180s, 360s etc.). Easier to do shuvits. Easier to stow on the boat. More likely to fit into a wakeboard rack. Less tendency to roll and nose dive.
Disadvantages: More difficult to learn to freeride. Boat typically has to go back to get a fallen rider.
Conventional style wakesurfboards are thicker than skimboard styles and have greater buoyancy.
Advantages: Easier to freeride. Will freeride in a smaller wave than a skimboard style. Easier to recover from far back on the wave. More adept at classic surf moves that require bigger turns and cutbacks. Fallen rider can paddle quickly back to the boat (assuming the driver stopped soon after the rider fell).
Disadvantages: More difficult for a beginner to get up on. More difficult to spin. May not be able to do shuvits. Requires special racks to stow on the tower. More difficult to stow in your car without surfboard racks. Some have a significant tendency to roll and nose dive (not all). Shred Stixx boards (for example) do not have this roll and nose dive tendency.
A beginner may have difficulty getting started and standing up upon a conventional style surfboard. The same person may just pop up on the skim board style. They may not freeride as quickly, but they can still have lots of fun lineriding.
There are a lot of great wakesurfboard manufacturers out there. As I said earlier, don't worry too much about the brand of board that you are riding. The most important thing to do at this point is determine what style of riding you are going to focus on and then try out both the skim and conventional style boards. Once you have got your riding style down and have gotten comfortable with a certain style of board, then take a look at which brand caters most to your style.
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