Wakesurf Tips Part 1
The Takeoff
So where do I begin if you have never tried wakesurfing? Well, if you have ever participated in other board sports, chances are you are going to be able to pick up this sport fairly quickly. As with any board sport, it is going to take some practice before you start rippin' it up in the water. In any case, here are a few tips that might help.
1. First you need to know whether your stance is goofy or regular. Goofy is right foot forward and regular is left foot forward. This is very important because determining your stance is going to determine which side of the boat you are going to be riding on. Riding toe side (aka your toes are facing toward the wake) is the easiest way to start learning. Later on down the road you can switch to riding heelside (aka your heels are facing toward the wake). So if you are goofy footed then you want to start towards the right side of the boat. If you are regular footed, then you are going to want to start towards the left side of the boat. Now that you have your stance figured out and you know which side of the boat you are going to be riding on, you are ready for the next step.
2. The next thing that we are going to look at is the takeoff. I recommend starting about 5 to 10 feet away from the platform. You want the rope to be tight by the time you in this position. If you still have a lot of slack in the rope in this position, you are going to find yourself too far back from where you need to be on the wake. The takeoff itself is very similar to that of wakeboarding. Position your feet in a comfortable position on the board. You want your heels to be resting near the edge of the board and your toes pointed up. When the boat begins to pull you up, you want to put pressure on the board with your heels to bring the board to your feet. As the board flips to the bottoms of your feet, point the nose of your board towards the boat. Staying on your back edge will only cause you to wipe out. Now that you are facing forward on the board being pulled by the rope, edge out into the flats (away from the wake) to get your feet in a comfortable position. Once you are comfortable, begin edging in towards the wake by putting pressure on the board with your toes. As I mentioned earlier, most people have any easier time learning when riding toeside. Once you get the takeoff down, now the fun begins. It's time to find the "SWEET SPOT".
1. First you need to know whether your stance is goofy or regular. Goofy is right foot forward and regular is left foot forward. This is very important because determining your stance is going to determine which side of the boat you are going to be riding on. Riding toe side (aka your toes are facing toward the wake) is the easiest way to start learning. Later on down the road you can switch to riding heelside (aka your heels are facing toward the wake). So if you are goofy footed then you want to start towards the right side of the boat. If you are regular footed, then you are going to want to start towards the left side of the boat. Now that you have your stance figured out and you know which side of the boat you are going to be riding on, you are ready for the next step.
2. The next thing that we are going to look at is the takeoff. I recommend starting about 5 to 10 feet away from the platform. You want the rope to be tight by the time you in this position. If you still have a lot of slack in the rope in this position, you are going to find yourself too far back from where you need to be on the wake. The takeoff itself is very similar to that of wakeboarding. Position your feet in a comfortable position on the board. You want your heels to be resting near the edge of the board and your toes pointed up. When the boat begins to pull you up, you want to put pressure on the board with your heels to bring the board to your feet. As the board flips to the bottoms of your feet, point the nose of your board towards the boat. Staying on your back edge will only cause you to wipe out. Now that you are facing forward on the board being pulled by the rope, edge out into the flats (away from the wake) to get your feet in a comfortable position. Once you are comfortable, begin edging in towards the wake by putting pressure on the board with your toes. As I mentioned earlier, most people have any easier time learning when riding toeside. Once you get the takeoff down, now the fun begins. It's time to find the "SWEET SPOT".
Finding the Sweet Spot
The first thing that you have to get used to is the power of the wake. During your first couple of runs you might feel that the board is a little bit unsteady. That feeling will start to go away after you work on your balance and weight distribution on the board.
1. While continuing to hold onto the rope, start to get a better feel for the wake by doing some little carves up and down on the wake. You will notice that as you edge up onto the wake that it will start to push you towards the platform and then as you shift your weight to avoid hitting the platform, you will then notice that you end up on top of the wake or even behind it. Finding the balance in between these points is key. Use the rope to help to pull you into the position where you feel the push from the wake. Ultimately, you want to be able to ride without using the rope but the rope is very helpful when you are first learning to ride on the wake. Once you have a good feel for the power of the wake and the responsiveness of your board, you are probably ready to start working on finding the "Sweet Spot."
2. Pull yourself back in close to the wake where you begin to feel that push forward. Keep in mind that you are only about 5 feet or so away from the platform of your boat. Now is probably a good time to emphasize that wakesurfing should NEVER be done with an outboard motor, only inboard boats specifically designed for wakeboarding and wakesurfing. As you place the board in that spot where you notice that the rope gets some slack in it and you begin to feel that push forward from the wake, you have found the sweet spot. As I said earlier, this is where you want to practice riding while continuing to hold onto the rope. Once you are able to ride for a little while without any help from the rope, throw the rope into the boat and let your endless wave riding experience begin. This is where practice makes perfect. Balance and weight distribution are everything when learning to ride in the sweet spot. If you are constantly blasting towards the platform, put more weight onto your back foot. On the contrary, if you are finding yourself getting pulled to far back on the wake, put more weight onto your front foot. It is a game of balance and is just going to take some time to get it right.
1. While continuing to hold onto the rope, start to get a better feel for the wake by doing some little carves up and down on the wake. You will notice that as you edge up onto the wake that it will start to push you towards the platform and then as you shift your weight to avoid hitting the platform, you will then notice that you end up on top of the wake or even behind it. Finding the balance in between these points is key. Use the rope to help to pull you into the position where you feel the push from the wake. Ultimately, you want to be able to ride without using the rope but the rope is very helpful when you are first learning to ride on the wake. Once you have a good feel for the power of the wake and the responsiveness of your board, you are probably ready to start working on finding the "Sweet Spot."
2. Pull yourself back in close to the wake where you begin to feel that push forward. Keep in mind that you are only about 5 feet or so away from the platform of your boat. Now is probably a good time to emphasize that wakesurfing should NEVER be done with an outboard motor, only inboard boats specifically designed for wakeboarding and wakesurfing. As you place the board in that spot where you notice that the rope gets some slack in it and you begin to feel that push forward from the wake, you have found the sweet spot. As I said earlier, this is where you want to practice riding while continuing to hold onto the rope. Once you are able to ride for a little while without any help from the rope, throw the rope into the boat and let your endless wave riding experience begin. This is where practice makes perfect. Balance and weight distribution are everything when learning to ride in the sweet spot. If you are constantly blasting towards the platform, put more weight onto your back foot. On the contrary, if you are finding yourself getting pulled to far back on the wake, put more weight onto your front foot. It is a game of balance and is just going to take some time to get it right.
Wakesurf Tips Part 3
Learnin to Shred Like the Pros
Well, my little grommet you have progressed quite well. My only remaining bit of advice that I have for you is Go Shred!!!! I can't tell you enough how great it is to have my own endless wave right here in AZ. Every single person that I have ever taken out on our Malibu becomes instantly addicted to this sport. Give it a try and I'm sure that you too will know exactly why this sport is here to stay! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
Here's a quick video to take a look at as well:
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