View Full Version : surfing question: Help!
Hey all, I have been trying now for a few weeks to let go of the rope with no sucess. I have an 04' X9 and a 5'6" Inland Surfer. Front and rear ballast full, 400lb sack on surf side of boat 10mph. I am going over the front of the board alot but if I move back the rope stays pritty much tight. Any ideas?
G
Hard to say without seeing. Any extra people in the boat? My boat is a little bigger but it generally takes a good 6-700 lbs over stock ballast to get my wake rolling good. You might need to go up or down on speed depending on curl and washout on the wake. My guess would be you just need to keep messing with it and you will get the hang of it. It takes most people in my experience anywhere from 5-10 times up on the rope before they really start to get the feel.
flipper
07-25-2008, 10:58 AM
Hit up Sham....he has a surfing school.:D
surfacetension
07-25-2008, 11:53 AM
We have an X2 and I find that if you turn very slightly to the side the rider is on it helps clean the wake also we surf at about 8 mph if that helps,
kgrove
07-25-2008, 02:04 PM
I surfed and skateboarded as a kid and am just now learning to wakesurfing after about a 20 year year hiatus, so my comment is based largely on my experiences growing up and not so much specific to wakesurfing.
I hate to tell you but some of it is talent. If you watch a good surfer on a small wave, for example, you'll see them "pumping" the board to generate speed - they use repeated s-turns in a way that helps thrust the board forward. If they stop pumping, their speed drops dramatically and they can even lose the wave. Skateboarders do the same thing - can pump the board with repeated kick turns and never have to push with their foot on flat pavement.
In my case trying to learn to wakesurf (tried it for only a couple hours so far), I know there is some of this same issue going on. I had a really good surfer on my boat (X-15) and he can do tricks with only the starboard and KGB ballasts full and only 2 people on the boat. For me, on the other hand, I have tremendous difficulty staying on the wave after I drop the rope while using a couple hundred lbs over stock ballast and 3 people in the boat. Same board, same boat... the real difference is he is really good and I haven't surfed in 20 years.
Moral to the story - yes, you can improve the wave with more weight and it will definitely help, but at the same time don't be afraid to keep the rope in your hands awhile longer and work on your board skills. Even after you get your wake set up better, you'll learn faster if you don't ditch the rope too quickly so that when you screw up, you can rely on a gentle pull of the rope to get you back in the wave rather than lose the wave and have to wait for the boat to circle back for you.
ProTour X9
07-25-2008, 02:16 PM
load down the boat to one side, go less than 10mph via manual cruise...
We surf behind a x15 and found the best wake at 10.4 mph with keel and port ballast full. Try to keep everyone on the port side (unless your goofy foot) or in the bow if you have more than 5 people onboard. If all you're getting is wash with no curl, try speeding up a bit.
It really helps to have perfect pass.
Next try to keep you toes closer to the wake edge to counter the wake pushing you away and keep your center stance about 3/4 in from the front tip. The rest is touch and feel. Don't give up, its a hoot. ;);)
Prostar in Michigain
07-25-2008, 04:51 PM
To start try transfering all your weight to your back foot till you get the hang of it. When i started i just needed to get the feel and find my "sweet spot" with my feet on the board. Befor i found the sweet spot all my weight or most of it was on my back foot and you still can cut up and down the wake.
Good luck
PDXSurfer
07-25-2008, 05:06 PM
If you're getting a good, clean wave at least a couple feet high you should have no problem with that board/boat setup. As krgove said - a big part is getting comfortable - walk before you run. Ease into the sweet spot until you are really know where that is an can use your "gas and brake" keep that rope and get stoked when you're riding it slack.
The biggest problem I see in people is where the board is pointed. Get the nose of the board and your body pointed at the lifting eye on the transom. Lots of people let that front foot wander out and lose the power of the wave which comes from cutting into it on with the toe side edge of the board. Get your buddy in the corner and have him help make sure you are pointing in and keeping an athletic, aggressive stance.
Finally - put some weight in the front of the boat. A wake that is really tall from a slammed rear corner will often lack the depth and the push to make it that much easier.
tr6coug
07-25-2008, 05:26 PM
Make sure that you are constantly cutting in toward the center of the wake. We have taught a lot of people and beginners always seem to want to point the tip of the board away from the boat. Keep the tip of the board pointed toward the bow of the boat and make sure you are putting pressure on the wake side of the board with your toes. Most importantly ride with the rope until you can comfortably ride with slack in the rope. Then drop the rope.
Adjust the speed until you have a nicely shaped wake, a half mph can make a big difference. We surf at 11.5mph on my X2. On my buddy's '03 X2 we surf at 9.5.
Awsome info, I'll keep at it
G
I just wait for the sets :D no boat needed :banana:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/1736072600_5ac9463a0f_o.jpg
Jus mi :twocents:
kgrove
07-25-2008, 08:14 PM
You can't see it in the photo, but the picture coz posted is actually of the wake from my X-15 just off frame left with my mother-in-law sitting in the rear port corner of the boat. Even with that monster wake, its still not worth having her on board.
onewheat
07-26-2008, 10:36 PM
You can't see it in the photo, but the picture coz posted is actually of the wake from my X-15 just off frame left with my mother-in-law sitting in the rear port corner of the boat. Even with that monster wake, its still not worth having her on board.
Now THAT is funny! :D:D:D
kev88
07-26-2008, 11:43 PM
You can't see it in the photo, but the picture coz posted is actually of the wake from my X-15 just off frame left with my mother-in-law sitting in the rear port corner of the boat. Even with that monster wake, its still not worth having her on board.
:D:purplaugh:purplaugh:D
Even with that monster wake, its still not worth having her on board.
Funny :woohoo: good one k :D I say keep ma-n-law in the storage next to the engine, or is that where she already sits? :banana: :toast:
Carbon Dreams
07-26-2008, 11:55 PM
Funny! I was going to say that exact comment about my mother-in-law...
:toast:
Carbon Dreams
07-27-2008, 12:10 AM
Regardless of boat type, the basic theory of sinking the aft corner of the boat is the premise. I would take weight out of the nose and add more to the corner that you are surfing on. Though skill plays a large factor, we have been able to teach friends with no skill to throw the rope in after a few pulls. This is possible with a friendly wave. I haven't surfed an X-9 but it looks like it would throw a pretty good wave with a heavy corner. Generally 10.5 to 11.5 mph is the sweet range.
Once you get it, you will never want to experience a wakeboard trick-gone-bad! i.e. toe-side-faceplant...