Newbie M/C owner question about wakeboarding???

[Maristar210]

Hello all and thanks in advance for all replies.

My son has learned many things as he has reached age 8 such as motocross which is scary for parents (I cringe every time he "airs it out", but learned from dad, the 38/18 year old who is a MX nut) along with skateboarding, hockey and rollerblading. I say this because the kid has a good equalibrium and learns pretty fast, at least faster than I ever remember learning....

Anyway... Since then we got this:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v240/Steves389/

How long will it take him / us to learn to wakeboard? I know this is a general question but is this something that takes years to begin to feel comfortable or can a person learn how to functionally balance in relativly short time. I am sure opinions might vary but I ask this question because he gets pi$$ed and determined if he can't do something which means I'll be picking his butt up over and over which I don't mind, just want to know what I am in for.

BTW.. this will not happen soon since old man winter has decided to give it one last shot in the "thumb" state.

Thanks again,

Steve

[erkoehler]

Wakeboarding in itself is quite simple. One long day on the water and he should be pretty comfortable riding the board, and crossing the wakes.

I would say after a full summer he should have a trick or two in the bag. Depending on how much time you spend on the water. :D

[SKI*MC]

Well like you said if he skates, and snowboards, he might catch on to it right away. But be careful with the stance on the board, sometimes, the stance on a skateboard (goofy or regular, that just refers to which foot someone rides forward on the board) will switch on a wakeboard, so try experimenting with both to get used to it. Wakeboarding talent wont come over night.

[Maristar210]

Well like you said if he skates, and snowboards, he might catch on to it right away. But be careful with the stance on the board, sometimes, the stance on a skateboard (goofy or regular, that just refers to which foot someone rides forward on the board) will switch on a wakeboard, so try experimenting with both to get used to it. Wakeboarding talent wont come over night.

We have purchased the www.thebookdvd.com for a learning experience but it does not indicate the time frame involved. Boy scout motto, be prepared. Thanks for the comments.

Steve

[WakeSeeky]

Getting out of the water is pretty easy. Getting your balance enough to move in and out of the wake is also fairly easy. Getting air/doing tricks? I'll let you know when I get there. :D Seriously, if he's got good balance and is good at skateboarding, I think he'll pick it up pretty quickly, at least the getting up and basic balance.

SKI*MC has a good point, though, my husband got pretty frustrated at first because he was trying to get up goofy and he's not. He was a sailboard instructor years ago, amongst other things, so it's not like he'd never done watersports, just with the wakeboard it's different for him. He can ride switch now pretty easily, though, and I still struggle, so he's more than made up for the early frustration.

Congrats on the boat & good luck to all of you!

[WakeSeeky]

Oh yeah, one thing I wish we'd done... late last summer we bought the Waketrix instructional DVD. If you don't have anyone along who's wakeboarded before, you might find that or another instructional video helpful. One of the guys we go out with had a board, and we just tried it, not knowing what we were doing. It's different than skiing, and now I'm trying to unlearn the bad habits I picked up because I was treating it too much like a ski (or at least that's my excuse). Anyway, it's been fun enough to keep me off my ski for almost 3 years now, so the video is definitely not a requirement, just a suggestion. :D

[Leroy]

Nice boat, good choice!


I would strongly recommend finding someone that gives lessons to start out. If he skateboards, skills transfer, same for snowboarding. Several people around here will even come out in your boat and give the lesson for $30-50 per hour. I've always found good instruction when beginning and learning helps so much.

[JDK]

Pay somebody to give lessons when he's got a boat like that???
Most of the kids I know would pay him for a pull!!!

[SkySkiSpokane]

Get him on a foil!!!! He certainly wouldn't be the youngest!!

http://www.foilfreaks.com/blog/dominator.php

[rem_pss308]

A lot of good info above.....
ANother dvd that helps is Higher education. it can be purchased in overtons, buywake.com, or wakeside.com. It starts with explaining to you as if you have never seen a wakeboard. and goes to the most advanced tricks that the pro's are doing.

My son is 17. he started wakeboarding in 2002. He was very good on a skateboard. The first summer behind my carolina skiff ( everyweekend, and one or two evenings) he learned to get up, and jump the wake. He also learned to jump both wakes, and by the end of the summer he was doing two of the four 180's.
next summer he could do all four 180's, one of the 360's, and a back roll.
Then we purchased a 1993 205 prostar, sacs, and installed a tower. now he is competeing in the advanced divisiosn, and placing everytime.
A good quality board, and rope is important. Tower or pole will give him more air. a bigger wake will also.

Hope this helps.

[erkoehler]

I know I would atleast put in gas money for pulls behind that boat!

[DanC]

I have taught a lot of young boys to wakeboard. Getting up on a wakeboard is the easiest things to do (next to tubing 8p ) Good idea on the video. We watch the Detention video in the van on the way to the water. Detention has humor in it so it holds the kid's attention and it has a good section on just getting up and simple basics.
Rate of advancement will depend on how athletic your son is. Since he skateboards, plays hockey and rollerblades I am assuming he is pretty athletic. Most athletes his age will have no problem getting up, riding comfortably, doing ollies and catching a little air over one wake on the first day. After six times out I bet he will be comfortable with riding fakey, ollies, lip slide and one of the surface 180s. At that young age he will struggle with jumping the whole wake. It will be a function of boat speed and rope length. :twocents:

[east tx skier]

Pro instruction once he can get up 99% of the time and cross the wakes would be invaluable. If he's never been on a slalom stick, wakeboarding will be easier. For the long-time slalom skiers, it took my family a little longer to get used to the differences between the two disciplines. Nice boat. Have fun with it.

[LakePirate]

If he's never been on a slalom stick, wakeboarding will be easier. For the long-time slalom skiers, it took my family a little longer to get used to the differences between the two disciplines. Nice boat. Have fun with it.

Know all about this one.
Another thing you need to be familiar with is driving the boat for a wakeboard start as opposed to a slalom start. I learned that the hard way from the wrong end of the tow rope. Not being an expert in driving for wakeboarders, I will not offer any more instruction.


HIT IT! :dance:

[Ric]

Know all about this one.
Another thing you need to be familiar with is driving the boat for a wakeboard start as opposed to a slalom start. I learned that the hard way from the wrong end of the tow rope. Not being an expert in driving for wakeboarders, I will not offer any more instruction.


HIT IT! :dance:
so true, this old slalomer has had a hard time with getting out of the water on a wakeboard.

newbie let's get those boat pics up in the "newbie let's see your boats" thread immediately

[east tx skier]

The way I like to explain it to long-time slalom skiers is by way of an all-in-fun jab at our wakeboarding friends. Getting up on a slalom is about patience. Hold your position, and let the boat pull you up. Now here comes the good-natured jab, which is in jest. Wakeboarding was designed for impatient little Gen-Y'ers. ;) As soon as you start to feel the pull and see that water come over the board, you have to be proactive, turn that board, and stand up.

I can get up on a wakeboard and cross the wakes. That's about it. I stick to my stick.

[Maristar210]

Thanks for all the very helpful comments. Sounds to me like he will only struggle initially. BTW he has no ski experience, likes tubing however.

Now if we could just work on that air/water temp. :mad:

thanks again,


Steve

P.S boat pic's were already posted, I believe.

[tex]

Thanks for all the very helpful comments. Sounds to me like he will only struggle initially. BTW he has no ski experience, likes tubing however.

Now if we could just work on that air/water temp. :mad:

thanks again,


Steve

P.S boat pic's were already posted, I believe.

Once he has mastered getting up-drive him like you pull him on the tube! It will be fun for you!

[peason]

I have 4 kids - ages 12 to 5 and they all like to wakeboard. The 12 year old is attempting to jump the wake - but lack of weight holds him back. The great thing about kids, is NO FEAR. All of mine are pretty atheletic and I am sure they will all by- pass their old man soon. They all do learn at different rates - now if only I can get a pass or two in. Great family sport!
I agree on a good board and a good rope!

Also, dry land work can help too - like jumping on a trampoline which allows them to feel comfortable in the air.

Have a fun summer!

[Maristar210]

I have 4 kids - ages 12 to 5 and they all like to wakeboard. The 12 year old is attempting to jump the wake - but lack of weight holds him back. The great thing about kids, is NO FEAR. All of mine are pretty atheletic and I am sure they will all by- pass their old man soon. They all do learn at different rates - now if only I can get a pass or two in. Great family sport!
I agree on a good board and a good rope!

Also, dry land work can help too - like jumping on a trampoline which allows them to feel comfortable in the air.

Have a fun summer!

Thanks, He has abig trampoline in the back yard as well. He just learned how to flip....oooh geeeez :eek:

[rem_pss308]

peason: Shorten your rope length to where the handle is wjere the wake is narrow. he should be able to jump both wakes then, and then slowly move the handle farther out as he progresses.

Maristar210: On the trampoline does he hold a handle ties off to some thing. if not that helps a lot. If you have a tower on the boat. tie it off high. My son even had taped a skate board deck on the bottom of his shoes ( without the wheels) so he can simulate a board when rotating on the trampoline.

A non stretch rope is very important. as he cuts into the wake, if the rope stretches, it will pull him forward as it rebounds back in. the non stretch rope allows the rope to stay tight, and he will get more air.

[Leroy]

My second vote for professional training if you can find it and you want to push what it possible on a board. If you are going to try inverts, and big air get good training. Falls can really hurt and turn people off the sport.

The trampoline is a great training enviroment and I'll say the same thing about it if you are going to do flips, take a short course. Tramps, especially without a net, are a leading cause of ER trips now.

End of mother hen talk!

[chfrogman]

I have a 7 year old daughter that really wants to wakeboard this year. (Had her up on a ski skimmer last year ) We are thinking about taking an instructor out with us to help get her up and to help us too. Do you think it is a waste of money? Are we better off waiting till she can get up and then doing it?
I hadn't thought about getting a video, but that sounds like a great idea.

[erkoehler]

I would get the video so that she can get the overall aspect of how to get up "Right" and wait on the trainer until she is comfortable on a wakeboard. That could take some time especially if she hasn't been out on skis/