How to Get Up on a Wakeboard | Advice and Tips
As the Ski industry began to die in the mid-1990s the tow-boat industry began to fall with it until the popularization of wakeboarding which some consider being the savior of the tow-boat industry. Now with over 2 million wakeboarders in the U.S alone, it is clear that wakeboarding is here to stay. Getting up on a wakeboard can be tricky for new riders, but by correctly positioning your body, relaxing your arms, and bending your legs, you will be standing up in no time. As you are likely excited to dive into this new and exciting sport, it leaves the question: How do you get up on a wakeboard? Know Your Stance It is important to know which way you will be standing on your board before you enter the water. If you leave this until the boat has begun to tow you, you will not know which way to turn your wakeboard, and likely end up hitting the water. As with other side-on board sports such as skateboarding or surfing, you have two stance options: Regular or Goofy. A regular stance is one that positions the right foot at the tail of the board and left in the front. A goofy stance is the mirror image of regular as your back foot will now be at the tail of your board and your right foot at the nose. Should I Stand Regular or Goofy? The stance you take is entirely up to you, but most riders prefer to place their dominant foot at the back of their board. If you don’t know which foot is dominant you can take note of what foot you use first when climbing stairs, kicking a ball, or standing on a skateboard and see which stance feels the most stable. That being said, in some cases a right-dominated person may surf goofy, and vice versa. You should choose the stance that feels the most natural, and not the stance that “should be” correct. Body Position in the Water Once you have discovered your main stance it is important to understand the correct body position while in the water before being towed. If your starting position is off then getting up on the wakeboard will be significantly more challenging. When in the water you should be floating on your back with the wakeboard floating near the surface of the water parallel to the back of the boat. Your entire body should remain relaxed with your knees bent to your shoulders and hands holding the tow rope (palms facing down). Your arms should be in between your legs and kept straight but relaxed. Your heels should also be pushed slightly down to keep the top rail of the wakeboard out of the water. Different Types of Starts When it comes to different starts, there are two main options: Deepwater starts and dock starts. Each of these has its own advantages, but it is the ease of the deepwater start that has a strong contribution to the popularity of the sport, and the start that is recommended for beginners. Deep Water Start Deepwater starts are generally best for beginners as they can be gentler, and you won’t need a professional boat driver. For a deep water start, you will begin lying in the water at the back of the boat as described above. As the boat picks up speed, the momentum will pull you up and out of the water. Dock Start A dock start is slightly more tricky and requires great communication between the rider and the boat driver. You will also need a private dock and an uncrowded area to do this. A dock start can be done by sitting at the edge of the dock with your feet in the bindings. As the boat takes off it will pull you off the deck and onto the water. This can also be done from a standing position by jumping at the opportune moment, but this is past the scope of a new wakeboarder. How to Get Up on a Wakeboard For the purpose of making standing up as easy as possible, we will be discussing how to get up on a wakeboard by using a deep water start. This is because not everyone has access to a private dock and it’s often found to be easier than dock starts. 1. Secure Your Bindings Before you think of jumping into the water you need to make sure your foot bindings are secure. If your bindings are too loose you will not be able to properly control the board, and will likely come out of the bindings if you fall. Bindings that are too tight will hurt your feet and eventually lead to cramping. This takes a lot of the fun out of the sport as you’ll be constantly in pain. 2. Get In the Water Hop off the boat with the tow rope in one hand, or have someone pass it to you once you are in the water. Once you are in the water and holding the tow rope, simply float on your back (which should be easy with the aid of your life jacket) and wait for the boat to move away from you. Once the rope has no more slack you can use it to maintain your balance while floating. You should be lying on your back facing the stern of the boat with your wakeboard parallel to the back of the boat. 3. Secure the Handle Hold the handle of the tow rope with both hands, palms facing the water. The rope should be running between your legs and over the center of the wakeboard’s lip. It is important to keep the rope center so as to not be pulled to the side when the boat speeds up. It is dangerous to fix the tow rope to your board or body as you will be dragged behind the boat if you fall. You should avoid twisting the rope around your hands, … Read more
