I popped up last year my first try....this season, I am passing both wakes, but still have alot of trouble confidently moving across the water. Is it the rope? The speed of the boat? My gear...just need some good tips...I hate being the faceplant girl on the boat...it's getting old <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>

Jen, <BR>First congrats on getting up and sticking with it! This sport is definitely addicting. <BR> <BR>Give us some more info if you know the answers- what boat are you riding behind? How fast? How much ballast? How long is your rope? Do you have your own board set the way you like it or are you borrowing someone's? All of these things can have an impact on your progress.

Jenny...newbies often struggle with a combination of factors that hinder progression. Back in the day, we put everyone on a short rope and ran 19 mph with little or no ballast. Nowadays, newbies are put out 70'+ and full ballast (these days, full ballast includes a lot of extra weight = enormous wake). Huge wake = intimidation! <BR> <BR>I would suggest you volunteer to go first, before the extra weight is added and slow the boat down. Just get used to carving back and forth outside the wake. Practice wake jumps from inside the wake to out, surface tricks &amp; then move on to one wake jumps. From there, do one wake 180s; learn HS 180s from inside the wake to out first. Once you are comfortable with all of the above, you can increase speed and start working on wake to wake. <BR> <BR>Good Luck and don't forget to have fun!